Totalstay is a Cape Town-based hospitality and short-term rental management company operating 700+ keys across multiple properties. The People Operations function supports 300+ employees across permanent and fixed-term operational staff and permanent head office staff.

The HR Manager leads the People Operations function, providing strategic and operational HR oversight across a multi-property environment. This is a new hire appointment into an established function with active compliance workstreams, an outsourced HR/IR and payroll provider relationship, and three direct reports. The right candidate will take ownership quickly, manage complexity independently, and drive the function forward without a long runway.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

People Operations Leadership

• Own the full People Operations function across all Totalstay properties and head office.
• Provide strategic and operational HR direction aligned to business growth and legislative requirements.
• Lead, develop, and performance - manage three direct reports: Workforce Operations Manager, HR Administrator, and Training Administrator.
• Maintain and govern the People Operations Google Drive as the working environment, with Roubler as the system of record.

Compliance & Statutory Obligations

• Own the annual HR compliance calendar and ensure all statutory deadlines are met - EEA, Skills Development Act, BCEA, POPIA.
• Manage Employment Equity obligations as a designated employer: plan, consult, and report.
• Lead CATHSSETA engagement including WSP/ATR submission, cost pre-authorisation, and SDF responsibilities.
• Ensure POPIA compliance across all HR data handling, including the data processing agreement with the outsourced payroll and HR/IR provider.
• Maintain audit-ready documentation across the full employee lifecycle.

Outsourced Provider Management

• Manage the day-to-day and strategic relationship with the outsourced payroll and HR/IR provider.
• Hold the provider accountable to agreed scope using the original quotation as the operative reference document.
• Monitor billing accuracy, flag scope creep, and escalate cost risks - particularly around uncapped services such as WSP/ATR compilation and casual billing.
• Ensure IR process integrity: disciplinary hearings, grievances, and CCMA matters are handled procedurally and within agreed scope.
• Drive the outstanding POPIA data processing agreement to completion.

Employee Relations & IR

• Oversee all disciplinary and grievance matters, ensuring procedural fairness in line with the LRA and company policy.
• Act as the primary point of escalation for complex or sensitive ER matters before external referral.
• Maintain the disciplinary tracking log and identify trends for senior leadership reporting.

HR Administration & Employee Lifecycle

• Oversee end-to-end employee lifecycle: recruitment, onboarding, contracts, probation, performance, and exits.
• Ensure all employment contracts are legally compliant, up to date, and signed across all staff categories.
• Maintain and update the HR SOP library and company policy document on a defined review cycle.

Payroll Oversight

• Oversee payroll inputs, accuracy, and exception management in partnership with the outsourced provider and Finance.
• Manage PaySpace (leave administration) and ensure alignment with Roubler (workforce management and records).
• Authorise payroll-related exceptions and flag risks to Finance and senior leadership.

Performance Management

• Establish and implement a functional performance management framework .
• Evaluate and decide between available options: PaySpace module activation, standalone tooling, or a structured manual framework.
• Ensure performance cycles are tracked, documented, and linked to development conversations.

Training & Development

• Lead the Training & Development function through the Training Administrator, providing direction, priorities, and accountability.
• Oversee the annual training calendar - planning, delivery tracking, and post-training evaluation.
• Ensure all mandatory training is completed, recorded, and audit-ready for SETA and DoL purposes.
• Govern the CATHSSETA WSP/ATR submission process, including scope and cost pre-authorisation with the outsourced provider.
• Ensure Google Classroom content is maintained, current, and aligned to operational and compliance requirements.
• Review training reports and escalate skills gaps or compliance risks to senior leadership.

Reporting & People Analytics

• Produce monthly and quarterly HR reports: headcount, turnover, ER trends, and training compliance.
• Develop and Maintain the Employee Master Tracker and surface people risk proactively to senior leadership.
• Support BBBEE HR data requirements as needed.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Diploma or Degree in Human Resources Management or equivalent - required.
• Skills Development Facilitator (SDF) registration - advantageous.

EXPERIENCE

• Minimum 5–7 years in an HR generalist or HR management role.
• Multi-property or multi-site operational HR experience - strongly preferred.
• Experience managing an outsourced HR or payroll provider relationship.
• CATHSSETA or SETA engagement and WSP/ATR submission experience - advantageous.
• EE committee management experience -advantageous.
• Experience in hospitality, property management, or a multi-site services environment -strongly preferred.

SKILLS & COMPETENCIES

• Strong working knowledge of LRA, BCEA, EEA, Skills Development Act, and POPIA - non-negotiable.
• IR competence: ability to oversee and manage disciplinary hearings, grievances, and CCMA matters independently.
• Vendor management capability: able to hold an outsourced provider accountable, not defer to them.
• Compliance ownership mindset: proactive, deadline-driven, and audit-ready.
• Systems proficiency: PaySpace, Roubler, or comparable HRIS; Google Workspace.
• Ability to absorb an established function quickly and take ownership without a long onboarding runway

WHY JOIN US

• Competitive salary package, based on experience
• Friends & Family nightly rates across all Totalstay properties
• A dynamic environment where your decisions and standards directly shape guest experience
• Career development opportunities as Totalstay continues to grow its property portfolio
• An inclusive team culture that values professionalism, accountability, and growth