HR Manager

Bongo Credit is a new consumer finance business being established in South Africa, backed by the experience of an international financial services group with a presence across South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, and Lesotho.

We are built on the principles of responsible lending, fair customer treatment, and full transparency because we believe people deserve to understand exactly what they are signing up for. We carefully assess affordability, protect customer data, and operate in full compliance with South African laws and regulatory requirements.

Our mission is simple: to provide financial products that are clear, accessible, and genuinely suitable for the people who use them. As we continue to grow, we are committed to building lasting relationships with our customers, our partners, our employees, and the regulators we work alongside.

As we establish and expand our South African operations, we are looking for an experienced and people-focused HR Manager to help build our organisation from the ground up. This is an exciting opportunity to shape our people strategy, create strong HR foundations, and foster a high-performance culture in a fast-growing business.

You will take full ownership of the HR function in South Africa, playing a key role in building our local operations from the ground up. Working closely with the CEO and supported by the Group HR team, you will shape how we hire, grow, and support our people.

• Lead end-to-end recruitment and talent acquisition to support business growth.

• Lead a hands-on HR function, combining strategic HR initiatives with day-to-day HR operations.

• Develop and implement HR policies, processes, and documentation.
• Manage HR administration, including employment contracts, onboarding, terminations, HR systems, payroll inputs, and personnel records.

• Design and manage employee benefits.

• Coordinate performance management, learning and development, and employee engagement initiatives.

• Ensure compliance with South African labour legislation and advise managers on HR and employee relations matters.

• Manage employee relations cases, including disciplinary, grievance, and incapacity processes.

• Lead the HR team (currently one HR team member) and oversee office administration.

• Support office operations, health and safety, HR budgeting, reporting, and workforce planning.

• Partner with leadership on strategic HR matters and support organisational growth.

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources Management, Organisational Psychology, Business Administration, or a related field.

• At least 3 years' experience in an HR Manager, HR Business Partner, or similar generalist role.

• Proven hands-on experience across the full employee lifecycle, including recruitment, onboarding, performance management, employee relations, and offboarding.

• Sound knowledge of South African labour legislation and HR best practices.

• Experience designing and implementing HR policies, processes, and employee benefits.

• Experience working in a regulated industry (e.g. financial services, fintech, or microlending) will be an advantage.

• Experience with HRIS platforms (e.g. Sage HR) and payroll administration will be an advantage.

• Demonstrated ability to build HR processes, work independently, and take ownership in a growing organisation.

• Strong interpersonal, communication, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to advise and influence managers at all levels.

• Proactive, adaptable, and comfortable working in a fast-paced, evolving environment.

• A unique opportunity to build and shape the HR function from the ground up in a fast-growing business in South Africa.

• Close collaboration with the CEO and support from an experienced international HR team.

• A hands-on role with broad exposure across the full employee lifecycle and the opportunity to make a real impact.

• The chance to design scalable HR processes and contribute to the growth of an international organisation.

• An international, collaborative culture built on our shared value: We Win Together.

• Tailored learning and professional development opportunities.

• A competitive salary complemented by a performance-based bonus.