Head of People

ABOUT US 

HyperionDev is the largest provider of software development education in Southern Africa, and one of the largest globally. Counted among the top education technology startups in EMEA with headquarters in Cape Town and London, we support learners from over 40 countries in changing into fulfilling tech careers. We are dedicated to closing the global tech skills gap and we achieve this by integrating tech education with human mentorship and expert code review, lowering the cost of accessing tech careers.

In 2016 we won first prize in Facebook's Innovation Challenge, with Facebook selecting us as the most socially impactful startup operating in Africa and financially backing us, alongside Google . We were originally launched from the University of Cambridge, and our leadership team consists of world-leading talent from companies such as Google, Amazon, 2U/GetSmarter, Yoco and PwC, and those who have previously built and gone on to sell large businesses. We are looking for team members who are ambitious, motivated and have a track record of over-achieving and exceeding targets.

Join us at a time when we are reinventing tech education and how technology can drive higher quality education at scale for markets that have some of the most underperforming tertiary institutions and schools globally. 

ABOUT THE ROLE 

In this role, you will directly report to and work closely with the CEO to implement and scale a world-class culture that is aligned with the goals of the company.

People are our most important asset and in this role, you will ensure that we have a happy, productive workplace where the team is enabled and supported in working towards our mission. Promoting our company values and shaping a positive culture will be a vital aspect of your responsibilities. Supported by our People Operations team, this will involve managing activities focused on employee retention, training & development, performance management, employee relations, change management, and overall talent management.

Your responsibilities will include: 

• Refining and implementing our people operations processes including onboarding, off-boarding, performance reviews, compensation reviews,  workforce and succession planning, employee growth plans, benefits administration, and more
• Ensuring compliance with relevant laws and policies to ensure that our processes evolve appropriately as we scale
• Owning all internal and external communications including company announcements, policy updates and driving the quarterly OKR setting 
• Designing and executing learning and development initiatives to enable high-performance, high-growth careers for our employees 
• Supporting our people operations processes to scale by automating workflows and adopting suitable systems and software
• Building and managing a strong culture based on our four core values
• Overseeing efficient administration of our offices and management of third party services and agreements, including lease agreements

Your role will be critical in scaling the internal systems of a high-growth tech startup. This is a unique opportunity to join one of Africa’s largest education technology startups, and one of the fastest growing, and directly support our management team in key decision-making. 

REQUIREMENTS

Minimum

• Completed BCom HR or Organisational Psychology
• At least 10 years experience in human resources, employee relations and organisational development, with a demonstrable track record of designing and implementing human resources processes across a business
• At least 3 years experience in managing and growing a human resources team in a rapidly scaling company
• Thorough knowledge of South African labour legislation, compliance requirements, disciplinary procedures, and HR policies and procedures (5 years +)
• Proven track record implementing best practice employee wellness, retention, and satisfaction strategies (3 years +)
• Strong leadership and people management skills
• Near-perfect communication skills 
• Highly skilled in problem-solving and negotiations
• A specific interest to work in a high growth tech company, evidenced by prior professional experience or involvement in such a space
• Extreme ambition to grow a company to the category leader in terms of employee wellness, retention, and satisfaction

Advantageous

• Prior experience in a startup environment 
• Evidence of implementing and scaling a company-wide internal levelling system to identify and retain high performers 
• Experience in implementing and managing the labour relations/labour law functions of a rapidly scaling people operations/human resources team
• Prior experience in education or e-learning
• Passionate about technology
• Educational qualifications or professional experience in law

BENEFITS

Equity: As a senior leadership role within the company, you may be eligible for direct ownership in the business through our stock option scheme.  The company has been approached for acquisition by a number of billion dollar leaders in the tech education space, is backed by investors from the US, UK and South Africa,  and we want you to directly share in the success of the business.  

Flexible & remote working: We are a remote-friendly organisation and offer flexible work options.

Generous annual leave and medical benefits: We provide up to 20 annual leave days as part of our leave policy, as well as health insurance or medical aid benefits for our staff.

Join the heart of tech in Africa, the US, and Europe: You'll work with the best of the best and rub shoulders with the world leaders in edtech, developer education, and developer assessments. Join one of the most ambitious and highest performing tech companies in the space, with a founding team that draws their former experience from companies such as Google, Amazon, GetSmarter/2U, and Yoco. 

Life-changing work: Solve real problems that make education and tech careers accessible to those who need it most: you're allowed to brag about it.

OUR VALUES

We're a people-first company with a purpose that underlines everything we do. We're obsessed with the potential in people and challenge them to do their best work. We embrace a culture of growth and learning to deliver on our vision and ours is a relentless quest for improvement.