Overview
Head of Learning & Leadership Development Jobs in Midrand, Gauteng, South Africa at Dis-Chem
Title: Head of Learning & Leadership Development
Company: Dis-Chem
Location: Midrand, Gauteng, South Africa
Dis-Chem Pharmacies’ in Midrand has an opportunity available for a Head of Learning & Leadership Development to join the team. The main purpose of this role will be to architect and drive an integrated learning and leadership development strategy that strengthens Dis-Chem’s capability pipeline, supports long-term career growth, and enables operational excellence through future-ready, digital-first learning solutions. This role provides strategic leadership to learning and training objectives across Dis-Chem, ensuring alignment of learning pathways to the Employee Value Proposition (EVP), organisational development priorities, and digital transformation. A key focus is on embedding modern leadership practices that support Dis-Chem’s growth, innovation, and culture transformation agendas.
Minimum Requirements
Essential:
- Bachelor’s Degree in HR, Learning & Development, Organisational Psychology, or related field
- Minimum 10 years in Learning & Development, with at least 5 years in a senior leadership role preferably in a large entity
- Proven success in leading national learning teams across multi-site environments (retail, FMCG, or healthcare preferred)
- Deep understanding of leadership development frameworks, adult learning principles, instructional design, and SETA compliance
Roles & Responsibilities
Learning Strategy & Organisational Capability Building:
- Lead the development of a group-wide learning strategy aligned to business priorities, growth targets, and talent needs across retail, healthcare, distribution, and support functions.
- Integrate learning into performance, transformation, and succession plans to ensure talent readiness and depth across all levels.
- Translate business challenges into learning solutions that drive productivity, compliance, innovation, and employee experience.
- Identify and embed future-fit metrics to ensure the positive impact of learning experiences, value, cost effectiveness, and learner engagement and satisfaction and business outcomes.
Leadership Development & Future-Fit Capabilities:
- Define and implement modern leadership development practices grounded in inclusive, empathetic, and agile leadership models.
- Oversee the design and delivery of leadership journeys for frontline, mid-level, and executive leaders, ensuring alignment with organisational culture and strategic priorities.
- Build a future-fit leadership pipeline through immersive learning experiences, mentorship, and coaching frameworks.
Learning Pathways & Career Development Enablement:
- Develop structured, integrated learning pathways that connect roles, skills, qualifications, and progression across all job families.
- Partner with Talent & Culture, Total Rewards functions to embed learning into career architecture, internal mobility, and EVP value drivers.
- Ensure learning is visible and accessible to employees, supporting self-directed development through clear pathways and recognition systems.
Digital Learning & Innovation:
- Oversee the development and curation of scalable, high-impact digital learning content and platforms (LMS, microlearning, mobile-first tools).
- Drive adoption of blended, social, and AI-powered learning models that enhance learning agility and accessibility across the workforce.
- Leverage data analytics to measure learning impact, engagement, and learning ROI, continuously improving through agile experimentation.
People Leadership:
- Establish a high-performing, collaborative, and accountable culture within the P&C retail team that reflects the organisation’s values and drives business impact.
- Ensure the P&C team is equipped with the necessary skills, agility, and leadership capabilities to support a fast-paced and evolving retail environment.
- Provide clear leadership and direction to the P&C team in delivering people priorities that enable retail operations and business performance.
- Ensure the P&C team is structured and resourced effectively to meet the current and future needs of the retail business.
Competencies
- Commercial Acumen
- Execution Orientation
- Strategic Influence
- Digital Learning Transformation
- Resilience & Agility
- Stakeholder Engagement
- People Leadership
Special conditions of employment
- South African citizen
- MIE, clear criminal and credit
- Driver’s license and/or own reliable transport
- Occasional traveling
Remuneration and benefits
- Market-related salary
- Medical aid
- Provident fund
- Staff account
ONLY SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS WILL BE CONTACTED. IF YOU HAVEN`T BEEN CONTACTED WITHIN TWO WEEKS AFTER THE CLOSING DATE CONSIDER YOUR APPLICATION AS UNSUCCESSFUL.
Dis-Chem Pharmacies is an equal opportunity employer. Dis-Chem’s approved Employment Equity Plan and Targets will be considered as part of the recruitment process aligned to Dis-Chem’s Employment Equity & Transformation Strategy. Dis-Chem actively supports the recruitment of People with Disabilities.