Overview
Head of Human Resources; iGaming & Sports Betting Jobs in Johannesburg, South Africa at Initiate
Position: Head of Human Resources (iGaming & Sports Betting)
The iGaming and Sports Betting sector is one of the fastest-evolving industries globally. Growth is aggressive, competition is fierce, and the businesses leading the market are the ones investing heavily in people, culture, innovation, and operational excellence.
Our client, a rapidly expanding organisation within the iGaming and Sports Betting space, is seeking an experienced and commercially astute Head of HR to lead their people strategy and drive organisational performance across the business.
This is a senior leadership opportunity for someone who thrives in high-growth, fast-paced environments and understands how to build scalable people frameworks that support ambitious business objectives. The successful candidate will play a critical role in shaping company culture, enhancing employee engagement, driving talent strategies, and partnering closely with executive leadership to support continued expansion.
This role requires far more than traditional HR management. The business is looking for a strategic operator, culture builder, advisor, and leader capable of navigating the complexity of a highly competitive digital industry.
Key Responsibilities Strategic HR Leadership
- Develop and execute the company’s overall HR and people strategy in alignment with business objectives
- Act as a strategic partner to executive leadership on organisational design, workforce planning, succession planning, and business transformation initiatives
- Lead the evolution of company culture to support high performance, accountability, innovation, and employee engagement
- Build scalable HR frameworks and operational structures to support ongoing business growth across multiple departments and regions
- Provide strategic guidance on leadership development, talent retention, and employee performance optimisation
Talent Acquisition & Workforce Planning
- Oversee and optimise recruitment strategies to attract top talent across technical, operational, commercial, product, customer operations, compliance, marketing, and executive functions
- Partner with department heads to identify current and future hiring requirements
- Ensure the business maintains a strong employer brand within the competitive iGaming and Sports Betting market
- Drive workforce planning initiatives aligned to growth forecasts and operational demands
- Improve recruitment processes, onboarding experiences, and retention strategies
Employee Experience & Culture
- Create and implement initiatives that enhance employee engagement, wellbeing, collaboration, and overall employee satisfaction
- Foster an inclusive, high-performance culture aligned with company values and business objectives
- Develop leadership capability programmes and internal career progression pathways
- Support management teams in building strong, motivated, and productive teams
- Lead internal communication initiatives that strengthen transparency and employee alignment
Performance Management & Organisational Development
- Drive performance management frameworks and ensure consistent implementation across the business
- Implement modern performance review structures, KPI frameworks, and development planning processes
- Identify organisational capability gaps and develop training and development initiatives
- Support managers in handling performance-related matters, coaching conversations, and employee development
- Lead organisational change initiatives and support business transformation projects
HR Operations, Governance & Compliance
- Ensure full compliance with South African labour legislation and HR best practices
- Oversee HR policies, procedures, contracts, and governance frameworks
- Manage employee relations matters, disciplinary processes, grievances, and conflict resolution
- Monitor HR risks and ensure compliance across all people-related functions
- Drive HR reporting, analytics, and data-driven decision-making
- Oversee compensation, benefits, and remuneration benchmarking initiatives
Leadership & Stakeholder Management
- Lead, mentor, and develop the HR team to ensure operational excellence
- Build trusted relationships with senior leadership and department heads
- Act as a key advisor to executives on all people-related matters
- Influence strategic business decisions through strong commercial and operational understanding
- Promote collaboration between departments and support overall business effectiveness
Requirements
- Proven experience in a senior HR leadership role within iGaming, Sports Betting, Online Gaming, Fin Tech, Digital Entertainment, or other fast-paced technology-driven industries
- Strong background in organisational development, talent strategy, and high-growth business environments
- Demonstrated experience partnering with executive leadership teams
- Strong understanding of South African labour legislation and HR compliance frameworks
- Experience managing large-scale recruitment and workforce planning initiatives
- Strong commercial acumen with the ability to align HR strategy to business performance
- Exceptional leadership, communication, negotiation, and stakeholder…
Title: Head of Human Resources; iGaming & Sports Betting
Company: Initiate
Location: Johannesburg, South Africa
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