Job Description Job Title: People Operations Intern Location: Tygervalley, Cape Town Role Purpose: As People Compliance & Risk Lead, you will ensure our people practices meet the highest standards of legal, regulatory, and internal policy compliance. You will act as a key strategic partner to HR and the business, taking full ownership of legal risk, people-related ISO certification requirements (including ISO 9001 and ISO 27001), and our global HR compliance framework. You will lead on governance of key HR processes, ensure audit readiness, manage legal risk registers, and act as the subject matter expert on employment- related legal and financial exposures. Your insight and leadership will support board-level decision-making, business continuity, and continuous improvement in our people operations. This role is suited to a highly organised, detail-driven professional with strong governance, legal awareness, and the ability to work autonomously and collaboratively across HR, Legal, and senior leadership teams. Delivering Value to the Business: Owner of People Risk & Compliance Legal and Risk Subject Matter Expert Business Lead of ISO 9001 & ISO 27001 Standards Trusted Partner to Leadership and the Board Maintainer of HR Policy Integrity and Continuous Improvement Responsibilities Indicators of Effective Delivery HR Compliance Monitoring Provide strategic oversight of compliance across all key HR processes. Collaborate with senior stakeholders to address systemic issues, escalate risks, and embed a culture of compliance throughout the employee lifecycle. Compliance risks are proactively identified and addressed Documentation and evidence consistently meet audit expectations Senior leaders are informed of key compliance trends and actions Pre-Employment Screening Strategically lead the compliance and governance of pre-employment checks (DBS, right-to-work, criminal checks). Maintain robust assurance processes and report on risk themes and compliance status to senior leaders. Assurance processes meet legal and regulatory requirements Emerging risks and screening trends are escalated appropriately Pre-employment records are audit-ready and well maintained Policy and Document Governance Own the policy governance framework, ensuring alignment with legal, regulatory, and ISO requirements. Drive the policy lifecycle, including drafting, consultation, version control, and communication. Policies are clear, current, and aligned with legal and regulatory standards Stakeholders are supported through timely reviews and updates Document history and version control are maintained effectively Audit Support & Monitoring Act as the strategic lead and business owner for the HR Audit & Monitoring Plan, including ownership of ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 audit readiness and execution. Provide audit insights and progress reporting to senior leadership and board forums. Internal and external audits are completed successfully The business maintains readiness for certification and review Leaders and boards are engaged with clear insights and recommendations ISO Compliance (e.g., ISO 27001 & ISO 9001) Maintain full accountability for the business’s compliance to ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 standards. Lead annual certifications, internal audit programmes, non-conformance tracking, and improvement initiatives across the HR function. ISO standards are embedded and continuously improved Non-conformances are tracked and resolved in a timely manner Knowledge of standards is maintained and shared across relevant teams Legal Case Monitoring Serve as the HR subject matter expert on legal risk, including employment litigation, financial exposure, and regulatory changes. Partner with Legal, HRBP, and Finance to advise the board on active risks and emerging themes. Legal and financial risks are escalated with appropriate context and recommendations HR legal case records are accurate, current, and secure Board and SLT are regularly briefed on active and emerging legal risks Risk & Continuous Improvement Proactively identify people risks, drive improvement plans, and own the risk register for HR. Present mitigations and risk intelligence at senior governance forums. Track the impact of interventions and feed into strategic planning. People risks are reviewed regularly, and controls are updated Improvement plans are embedded, and outcomes are evaluated Risk insights contribute to governance and strategic direction Experience and/or Qualifications This position will require a demonstrated ability to: HR Compliance | Expert understanding of employment law, global HR policy compliance, and best practice standards across the employee lifecycle. Legal & Regulatory Risk | Act as a SME on legal risk and compliance matters, including litigation, employment law changes, and reputational risk. Audit Leadership | Lead audits (e.g., ISO 9001 & ISO 27001), including evidence preparation, audit tracking, and follow-up action planning. Policy & Governance | Design & manage policy frameworks, inc. version control, approval workflows, and audit traceability. Risk & ISO Standards | Deep understanding of compliance frameworks, risk registers, and the requirements of ISO 9001 and ISO 27001. Confidentiality & Integrity | Trusted to handle sensitive and legal information with discretion, professionalism, and sound judgement. Role Specific Competencies Levels of Maturity: Core - Foundational knowledge, applies actions as instructed. Strength - Independently advises and drives action in others. Exceptional - Expert advisor, shapes and leads the business through area of expertise. Compliance Leadership Description - Drives understanding and application of compliance requirements across the organisation. Balances legal, regulatory, and internal policies to embed a culture of accountability. Core Strength Exceptional Follows compliance procedures accurately and consistently. Provides guidance to others on compliance expectations and requirements. Trusted SME on compliance, relied on by senior leaders and Legal. Seeks clarification on unfamiliar legal or policy requirements. Tracks compliance issues and trends to mitigate future risks. Leads development of compliance frameworks aligned to business risk. Escalates concerns to the appropriate contact in a timely manner. Regularly engages with HR and Legal to maintain up-to-date knowledge. Shapes a proactive, accountable compliance culture across the function. Risk Management Description - Identifies, evaluates, and responds to risks across people practices. Uses foresight and structured frameworks to minimise legal, reputational, and operational exposure. Core Strength Exceptional Flags immediate issues or potential risks with guidance. Performs risk assessments and proposes mitigation strategies. Designs and leads risk frameworks across people practices. Understands the importance of managing reputational and financial risk. Maintains the people risk register and updates key stakeholders. Anticipates enterprise-level risks and advises board-level groups. Escalates concerns using existing policy or governance frameworks. Identifies emerging trends and proposes responses to minimise impact. Aligns people risk strategy with organisational governance priorities. Policy and Process Governance Description - Owns policy and process frameworks to ensure alignment with legal, operational, and business requirements. Ensures clarity, accessibility, and control across the organisation. Core Strength Exceptional Applies people policies and procedures accurately. Manages policy reviews and stakeholder engagement. Leads policy governance across the business unit. Follows version control and approval processes. Ensures policies reflect legal and business requirements. Designs and embeds long-term policy frameworks. Raises issues where policy may be unclear or outdated. Tracks version control and approval history. Aligns policies with external standards (e.g., ISO, legal changes). Strategic Influence and Communication Description - Uses influence, insight, and communication to shape decisions, align stakeholders, and embed a culture of accountability and trust. Core Strength Exceptional Shares updates and risks with the right audience. Tailors communication to different audiences and contexts. Provides expert advice to senior leaders and board members. Communicates clearly within the team and across functions. Uses compliance insight to influence stakeholder decisions. Leads strategic discussions through data, risk intelligence, and storytelling. Asks for help when engaging with complex stakeholders. Maintains strong, trusted relationships with internal partners. Shapes business direction through influential communication and governance insight. Audit and Assurance Description - Ensures audit readiness, facilitates reviews, and uses audit activity to embed continuous improvement across compliance practices. Core Strength Exceptional Maintains accurate records in line with audit expectations. Coordinates full audit cycles, including evidence preparation. Leads ISO or equivalent certification programmes across HR. Supports evidence gathering during internal or external audits. Tracks and manages audit actions to closure. Develops internal audit frameworks to ensure year-round readiness. Understands how audit findings support business improvement. Communicates audit outcomes clearly to key stakeholders. Advises senior leaders and board on audit risks, gaps, and improvements.