Karessa Naidoo
HR MANAGER
Johannesburg,GP
“I always like to look on the optimistic side of life, but I am realistic enough to know that life is a complex matter.”
Walt Disney
Summary
Well-qualified HR Manager with proven success in improving operations and solving problems. Highly proficient in building lasting relationships with key decision makers, customers, and team members to further company goals. Ready to make significant impact by aligning workforce capabilities with organizational goals.
Overview
21
21
years of professional experience
1
1
Language
Work History
HR Manager
Kynoch Fertilizer
Johannesburg
02.2023 - 02.2026
- HR Manager for Kynoch Fertilizer -South Africa; PACSys and Consolidated Limeworks.
- Payroll management and administration for approx. R12 million a month.
- Designed and implemented end-to-end HR framework for PACSys and Consolidated Limeworks covering policies, workforce planning, recruitment and performance management.
- Partnered with senior leadership to integrate workforce strategies into business planning, enabling long-term scalability and resilience.
- Led strategic workforce restructuring, reducing headcount by 10% and achieving annual savings of R14.5 mil per year while maintaining productivity and operational readiness.
- Directed the digitisation of 400+ individuals files, embedding HR automation and systems integration that streamlined
workflows, reduced manual errors, and improved compliance reporting. - Manage and coach HR Coordinator: HR admin and tasks efficiently and aligned to objectives (IR; bi-weekly wage staff; performance management cycle; monthly reports to global, queries, etc).
- Oversee the total recruitment process -interviews; proposals to appoint; offer; take on. Reduced recruitment cost by using LinkedIn job postings and other social media like Instagram.
- Employee on and off boarding processes from SAP Success Factors and PaySpace/LabourNet.
- Optimized benefits programs, resulting in increased employee satisfaction and reduced turnover rates.
- Performance management: Objectives, Appraisals, Increase and Bonus, Communication.
- Managed employee relations, investigating and resolving conflicts to maintain a positive work environment.
People Business Partner
ABInBev
Johannesburg
10.2020 - 06.2021
- People Business Partner to Marketing team spanning 12 countries in Africa.
- Mentored junior staff member, equipping them with the skills needed to excel in their roles.
- Draftline team had high turnover so we implemented a two year project by recruiting 40 trainees with a performance evaluation every three months. Evaluation was based on the comprehensive training program by department with their key insights on criteria to be measured against
- Facilitate up-to-date People Budget versus Actual for effective paycost management
- Managed strategic partnership initiatives to drive measurable outcomes and deeper relationships with cross-functional teams.
- Establish and monitor the HR processes throughout the year and coach the line managers (performance management, engagement plans, individual development, etc.)
- Engage on employee relation matters and guide both line managers and employees through process
People Services Lead
ABInBev
10.2017 - 09.2020
- Manager of the People Services team for Zone Africa (10 employees in South Africa and 6 employees in India).
- We handled operational HR management for over 6000 employees across 12 countries in Africa.
- Ensured that People operations policies/ processes meet business and People service delivery requirements across 12 countries in Africa
- Initial mapping, process flows, guide planning, communication to business when services were centralised in 2017 and then into rest of Africa in 2018.
- Liaise with the People Team across Africa to maintain an up-to-date People work plan
- Ensure there are up to date robust communications plan and materials in place and are effectively deployed by the People Services team
- Manage the overall delivery of transactional and high volume people services to 12 countries in Africa
- Budgeting and controlling of HR expenses within the People Services team
- Develop the capability and establish talent pipeline for People function
- Project manage SAP HR technology and customer service to deliver quality service in a cost efficient manner
- Track SAP HR employee management and reporting for each of the countries supported in Africa
- Tightly manage and monitor team service delivery and performance through KPI tracking, performance management processes, the development and deployment of appropriate service level agreements, metrics, ensure continuous improvement and that the needs of the Business Units, People teams are met
- Relationship Management, build and maintain good working relationships with all internal (People Directors, People Business Partners and employees, global team, etc.) and external parties
- Work effectively with all team members across Africa and globally
- Initiated ticketing service to track, monitor and build sustainable service
- Expansion project (2018) and retrenchment (2019) due to operational need -Initially planned, drafted and executed on team expansion into Mauritius. After 18 months, were requested to plan and action a retrenchment as operation was moved to India.
People Business Partner
SAB
07.2014 - 09.2017
- Manage HR support for Sales and Operations functions. Worked with line managers to deliver HR processes (e.g. Recruitment, Performance Management, Talent Management, Individual Development, etc.)
- Focus on the value added by those processes and the HR services delivered to their function
- Ensure excellent execution of the HR processes
- Identify & implement the organizational capabilities required to achieve business unit goals
- Monitor and provide People data for Labour turnover, ECCC, etc.
- Develop coaching skills within line managers by providing tools and observing and providing feedback
- Calibrate performance and review / moderate in market assessments
Learning and Development Coordinator
SAB
01.2014 - 06.2014
- Area serviced was South and North Coast of Durban (Empangeni, Port Shepstone, Springfield, Prospecton) to Eastern Cape (Umtata and Butterworth) into Midlands (Ladysmith, Pietermaritzburg)
- Provided admin support in regard to booking of flights, accommodation, vehicles for delegates going on trips for training purposes.
- Liaising with facilitators of training to ensure that venues are set up correctly and available for training organised.
- Ensuring that WSP (workplace skills plan) and ATR (annual training report) information is supplied timeously and correctly for submission before deadlines
- Working through TNA (training needs analysis) with line management and HR Regional Business Partner for submission into the centre for final approval of budget plans for upcoming financial year.
- Provide Learning and Development support to Line Managers in the form of advice and support in people development situations.
- Coach line management in developing understanding of job competencies and added efficiency which is possible from correct implementation
- Support Capacity and Capability Building of sales force
- Evaluate In-Trade Coaching and Line Management feedback to ensure that information supplied is pertinent and building capability
HR Business Partner
SAB
01.2013 - 12.2013
- Area serviced was Waltloo Depot and Groblersdal Depot
- Provide HR Support for Recruitment, employee relations, performance management to line managers and employees
- Conduct in trade assessments around capability built and to help build stronger talent pipeline for future role
- Ensure overall employee wellness, with yearly medicals, financial check-in sessions are coordinated and completed
- Ensure that employee master data is accurately and efficiently maintained for payroll purposes and that overtime is captured timeously by line managers.
- Involved with the monthly safety meetings and ensuring staff precautions in place and incidents are minimised. Where there are incidents, the People Business Partner would be involved in follow thought on the incident according to company procedure
- Industrial Relations matters, the People Business Partner would support with process and procedure, and ensure matters resolved in a timely manner
HR Coordinator
SAB
06.2009 - 10.2012
- Reporting skills used for reports sent out weekly and monthly on HR Key Performance Indicators
- Manage HR Administration of Employee master data, payroll data, performance related data for merit increases, talent pipeline information and exit interview data
- Provide Support To HR Team and Line Managers on how to use the SAP Manager self service for leave capturing, performance reviews, merit increases, IR capturing, loans
- Creating and maintaining the Organogram in SAP HR
- Organising functions and any event coordination as required from researching to compilation of quotes to invoicing purchase order creation and then payment after service is completed
- Coordinating with Payroll over employee salary issues and corrections required and feedback to employee
- Acted as Learning and Development Specialist from January 2012 until October 2012
- Booking of courses; sending out meeting requests to all delegates; updating delegate participation on SAP ECC; setting up catering; accommodation
- Completion of Annual Workplace Skills Plan and Training Needs Analysis for the financial year.
- Coordinating information flow between HR Business Partners within the District and Facilitators from SAB’s World of Learning Institute.
Distribution Administrator
SAB
12.2008 - 05.2009
- Administrator for Depot Manager and Distribution Manager
- Maintaining diaries and arranging appointments
- Answering calls, taking messages and handling correspondence
- Organising and servicing meetings (producing agendas and taking minutes)
- Managing databases
- Reporting skills used for reports sent out weekly on purchase to procurement (PTP)
- Updating of Owner Driver information and keeping relevant people aware of changes
- Updating Owner Drivers on any information pertinent to their business
- Functional on SAP and SRM as administrator and purchase to procurement
Distribution Trainee
SAB
01.2008 - 11.2008
- Functional on SAP with basics for Distribution reporting
- Functional on order capturing using SAP
- Able to use Excel for creating pivot tables; vlookups; etc.
Storekeeper and Cashier
Book Place
03.2005 - 05.2007
- Communication with public about books; authors; genres
- Customers’ services in an efficient and friendly manner
- Managed presentation and arrangement of stock
- Operated the cash register and card transactions
Education
Bachelor of Commerce - Management
01.2012
Grade 12 - undefined
01.2002
Skills
Experienced with MS Office applications
SAP HR systems expertise
Performance Management
HR policies and procedures
Employee relations
Benefits administration
Human resources operations
References
Available upon request.
Interests
Yoga, Reading, Travel, Crocheting
Timeline
HR Manager - Kynoch Fertilizer
02.2023 - 02.2026
People Business Partner - ABInBev
10.2020 - 06.2021
People Services Lead - ABInBev
10.2017 - 09.2020
People Business Partner - SAB
07.2014 - 09.2017
Learning and Development Coordinator - SAB
01.2014 - 06.2014
HR Business Partner - SAB
01.2013 - 12.2013
HR Coordinator - SAB
06.2009 - 10.2012
Distribution Administrator - SAB
12.2008 - 05.2009
Distribution Trainee - SAB
01.2008 - 11.2008
Storekeeper and Cashier - Book Place
03.2005 - 05.2007
Greenside High School - Grade 12,
University of South Africa - Bachelor of Commerce, Management