Michelle Du Plessis
Total Reward Specialist
Johannesburg
Summary
Strategic and analytical HR professional with a strong foundation in digital people solutions. I have a genuine interest in storytelling with data and workforce equity. I have experience in using tools like Power BI, SQL, and Snowflake to build trusted insights that support compensation decisions and total rewards strategies. I strive to use data to challenge assumptions and influence outcomes. Recognized for delivering high-impact work—such as a global Equal Pay dashboard. My current focus is to build technical depth in Total Rewards, reward analytics, and global compensation practices through hands-on exposure and formal learning.
Overview
17
17
years of professional experience
2
2
Languages
Work History
Total Rewards Specialist
SKF
Remote, based in Johannesburg
10.2025 - Current
- Supporting the Annual Salary Review cycle across multiple markets, including data preparation, validation and review support under the Total Reward lead.
- Stakeholder collaboration with Local Total Reward experts, to ensure Reward Governance and Pay equity considerations.
- Supporting the Annual Performance Management cycle.
- Project Team member supporting organizational readiness for EU equal-pay regulations.
- Built and enhanced the Equal Pay Dashboard to include insites related to promotions withing the company, to support transparency, interpretation, and stakeholder understanding.
- Performed analytical modelling to assess cost implications of proposed changes to pay range width
Global Superuser
SKF
11.2021 - 09.2025
- Develop & implement solutions through Sprints in SAP SuccessFactors Employee Central.
- Provide global support to PX professionals regarding Master Data in the system.
- Querying data using SQL in Snowflake for anaylis.
- Developing automations with Power Automate.
- Skilled at working independently and collaboratively in a team environment.
- Passionate about learning and committed to continual improvement.
HR Business Partner
SKF South Africa (Pty) Ltd
10.2015 - 10.2021
- Part of the People Service Global Admin Support Team, assigned responsibility to support with Contracts & Letters and Processes & Requests configuration within PeopleDoc for Success Factors. I support with the configuration and unit testing in of these areas.
- Supported the People Core project team with employee data for the implementation of People Core (Success Factors) in South Africa.
- People Core - Maintenance of master data in the system. Currently investigating ways to integrate into payroll system to ensure the integrity of data and reduce duplication of work - ongoing project.
- Contributed in the Process Design Phase of People Processes as the ARIS Mapping Expert.
- Based at Lincoln Lubrication SA to assist with the integration and alignment of the company into SKF South Africa from October 2015 until we Co-located in March 2020 (275 employees prior to restructure).
- Support managers with HR related matter - recruitment, discipline, staff development, conflict resolution, compensation and benefits.
- Ensure the implementation, correct administration and maintenance of HR policies and procedures.
- Contact: Corle Grobler - Head of HR & BBBEE
- Corle.grobler@skf.com
- Maintained confidential nature of employee and company proprietary and privileged information used or observed in course of performing job duties.
- Worked with managers to achieve compliance with organizational policies, providing clarifying information and recommending necessary changes.
Payroll & HR Officer
SKF South Africa (Pty) Ltd
05.2011 - 10.2015
- Successfully implemented a new payroll system - VIP Payroll.
- Full Administration & Management of Sage VIP System (Super user) comprising of 140 employees.
- Full responsibility of the entire payroll function from processing to reporting.
- Created custom reports from payroll system with ODBC to MS Excel.
- Improved efficiencies within the department -by creating Macros in MS Excel which resulted in significant time saving with month end reporting.
- Paying third parties electronically instead of using outdated cheques.
Personal Assistant (MD & HR)
SKF South Africa (Pty) Ltd
04.2009 - 04.2011
Education
Post-Graduate Diploma - Labour Relations
University of South Africa
Pretoria 04.2001 -
Bachelor of Commerce - Human Resources Management
University of South Africa
Pretoria 04.2001 -
Skills
Accomplishments
Collaborated with Total Reward team to develop the Equal Pay Dashboard, used to illustrate the current Gender Wage Gap within the countries.
Interests
- Running (Completed my first Marathon and two Ultra Marathons in 2025)
- Psychology/Neurology/NLP
- Economics
- Visualization of data
Timeline
Total Rewards Specialist
SKF
10.2025 - Current
Global Superuser
SKF
11.2021 - 09.2025
HR Business Partner
SKF South Africa (Pty) Ltd
10.2015 - 10.2021
Payroll & HR Officer
SKF South Africa (Pty) Ltd
05.2011 - 10.2015
Personal Assistant (MD & HR)
SKF South Africa (Pty) Ltd
04.2009 - 04.2011
Post-Graduate Diploma - Labour Relations
University of South Africa
04.2001 -
Bachelor of Commerce - Human Resources Management
University of South Africa
04.2001 -