Learning and Development Manager

Implement SolarAfrica's L&D strategy: turn it into a clear delivery roadmap, bring managers and leaders with you, and run it end to end without needing to be managed into delivery. The goal is people who grow faster than the business does. You own delivery of L&D programmes, onboarding, competency frameworks, learning systems and governance, and you prove their impact on performance.

Position of the job in the organisation:

The Learning and Development Manager will report directly to the Chief People Officer.

Principal responsibilities:

Strategy implementation and needs analysis

• Implement SolarAfrica's L&D strategy and keep the delivery plan current against business objectives.
• Run learning needs analyses with managers and translate gaps into a prioritised plan for approval.
• Advise leaders on the right learning solution for each need.

Programmes and learning culture

• Design, deliver and evaluate scalable leadership, management, technical, compliance and professional programmes, face to face, or through software.
• Track participation, completion and effectiveness, and act on what the data shows.
• Make continuous learning visible and expected across the business.

Onboarding, IDPs and careers

• Own and continuously improve the onboarding programme.
• Drive IDPs, mentorship and career development with managers as accountable partners.
• Embed competency frameworks and career pathways into everyday development decisions.

Systems, governance and budget

• Run learning systems (LMS, Lattice Grow) for clean data, reporting and adoption.
• Maintain L&D policies, records and compliance, including SETA and skills development.
• Build and manage the L&D budget, and report insights and ROI to stakeholders.
• Use AI and automation to cut manual admin, personalise learning and speed up reporting.

Collaboration, partners and improvement

• Select, negotiate with and manage providers for quality and value for money.
• Guide employees and managers on qualifications, certifications and pathways.
• Track industry trends and bring in better ways to learn.
• Any other duties associated with the role.

Experience & Skills

• Bachelor's degree in HR, Industrial Psychology, OD, L&D, Education, Business Management or related; postgraduate or recognised L&D certification advantageous.
• 7+ years in L&D, OD or talent development, including leading the implementation of L&D strategy, programmes, learning systems and provider management.
• Proven record building competency frameworks, career pathways, mentorship programmes and IDPs.
• Strong knowledge of the South African L&D landscape: qualifications, professional bodies, institutions and providers.
• Digitally driven and experienced with learning software (ERP / MS Dynamics not required). Valid driver's licence and willing to travel.

Specific attributes:

• Owner of delivery: takes SolarAfrica's strategy, makes the implementation calls, and ships without waiting to be directed.
• Commercial: links every programme to capability and business value.
• Data-driven: measures impact and uses analytics to decide what to keep, fix or stop.
• Collaborative and influential: brings managers and leaders along, and challenges with evidence when the plan needs to change.
• Delivers through others: drives results through providers and managers, while running multiple priorities independently.

Desirable attributes:

• LMS experience and Lattice or a similar talent platform.
• SETA, skills development and South African compliance experience.
• Experience in a growing or changing organisation.

What Does Success Look Like?

By 3 Months

• I understand SolarAfrica's learning ecosystem and have turned SolarAfrica's L&D strategy into an approved 12-month implementation roadmap.
• I have assessed the onboarding programme and identified improvements.
• I have built relationships with key stakeholders and providers.
• I understand the budget, governance and reporting, and keep L&D reporting accurate.

By 6 Months

• I independently manage programmes, systems and provider relationships, and report insights regularly.
• I have an onboarding improvement plan underway and have onboarded a supplier for onboarding training.
• I have reviewed competency frameworks, career pathways and development processes.
• I use Lattice Grow to put competencies and career tracks to work.
• I have mapped skills per role and department for the ERP implementation.

By 12 Months

• A structured onboarding programme measurably improves integration, engagement and early productivity.
• Programmes meet employee, management and leadership development needs, and are actively used.
• Competency frameworks and pathways are maintained and actively used.
• Systems, reporting and governance run effectively, using technology to improve efficiency and quality.
• I can show the value and impact of L&D across SolarAfrica, and I run the function with minimal direction.

Core Values:

We hire, reward, and recognise our team against these values. It is imperative that you believe in these values and demonstrate them consistently.

• We are passionate and proud of what we do.
• We communicate candidly, especially when it is difficult
• We take the initiative, share our mistakes, and grow together
• We are dependable and take accountability
• No one person is bigger than the solution - no egos.

We are currently only considering candidates based in South Africa with valid working rights. Unfortunately, we are unable to consider applications from outside the country at this time.