Independent Food Company is home to some of the region's most recognised hospitality concepts, including SALT, Somewhere, Parker's, Shalwa, Somewhere, and Public. We are a fast-growing organisation with an expanding portfolio of concepts, an active acquisition strategy, and ambitious plans for growth across new and existing markets. As we scale, the quality of our people remains central to everything we build.
That is where you come in.
Role Summary
The Head of Talent Management is responsible for designing, implementing, and continuously improving the organization's talent management framework to ensure a high-performing, engaged, and future-ready workforce.
The role leads key talent initiatives including performance management, succession planning, high-potential development programs, leadership assessment, competency frameworks, organizational design support, job evaluation, employee relations governance, employee engagement, recognition programs, and talent reviews.
The position plays a critical role in building leadership pipelines and strengthening organizational capability to support business growth and operational excellence.
Key Responsibilities
- Performance Management
- Lead the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of the company's performance management framework.
- Ensure alignment between individual objectives, departmental goals, and business strategy.
- Drive annual goal-setting, mid-year reviews, and year-end appraisal cycles.
- Coach managers on effective performance conversations and performance calibration.
- Facilitate talent and performance review sessions across all business units.
- Monitor performance rating distributions and identify organizational trends.
- Develop performance improvement frameworks and support underperformance management.
- Succession Planning and Talent Reviews Design and manage the company's succession planning framework.
- Identify critical roles and business-critical positions across operations and corporate functions.
- Facilitate annual talent review discussions with leadership teams.
- Assess succession readiness and bench strength across the organization.
- Build development plans for successors and emerging leaders.
- Maintain succession pipelines for executive, management, and key operational positions.
- Provide regular reporting on succession risks and talent gaps.
- High Potential (HiPo) Programs
- Design and manage the company's High Potential Employee Program.
- Establish objective criteria for HiPo identification and assessment.
- Develop accelerated development journeys for future leaders.
- Design learning interventions, mentoring, coaching, stretch assignments, and cross-functional projects.
- Measure program effectiveness and leadership readiness outcomes.
- Partner with Learning & Development to ensure development plans are executedeffectively.
- Competency Frameworks Develop and maintain company-wide competency frameworks.
- Define leadership, managerial, functional, and behavioral competencies.
- Ensure competencies are embedded within recruitment, performance management, learning, and succession processes.
- Conduct periodic reviews to ensure competencies remain aligned with business strategy.
- Train leaders and HR teams on competency-based assessment methodologies.
- Job Evaluation & Organizational Effectiveness
- Lead job evaluation and grading processes across the organization.
- Maintain role architecture, grading structures, and career frameworks.
- Conduct job analysis and role assessments.
- Ensure internal equity and consistency across functions and brands.
- Support organization design and restructuring initiatives.
- Participate in workforce planning and manpower optimization exercises.
- Provide recommendations on organizational effectiveness and productivity improvements.
- Employee Relations & Grievance Management Develop and maintain grievance handling policies and procedures.
- Lead investigations related to employee complaints, workplace concerns, and conduct issues.
- Ensure fair, objective, and timely resolution of grievances.
- Partner with Legal, HR Business Partners, and business leaders on sensitive employee relations matters.
- Analyze employee relations trends and recommend preventive actions.
- Promote a positive and respectful workplace culture.
- Employee Engagement & Recognition
- Lead the design and execution of employee engagement initiatives.
- Analyze engagement survey results and drive action planning.
- Develop initiatives to improve employee experience and retention.
- Manage company-wide recognition and appreciation programs.
- Lead employee appreciation events including but not limited to:
- Annual Awards Ceremonies
- Service Recognition Programs
- Employee Appreciation Week
- Store Team Recognition Programs
- Leadership Recognition Events
- Culture and Values Awards
- Measure employee engagement effectiveness through KPIs and surveys.
- Leadership Development Identify leadership capability gaps across the organization.
- Design leadership development frameworks for store managers, restaurantmanagers, area managers, and corporate leaders.
- Facilitate assessment centers and leadership evaluations.
- Partner with Learning & Development on management and leadership curricula.
- Support executive talent development initiatives.
- Talent Analytics & Reporting
- Develop and monitor key talent metrics including:
- Succession Coverage Ratio
- Internal Promotion Rate
- High Potential Retention
- Leadership Readiness Index
- Performance Distribution Analysis
- Employee Engagement Scores
- Grievance Trends
- Voluntary Turnover
- Critical Talent Retention
- Career Progression Metrics
- Provide quarterly talent reviews and organizational health to senior leadership.
- Governance & Policy Development
- Develop policies related to talent management and organizational development.
- Ensure consistency and fairness in talent-related processes.
- Maintain compliance with labor regulations and company standards.
- Establish governance frameworks for talent reviews and succession planning.
Qualifications
- Education
- Bachelor's Degree in Human Resources, Psychology, Business Administration, Organizational Development, or related field.
- Master's Degree is preferred.
- Professional certifications such as CIPD, SHRM, HRCI, Korn Ferry, Mercer, or Hay
- Methodology certifications are advantageous.
- Experience7–10 years of progressive HR experience.
- Minimum 3 years in Talent Management, Organizational Development, or HRBusiness Partnering roles.
- Experience in retail, hospitality, F&B, QSR, or multi-site operations is highlypreferred.
- Proven experience in succession planning, performance management,competency frameworks, and leadership development.
- Experience supporting organizations with 2,000+ employees is preferred.
