HR Manager
Somewhere
Hirezar Summary for South African Applicants
This fully remote full time position at Somewhere explicitly welcomes applicants based in South Africa. The estimated monthly salary is R37,000 – R ZAR. As a remote position, you can work from anywhere in South Africa — whether you're based in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, or a smaller town.
Job Description
Job Title:HR Generalist
Location:Remote - South Africa and Philippines
Type:Full time
Working Hours:Monday to Friday (EST) - Waiting confirmation
Base Salary:$2,000 USD/month
About the CompanyThe company is a diversified holding company that invests in, acquires, and builds businesses across multiple industries. Operating on a private equity and venture model, it partners with its portfolio companies to scale operations and drive long-term growth. As the portfolio expands, the company is building a dedicated HR function to support its growth.
About the Role
The HR Generalist is the sole HR professional in the organization and owns the full employee lifecycle—from hiring through separation—for the holding company and its portfolio companies. The role manages day-to-day HR operations while establishing policies, processes, and records as the company expands. Working directly with the CEO and company leadership, this person serves as the primary point of contact for all employee HR inquiries.
Responsibilities
* Recruiting and Onboarding: Manage full-cycle recruiting for all open roles (posting, screening, interviewing, reference/background checks, and offers) and run onboarding in Rippling, including I-9 verification, new hire reporting, and IT setup. Verify professional licenses for applicable roles prior to start dates.
* HR Operations and Records: Administer Rippling as the single source of truth for employee data, entity assignments, job changes, and terminations. Maintain audit-ready personnel files and handle HR service desk inquiries regarding policies, pay, and benefits.
* Payroll and Compensation: Prepare and audit payroll inputs each cycle (new hires, time off, deductions), collaborate with finance to resolve discrepancies, and maintain updated job descriptions and pay ranges for all roles.
* Benefits and Leave Administration: Administer health and welfare benefits via Rippling and the benefits broker (open enrollment, life events), coordinate COBRA, and manage statutory leaves and accommodations (FMLA, ADA, state paid leave).
* Compliance and Worker Classification: Determine and document worker classification (employee/contractor, exempt/non-exempt), ensure federal and multi-state legal compliance, set up state tax/unemployment registrations, and manage workers' compensation and unemployment claims.
* Licensing and Compliance Training: Track professional certification/license expirations, perform required sanctions/exclusion screenings, and assign and monitor role-based compliance training.
* Employee Relations and Performance Management: Serve as the initial contact for employee concerns, conduct workplace investigations, advise managers on performance issues/separations, and administer the annual performance review cycle.
* Policies and Documentation: Build and maintain the employee handbook and standardized HR templates (offer letters, corrective actions, separation letters) across all portfolio entities, tracking policy acknowledgments.
* Acquisitions and Reporting: Lead HR integration during acquisitions (census reviews, onboarding acquired staff onto standard HRIS, benefits, and policies) and report monthly metrics (headcount, turnover, open roles, compliance) to the CEO.
Qualifications & Technical Skills
* Education & Experience: Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business, or a related field (or equivalent experience) with 3–5 years of HR Generalist experience, including at least 1 year as the sole or lead HR employee in an organization.
* Legal & Regulatory Knowledge: Working knowledge of federal and multi-state employment laws (FLSA, FMLA, ADA, state paid leave laws, and I-9 verification requirements).
* Systems & Operations: Hands-on experience administering an HRIS and processing payroll.
* Core Competencies: Strong judgment and discretion with confidential data, clear written and verbal communication, and the ability to work independently to build processes where none exist.
Preferred Experience
* Experience using Rippling.
* Experience supporting employees across multiple states and legal entities.
* Experience supporting a portfolio of businesses across different industries, including integrating acquired companies.
* Active HR certification (SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, or SPHR).
Tips for South African Applicants
Timezone Advantage
South Africa (SAST, UTC+2) overlaps well with European business hours and has a few hours of overlap with US East Coast. Mention your timezone flexibility in your application.
Salary in Context
At R37,000/month, this role is competitive with the average South African remote salary. The USD equivalent ($2,000/mo) benefits from the favourable exchange rate.
Application Tips
Tailor your CV to international standards — use a clean format, highlight remote work experience, and include your English proficiency. Many SA applicants succeed by emphasising their strong work ethic and cultural adaptability.
Load Shedding Preparedness
If you're applying for a remote role, having a backup power solution (UPS, inverter, or generator) and mobile data as a backup internet connection shows employers you're prepared for South Africa's infrastructure challenges.
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About Somewhere
Somewhere is a company in the Recruitment & Staffing industry that hires remote workers from South Africa. They currently have 1819 open positions on Hirezar. View all Somewhere jobs →