Senior HR Manager – Operations, Compliance

Role Overview

• Lead our employee administration and payroll processes across the region, making sure they’re accurate, timely, and fully compliant with local tax and labor laws.
• Simplify and standardize People & Culture processes to improve efficiency and align with global best practices.
• Work closely with our external payroll and benefits partners, acting as the bridge between vendors, finance, and P&C teams to resolve issues.
• Partner with our Reward, Data, and HRIS Manager to make sure our systems work seamlessly together.
• Keep people data accurate, consistent, and reliable so we can make informed decisions and trust the insights we’re working with.
• Own the end-to-end employee lifecycle for the region, from structured onboarding to compliant offboarding experiences.
• Support compensation and benefits activities, including salary reviews and bonus cycles.
• Maintain and update our People & Culture documentation and policies.
• Be the go-to expert for complex employment matters, whether it’s terminations, misconduct, or contract disputes.
• Stay on top of changing labor laws across the region.
• Lead internal audits and risk assessments.
• Ensure compliance around visas, work permits, employee classification, and remote work.
• Oversee leave of absence management, making sure every case is tracked carefully.
• Help prepare our HR operations for future due diligence or private equity scenarios.
• Manage internal and external audits, regulatory requests, and contribute to ESG and sustainability reporting.
• Help shape the future of how we deliver HR services.
• Provide thoughtful, practical guidance to People Leaders and P&C colleagues.
• Be a trusted point of contact for employees with complex questions.
• Support performance management across the region.
• Lead, mentor, and support a team of four HR professionals across the EURA/UK region.

Requirements

• 7–10 years of progressive experience in HR operations, payroll, and compliance, with significant exposure to multi-country or regional roles (especially Belgium, France, Netherlands, UK, Germany, Romania).
• Master’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Law, or a related field is ideal. A bachelor’s degree is required.
• Proven experience in leading, mentoring, and developing a team of HR professionals.
• In-depth knowledge of employment laws, payroll legislation, and HR compliance frameworks in key EMEA countries.
• Advanced skills in conducting impartial workplace investigations, grievance handling, conflict resolution, and managing sensitive cases (performance, incapacity, misconduct).
• Demonstrated experience leading global payroll processes, managing vendors, and driving improvements in HR service delivery and compliance.
• Proficiency in HR systems and tools; experience with system integration, automation, and data reporting platforms is a plus.
• Meticulous approach to data integrity and process documentation.
• Clear and empathetic communicator with the ability to balance strategic initiatives with daily operational tasks and urgent, complex cases. A hands-on, roll-up-your-sleeves mentality.