The businesses of SGS & Co and SGK have united to form Propelis, a go-to-market ecosystem that enables marketers to move their brands forward with greater speed, clarity, and confidence. Our broad range of integrated solutions include brand creative, packaging, print solutions, branded environments, and content production. Services are delivered through our family of brands: SGX, Marks, Equator, Collide, and 5Flow. With a combined legacy spanning more than 150 years, Propelis commences operations with 10,000 employees in 30+ countries, nearly $1 billion in annual sales, and a diverse client base of over 2,000 leading companies.
Position Summary
We are currently seeking a Senior Human Resources Business Partner to join our Global People & Culture Team, to lead on all Regional P&C matter relating to our German business.
Please be advised that this is a remote working role - however travel to sites located in Julich, Goslar and Nuremberg will be required.
Job Responsibilities
In this exciting role, you will take on full responsibility for all People & Culture related matters for the German business (c. 380 staff). This will include oversight of all P&C matters, both strategic and operational, with a keen focus on employee relations and the full employee lifecycle and will be key to supporting the broader people strategy across EMEA, and indeed globally.
You will be joining SGK at an exciting time for our business, as we merge with SGS&Co, to become the world's largest packaging specialist brand experience agency globally. This ambitious joining of forces will enable to you be part of a Global P&C team - who are taking the lead role in driving the transformation of the newly formed merged business - and develop your HR skills, experience and career in a challenging, but exciting change environment. There will also be significant opportunities for personal growth, as the role will likely expand to encompass other countries within the region in future.
This opportunity would suit an experienced HR professional, with broad generalist knowledge gained within either a fast-paced, mid-sized business, or a large global organisation supporting change or business growth.
In addition to core duties, the focus of this role will be to:
* Manage restructuring and organisational change initiatives, including consultations and drafting of social plans and reconciliation-of-interest agreements.
* Support the implementation and maintenance of HR policies and procedures.
* Serve as the primary point of contact for all labour relations issues in Germany.
* Lead negotiations and maintain strong partnerships with works councils
* Advise leadership on collective agreements, co-determination, and other legal obligations.
* Represent the company in conciliation board proceedings and labour court proceedings when required.
* Provide guidance on employment law, performance management, disciplinary actions, and severance procedures.
* Deliver training or coaching to HR colleagues and business leaders on labour relations matters.
* Monitor and ensure ongoing compliance with German employment laws and regulatory developments.
1. Qualifications / Requirements
You will have:
* HR experience within a multinational or industrial environment in Germany.
* Expert-level knowledge of German labour law, Betriebsverfassungsgesetz (BetrVG), and Tarifverträge.
* Proven success in negotiating with works councils and trade unions.
* Strong project management and organisational skills.
* Proficiency in HRIS (e.g., SuccessFactors) and Microsoft Office Suite.
* Excellent interpersonal, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
* High discretion and professionalism in dealing with sensitive HR issues.
* Native-level fluency in German and strong business English required.