Outokumpu is a global leader in sustainable stainless steel, driven by operational excellence, continuous improvement, and a strong focus on data and efficiency.
Outokumpu is accelerating the green transition as the global leader in sustainable stainless steel. Our business is based on the circular economy: our products are made from 95% recycled materials, which we then turn into fully recyclable stainless steel. This steel is utilized in various applications across society, including infrastructure, mobility, and household appliances. We are committed to 1.5°C target to mitigate climate change, and with up to 75% lower carbon footprint than the industry average, we support our customers to reduce their emissions. Together, we are working towards a world that lasts forever. Outokumpu Corporation employs approximately 8,500 professionals in close to 30 countries, with headquarters in Helsinki, Finland and shares listed in Nasdaq Helsinki. Read more:
To strengthen our HR Services organization in Germany, we are looking for a Team Lead who combines payroll expertise, structured thinking, and a passion for transformation.
Your role
You will lead HR Services team (currently 7 FTE across Germany and Lithuania), ensuring reliable, high-quality delivery across the full employee lifecycle while actively improving how work gets done.
This is not just a service delivery role — it’s a leadership position focused on performance, standardization, and measurable impact. You will drive efficiency, reduce complexity, and use data, technology, and automation to continuously optimize HR operations in Germany.
What you will do
* Lead and develop a distributed HR Services team with clear performance expectations and KPIs
* Ensure accurate and timely HR administration, with strong alignment to payroll processes and timelines
* Act as a key interface to Payroll, ensuring data quality, compliance, and process efficiency
* Drive operational excellence through standardization, simplification, and “one best way” processes
* Identify and deliver improvements that reduce cost, cycle time, and manual effort
* Lead and contribute to HR transformation and other initiatives, including system optimization, automation, and AI use cases
* Use data and KPIs to track performance, identify gaps, and demonstrate value creation
* Strengthen process discipline, documentation, and governance across HR Services
* Foster a structured, accountable, and continuous improvement mindset within the team
* Ensure compliance with German labour law and data privacy standards
What we are looking for
* Experience leading HR Services / Shared Services teams
* Strong focus on HR administration and exposure to German payroll processes
* Proven track record in change management, process improvement, or HR transformation
* Experience working with HR systems (e.g., Successfactors, SAP) and interest in automation, digitalization, or AI
* Structured, data-driven mindset with a focus on KPIs, efficiency, and measurable outcomes
* Ability to simplify complex processes and drive standardization
* Strong stakeholder management and communication skills
* Fluent in German and English
What we offer
* A leadership role with clear impact on performance and transformation
* Opportunity to shape modern, data-driven HR operations in Germany
* International and collaborative working environment
* Competitive salary
* Hybrid work model with flexibility
Location: Krefeld, Germany
Convinced? Apply now through our career portal Careers | Outokumpu !
Our people drive our innovation
At Outokumpu, people and their expertise are at the core of the business to produce stainless steel in a safe and sustainable way. They contribute to our success by operating the machinery, systems and processes, and also by striving for continuous improvements and innovation.
Outokumpu is also committed to full equality in compensation and is the first company in the stainless steel industry to receive the Fair Pay Workplace certification.