Country HR Operations Manager - Germany

As a Country HR Operations Manager for Germany, you will lead strategic HR operations across the country, ensuring seamless delivery of end-to-end employee services while acting as a bridge between regional HR strategy and local execution, driving continuous improvement, operational excellence and legal compliance. In this role , you will partner closely with leadership and regional HR functions to ensure operational excellence, compliance, and a seamless employee experience. HR Country Operations Manager reports into Regional HR Operations Director and  leads a country HR Operations team to deliver scalable and compliant HR services that support organizational goals and workforce needs.

This is a hybrid role, based in our Halle office, with regular travel to the Bensheim branch.

We are looking for someone who will cover the following areas:

HR Operations Management, Strategy & Governance

• Shape and implement country-wide HR operations strategy
• Act as a trusted advisor to country leadership and HRBP’s on HR operations, compliance, and employee relations.
• Lead and manage all HR operations including employee lifecycle management, payroll, benefits administration, and compliance.

Leadership & Influence

• Lead, mentor, and develop HR operations team (3 members) and manage stakeholders across multiple sites and business units.
• Act as a senior escalation point for complex HR operational issues and employee cases.

Policy Implementation & Process Improvement

• Localize and implement global HR policies and programs.
• Drive digitalization and automation initiatives for HR operations.

Compliance & Risk Management

• Ensure compliance with local labor laws, regulations, and internal policies.
• Liaise with legal and compliance teams to manage employment-related risks and audits.
• Implement and monitor adherence to health and safety policies

Vendor & Stakeholder Management

• Partner with Finance, Legal, IT, and external bodies to drive operational initiatives.
• Manage relationships with external vendors such as payroll providers, benefits brokers, and legal advisors.

Metrics, Analytics & Risk Mitigation

• Own the delivery of country HR dashboards and KPIs to drive data-informed decisions.
• Generate and analyze HR metrics and reports to support decision-making.

Change Management & Transformation

• Lead operational readiness and change management efforts for country-specific HR programs, system implementations, or policy updates.
• Drive digital transformation and automation strategies across HR functions

What sets you apart

• University degree in HR or related field
• Solid experience in a similar role with leadership responsibilities
• Manufacturing industry experience is a must
• Experience dealing with works council (Betriebsrat) is a must
• Solid knowledge of local German employment legislation
• Native level German and fluent English is essential