HR Business Partner

Job description

Position Overview

Reporting directly to the Global Head of People Partners, the HR Business Partner for EMEA will serve as a strategic partner to our regional leadership teams during a pivotal growth phase. This role uniquely combines regional expertise with global responsibility, supporting our worldwide R&D and Professional Services organizations while maintaining deep local market knowledge across DACH, UK and Nordics. This position requires a commercially-minded HR professional who thrives in fast-paced, data-driven environments and can seamlessly bridge local employment complexities with global operational excellence. Based in Germany, remote.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Business Partnership

• Partner with regional Sales, Product, and Operations leaders to align HR strategy with aggressive business growth targets
• Serve as the HR partner globally for R&D and Professional Services functions, providing strategic workforce planning and organizational development support across all international locations
• Lead cross-functional collaboration between regional compliance requirements and global team structures, ensuring seamless operation of distributed R&D and consulting teams
• Provide consultative support on organizational design, workforce planning, and talent strategy for its Countries.
• Lead strategic workforce analytics and insights to drive data-informed decisions on headcount planning, compensation positioning, and retention strategies
• Act as the primary HR liaison for M&A due diligence and integration activities in the region

Market Expansion & Workforce Planning

• Support regional leadership with strategic workforce planning and organizational design initiatives
• Partner with hiring managers to optimize onboarding and integration processes for new hires
• Develop market-specific people strategies that resonate with Nordic business expectations and cultural values
• Collaborate with talent acquisition teams to ensure successful candidate experience and regional compliance

Complex Employment & Compensation Management

• Navigate intricate multi-country payroll, benefits, and compliance requirements (similar complexity to our Turkish operations analysis)
• Design competitive, locally-compliant compensation frameworks that account for significant tax and cost variations across markets
• Manage global compensation equity and career progression frameworks for R&D and Professional Services teams across multiple jurisdictions
• Lead annual compensation reviews, equity planning, and complex cross-border employee mobility projects
• Ensure compliance with diverse employment legislation across 5 countries while maintaining operational efficiency for global teams

Organizational Development & Culture

• Drive leadership development initiatives and succession planning for high-growth teams
• Design and implement global career development pathways for technical and consulting professionals, ensuring consistent advancement opportunities regardless of location
• Lead change management initiatives during rapid scaling phases and organizational restructuring
• Develop and implement employee engagement strategies that maintain Centric’s culture during international expansion
• Support performance management processes and career development frameworks

Operational Excellence

• Establish HR service delivery models that scale with business growth across multiple time zones and legal entities
• Build people analytics dashboards and reporting frameworks for both regional business leaders and global R&D/Professional Services leadership
• Lead HR technology implementation and optimization projects for the region while ensuring global system integration
• Manage complex employee relations cases and investigations across different legal frameworks
• Coordinate with global teams to ensure consistent HR policies while maintaining local compliance and cultural sensitivity

Required Qualifications

Experience & Background

• 8-12 years progressive HR experience with at least 4 years in business partner or generalist roles
• Proven track record in high-growth technology companies, preferably SaaS, software, or digital services
• Multi-country experience required - deep understanding of DACH, UK, and Nordics employment law and cultural nuances. Knowledge of other Countries will be welcome.
• International payroll and compensation experience managing complex tax structures and compliance requirements
• M&A or rapid scaling experience supporting organizations through significant growth phases

Technical Expertise

• Strong analytical capabilities with experience in HR metrics, workforce planning, and compensation benchmarking
• Proficiency with HRIS systems, payroll platforms, and people analytics tools
• Understanding of equity compensation, international benefits, and complex employment structures
• Experience with employment law across UK and Nordic jurisdictions

Leadership & Business Acumen

• Commercially-minded approach with ability to balance people strategy with business outcomes
• Executive presence and ability to influence stakeholders and regional leadership teams
• Global perspective with local expertise - ability to balance worldwide R&D and Professional Services needs with regional market requirements
• Cultural intelligence and sensitivity to Nordic business practices and employee expectations
• Matrix organization experience managing dual reporting relationships and cross-functional global teams

What We’re Looking For

Personality & Working Style

• Entrepreneurial mindset - comfortable with ambiguity and building processes from the ground up
• Data-driven decision maker who combines analytics with human insight
• Collaborative influencer who can work effectively across cultures and time zones
• Results-oriented with track record of delivering measurable HR outcomes tied to business success
• Adaptable problem-solver who thrives in dynamic, fast-changing environments

Why This Role Matters

You’ll be joining Centric at an inflection point where your expertise will directly shape our European expansion strategy. This role offers the opportunity to:

• Build from the ground up - establish HR frameworks that will support hundreds of future hires
• Drive measurable impact - your work will directly influence our ability to compete for top Nordic talent
• Lead complex projects - from multi-country payroll optimization to M&A integration
• Shape culture - help maintain Centric’s innovative spirit while scaling across diverse markets
• Career acceleration - high visibility role with direct exposure to executive leadership and growth opportunities

Compensation & Benefits

• Competitive base salary benchmarked to HR leadership roles in London/Stockholm markets
• Comprehensive benefits package optimized for UK/Nordic employment standards
• Flexible working arrangements with quarterly regional travel requirements
• Professional development budget and leadership coaching opportunities

This role requires eligibility to work in Germany  and involves regular collaboration across EMEA markets. Some travel within the region (15-20%) is expected.

Centric Software provides equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, color, age, religion, protected veteran or disability status or genetic information.