Chief HR Officer

The Company

Headquartered in Thal, Switzerland, Sefar is the world’s leading manufacturer of precision fabrics from monofilaments for the filtration and screen printing markets. Sefar products are used in a wide variety of industries, reaching from electronics, graphics, medical, automotive, food and pharmaceutical applications to mining and refining, aerospace and architecture. Through its applications, Sefar touches many facets of everyone’s life around the globe: clean water, crispy bread, food for babies, energy from renewable resources, lifesaving surgeries etc.

The group has a more than 190-year-old history tracing back to its inception in 1830 and is still owned by the founding families. The company grew over the years through acquisitions and organically, with an increased use of mechanization, automation and IT. It also experienced an international expansion that has made it a true global market leader.

Sefar Group consists of two main business areas: The Yarn Business and the Mesh Business and hence controls the full value chain from yarn to end manufacturing.

Sefar Group makes about CHF 400m sales and employs 3’000 around the globe.

Sefar’s (mesh) core business segments include:

Process Filtration - High quality filter and filter equipment for Process Filtration

Sefar is renowned for its advanced filtration processes and custom filter equipment used in various industries, including chemicals, minerals, food, milling, life-science, environmental technologies. These solutions embrace cutting-edge filter media, designed to enhance efficiency and elevate productivity, all while minimizing environmental impact of producing industries. Most of the filters are using Sefar Mesh and are fabricated in the local fabrication centers.

Filter Components - Fabricated Filter Components

Sefar’s ‘Filter Components’ department offers a wide range of fabrics for use in the automotive, acoustics, aerospace, appliance and healthcare industries that are innovative and designed to maximize customer satisfaction. These filters components are used in customer-specific applications and integrated in the end products. Most of the filter components use Sefar Mesh and are centrally produced.

Screen Printing - Monofilament mesh for Printing

Print solutions from Sefar can be found in an almost infinite number of objects that are printed and produced, which touch our lives every day: cars, glass, smartphones, electronics, billboards, textiles, packaging, ceramics and tiles, solar cells and many more. Sefar is the world market leader in the shrinking screen printing market. Sefar supplies many different printing and manufacturing industries with advanced mesh products and system solutions.

Function & design – Smart fabrics and membranes

Function & design includes Sefar’s application of smart fabrics (electrically conductive fabrics for heating, sensing or other applications), as well as Protected Composite Membranes for microfiltration applications

For more information, please visit: https://www.sefar.com/en/

The Role

The Chief HR Officer holds a crucial and central role in the organization: He/she is accountable for the talent within the group. The Board of directors and the Group Management appreciate the fact that strategy and organization are important, but that without the right people in the right roles they both will fail. Therefore, HR is a Group Management role and the role reports to the CEO of Sefar and is part of the executive committee.

His/her main tasks are

• Representing HR in the executive management
• Leading the global HR organization consisting of around 50 people
• Talent Management: Annual review cycle, performance management, succession planning
• Talent Attraction: Developing an attractive Employer Value Proposition and ensuring that Sefar can attract talents globally
• Developing a global job architecture and a global rewards system
• Establishing a performance oriented global variable compensation system
• Implementing global HR IT tools and processes
• Leading and enabling the regional HR Business Partners

The job holder is aware of the long-standing tradition of Sefar and that it is just as important to establish the right tools and methods as it is to establish the buy-in of the organization.

Candidate Profile

The CHRO will be an inspirational leader with a broad HR and business experience. He / she must have the soft skills to sense the organization in order to establish support and buy-in in enabling Sefar’s success globally. As a member of Group Management he/she should also have experience in business matters. Furthermore, an excellent command of German and English is a must.

In summary, the ideal candidate should demonstrate:

Management & Leadership Experience:

• Has extensive experience in running global HR organizations
• Working experience outside of HR, e.g. in a line function is a big advantage
• Has an understanding of how industrial companies work
• Experience leading 30+ people cross-border in a global network
• Works well under pressure and addresses conflicts in an appropriate manner
• Proven track record in selecting, further developing and retaining high performing staff

Personal Profile:

• 10+ years professional experience in at least 2 different industries
• Experience in working in global organizations including Americas and Asia.
• High social and interpersonal skills: Is able to sense how an organization ticks and is able to generate buy-in for change
• Able to influence and improve in a matrix environment
• Good presentation and communication skills
• Good networker on an intercultural level
• Industrial background and understanding of industry and market dynamics. A robust understanding of the industrial sector, preferably with experience in industries such as manufacturing, engineering, or related fields is of advantage.
• Strong experience and skills in change management and transformation
• Fluency in multiple languages:
• Fluency in English and German
• Educational background:
• Master’s degree
• Training on HR topics