Senior Expert People Process Excellence & Solution Design (f/m/d)

GEA Systems North America; Berlin; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

30 days annual leave

Job summary

GEA Systems North America seeks an experienced HR Process Excellence professional to lead end-to-end people solutions design and optimization from the Berlin office. You will partner with Product Owners, HR Tech and AI teams to create scalable, compliant processes and drive governance across the global People landscape.

You will champion process documentation, standardization and continuous improvement, with a focus on payroll and time management within a German context.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in HR, People Services, Shared Services, HR Operations, Process Excellence, Service Management or a comparable environment.
• Extensive knowledge of global HR processes across the employee lifecycle.
• Proven track record in process design, standardization, transformation and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Ability to consult on complex and cross-functional requirements.
• Ability to balance standardization with complex business needs and provide well-founded recommendations.
• Advanced experience with HR technologies such as Workday, ServiceNow and automation or AI-enabled solutions.
• Experience advising Product Owners and senior stakeholders and translating business requirements into implementable solutions.

Responsibilities

• Design and continuously improve end-to-end People solutions that enhance employee and manager experience while increasing efficiency and consistency.
• Translate business requirements into standardized, scalable and implementable process and service designs.
• Design seamless cross-functional processes that optimize user journeys, data flows and organizational effectiveness.
• Lead the design, optimization and harmonization of people processes.
• Ensure solutions balance customer experience, governance, compliance and operational feasibility.
• Identify opportunities to leverage automation, workflow technologies and AI capabilities, particularly within payroll and time management.
• Drive continuous improvement through process optimization and data-driven analysis.
• Partner with Product Owners, People Technology & AI teams to shape future-ready People solutions.
• Facilitate cross-functional alignment and solution feasibility across the People systems landscape.
• Collaborate with People Services teams to improve service delivery, process efficiency and compliance.
• Develop recommendations on operating models, workforce requirements, role profiles, service levels and performance measures.
• Act as a trusted advisor for process excellence, service transformation and service improvement initiatives.
• Develop and maintain solution design methodologies, frameworks, templates and standards.
• Ensure alignment with the global People operating model and organizational objectives.
• Embed governance, compliance requirements and policies into process and service designs.
• Ensure payroll and time management processes align with global standards while meeting local legal requirements.
• Promote consistency and standardization across the global People organization.
• Own and govern process documentation across Levels 3-5, ensuring quality, consistency and audit readiness.
• Maintain and continuously improve the People Product & Process Warehouse.
• Ensure process documentation is maintained and remains current, compliant and auditable.
• Incorporate local legal, regulatory and statutory requirements, particularly within payroll and time management processes.

Skills

German language (C1)

English language (C1)

Stakeholder management

Analytical thinking

Tools

Workday

ServiceNow

Automation/AI

Job description

Responsibilities / Tasks

• Design and continuously improve end-to-end People solutions that enhance employee and manager experience while increasing efficiency and consistency


• Translate business requirements into standardized, scalable and implementable process and service designs


• Design seamless cross-functional processes that optimize user journeys, data flows and organizational effectiveness


• Lead the design, optimization and harmonization of people processes


• Ensure solutions balance customer experience, governance, compliance and operational feasibility


• Identify opportunities to leverage automation, workflow technologies and AI capabilities, particularly within payroll and time management


• Drive continuous improvement through process optimization and data-driven analysis

Stakeholder Collaboration & Consulting

• Partner with Product Owners, People Technology & AI teams to shape future-ready People solutions


• Facilitate cross-functional alignment and solution feasibility across the People systems landscape


• Collaborate with People Services teams to improve service delivery, process efficiency and compliance


• Develop recommendations on operating models, workforce requirements, role profiles, service levels and performance measures


• Act as a trusted advisor for process excellence, service transformation and service improvement initiatives

Standards, Frameworks & Governance

• Develop and maintain solution design methodologies, frameworks, templates and standards


• Ensure alignment with the global People operating model and organizational objectives


• Embed governance, compliance requirements and policies into process and service designs


• Ensure payroll and time management processes align with global standards while meeting local legal requirements


• Promote consistency and standardization across the global People organization

Process Documentation & Product Warehouse Management

• Own and govern process documentation across Levels 3-5, ensuring quality, consistency and audit readiness


• Maintain and continuously improve the People Product & Process Warehouse


• Ensure process documentation is maintained and remains current, compliant and auditable


• Incorporate local legal, regulatory and statutory requirements, particularly within payroll and time management processes

Your Profile / Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in HR, People Services, Shared Services, HR Operations, Process Excellence, Service Management or a comparable environment


• Extensive knowledge of global HR processes across the employee lifecycle


• Proven track record in process design, standardization, transformation and continuous improvement initiatives


• Ability to consult on complex and cross-functional requirements


• Ability to balance standardization with (complex) business needs and provide well-founded recommendations


• Advanced experience with HR technologies such as Workday, ServiceNow and automation or AI-enabled solutions


• Experience advising Product Owners and senior stakeholders and translating business requirements into implementable solutions

Product focus on German Payroll & Time is an advantage, such as:

• Strong experience in payroll-related processes


• Payroll transformation initiatives


• Payroll service delivery models


• Time & attendance management processes


• German payroll operations and compliance


• Deep understanding of German payroll regulations, payroll operations and compliance requirements


• Proven experience with German time management processes, including time recording, time evaluation, absence management and workforce administration


• Hands-on experience with time & attendance and workforce management systems in Germany


• Relevant professional certifications in Process Management, Lean, Six Sigma, Design Thinking, Business Analysis, Change Management or HR technology are an advantage

Skills & Competencies

• Fluent German and English language skills (minimum C1 level)


• Customer-centric and solution-oriented mindset


• Strong analytical and structured problem-solving skills


• Ability to balance standardization, governance requirements and business needs


• Strong stakeholder management, facilitation and influencing skills


• Excellent communication skills and the ability to simplify complex topics


• High level of ownership, attention to detail and results orientation


• Continuous improvement mindset with the ability to coach colleagues and contribute to global solution design standards

What You Can Expect at GEA

• 30 days of annual leave

Our office is located at SPACES in the heart of Berlin, an innovative and international workspace concept featuring a snack bar and café in the lobby, a fitness studio, and dog-friendly workspaces