HR Director - Europe (Chinese Speaker)

Confidentiel; Madrid; On-site; EUR 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Global exposure

European HQ setup support

Senior regional leadership role

Autonomy to shape HR strategy

Job summary

Confidentiel is looking for a strategic HR Director Europe to establish and lead the HR function across Europe from Madrid, coordinating with the CHRO in China and the Europe CEO. The role focuses on designing the HR organization, implementing processes and ensuring adherence to local employment laws while supporting rapid expansion across markets.

Ideal candidates will bring strong leadership experience in multinational manufacturing environments, with a hands-on approach and the ability to

Qualifications

• Senior HR leader with multinational experience.
• Experience coordinating HR policies across Europe.
• Knowledge of local employment laws in multiple markets.

Responsibilities

• Build and lead the European HR function from scratch.
• Coordinate HR setup for the European entity and associated employment matters.
• Ensure compliance with local employment legislation across markets.
• Oversee HR operations including contracts, onboarding and processes.
• Drive leadership recruitment and contracts for key positions in Europe.
• Align global HR policies with local market needs across Spain, Germany, France and beyond.
• Collaborate with CHRO in China and Europe CEO to set HR priorities.
• Advise senior leadership on organizational design and workforce planning.

Skills

Senior HR leadership

Multi-country HR management

Industrial manufacturing experience

Change management

Job description

The company is a division of a global automotive group with approximately 140,000 employees worldwide. It develops and manufactures commercial vehicles, including electric light commercial vehicles, trucks and buses, alongside sustainable transportation solutions. Its portfolio includes several brands serving the commercial vehicle market.

The company is currently expanding its international operations and establishing its European headquarters in Madrid, which will serve as the base for its development across Spain, Germany, France and other European markets.

POSITION

• Job Title: HR Director Europe
• Location: Madrid, Spain
• Contract Type: Direct report to the CHRO in China, with a dotted-line reporting relationship to the Europe CEO.

ROLE OBJECTIVE:

We are looking for an HR Director Europe to lead the establishment and development of the Human Resources function across Europe. As the most senior HR leader in the region, the successful candidate will play a key role in setting up the European organization and supporting the company's growth across multiple markets.

The ideal candidate will have strong HR leadership experience in multinational environments, preferably within industrial manufacturing or other real-economy sectors. They will combine strategic vision with a hands-on approach, taking ownership of both the design of the HR function and the day-to-day management of employment matters and HR operations.

This is a key position in supporting the company's European expansion, building the necessary HR structures and processes from scratch, and ensuring effective coordination between local requirements and the Group's headquarters in China.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Build and develop the European HR function from the ground up, establishing the processes, policies and structures required to support the company's business objectives.
• Coordinate the establishment of the European entity and manage the HR and employment-related aspects of setting up the organization.
• Ensure compliance with local employment legislation and hiring requirements across the different European markets.
• Manage HR operations, including employment contracts, employee onboarding and other personnel-related processes.
• Oversee the recruitment and contractual arrangements of key leadership positions within the European organization.
• Adapt and implement global HR policies and guidelines, ensuring alignment with local employment requirements and market-specific needs.
• Work closely with the CHRO in China and the Europe CEO to align HR priorities with business objectives and expansion plans.
• Coordinate HR activities across Spain, Germany, France and other European markets, ensuring consistent and effective people management practices.
• Advise senior leadership on organizational design, workforce planning, recruitment and people management throughout the company's growth phase.

REQUIREMENTS

• Strong, demonstrable experience in senior HR leadership positions within international and multinational organizations.
• Proven multi-country HR management experience, preferably across Europe, with the ability to coordinate HR processes and policies across different markets.
• Experience in industrial manufacturing, automotive, commercial vehicles, machinery, industrial equipment or other real-economy sectors.
• Demonstrated ability to establish, build or transform an HR function from scratch.
• Solid understanding of HR operations, employment contracts and compliance with employment legislation across multiple markets.
• Experience working within international corporate structures and coordinating HR priorities with a global headquarters.
• Ability to combine strategic planning with hands-on operational execution in a growing organization.
• Excellent communication, leadership, negotiation and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to work effectively with international senior management teams.
• Proactive, autonomous and results-oriented, with the flexibility to operate in a fast-growing and evolving environment.
• Fluent English, as the primary working language.
• Spanish and Chinese are not mandatory; additional language skills will be an advantage.

WE OFFER

• The opportunity to join an international automotive group with a strong focus on sustainable transportation solutions.
• The opportunity to build and lead the European HR function from an early stage of the company's development.
• A senior regional leadership position, reporting directly to the CHRO in China and working closely with the Europe CEO.
• Direct involvement in establishing the European headquarters and supporting the company's expansion across multiple markets.
• Significant autonomy and the opportunity to shape the organization's people strategy, HR infrastructure and organizational development.