People Manager (Hybrid; m/f/x/d), Madrid (M, ES)

Swiss Re; Comunidad de Madrid; Hybrid; EUR 59,000 - 99,000; Full time

Job summary

Swiss Re in Madrid is seeking an experienced People Manager to partner with senior leaders, drive the people agenda, and lead through change. You will ensure HR practices are compliant and add value while supporting a small Spain HR team of one People Advisor and two HR Operations Associates.

You will work in a hybrid model, collaborating with Legal, Rewards, Compliance, and employee representatives to deliver integrated HR solutions across Spain. Fluency in Spanish and English is required.

Qualifications

• Deep knowledge of Spanish employment law and HR practices.
• Expertise in performance and talent management with coaching skills.
• Experience leading organisational change and workforce planning.
• Strong analytical and decision‑making abilities to translate HR data into actions.
• Proven ability to manage and develop a small HR team.
• Experience in international or matrix organisations, preferably in financial services.
• Exposure to works councils or employee consultation processes, and knowledge of Spanish bargaining frameworks.
• Background in reward, restructuring or HR transformation projects.
• Ability to collaborate across cultures and time zones with cross‑functional teams.
• Full working proficiency in Spanish and English.

Responsibilities

• Act as a strategic HR partner to senior leaders and managers with advice on people and organisational matters.
• Lead and support organisational change initiatives with stakeholder engagement.
• Manage complex employee relations cases in line with Spanish employment law.
• Drive performance and talent management processes and coach leaders.
• Support workforce planning and anticipate evolving talent needs.
• Translate people data and HR metrics into actionable insights for decisions.
• Ensure HR practices align with policies, governance, and local requirements.
• Collaborate with Legal, Rewards, Compliance and employee bodies to deliver integrated solutions.
• Partner with and develop the HR Spain team, fostering a high‑performing culture.
• Champion continuous improvement and contribute to HR transformation initiatives.

Skills

Spanish employment law

HR practices

Performance management

Talent management

Organisational change

Workforce planning

Data interpretation

Cross-cultural collaboration

Team leadership

International/matrix environment

Stakeholder management

Job description

About the Role

As our People Manager based in Madrid, you will be a trusted strategic partner to business leaders, shaping the people agenda and driving meaningful organisational outcomes. This is a hands‑on, high‑impact role where you'll influence key people decisions, lead through change, and ensure that HR practices are not only compliant but genuinely add value to the business. You'll be part of a collaborative, international HR community and play a pivotal role in making Swiss Re a great place to work in Spain.

Key Responsibilities

• Act as a strategic HR partner to senior leaders and managers, providing expert advice on people, talent, and organisational matters
• Lead and support organisational change initiatives, ensuring smooth transitions and strong stakeholder engagement throughout
• Manage complex employee relations cases with confidence, pragmatism, and a sound understanding of Spanish employment legislation
• Drive performance and talent management processes, coaching managers to make quality people decisions that support business growth
• Support workforce planning activities, helping the business anticipate and respond to evolving talent needs
• Translate people data and HR metrics into clear, actionable insights that inform sound business decisions
• Ensure alignment of HR practices with company policies, governance frameworks, and local legal requirements
• Collaborate closely with Legal, Rewards, Compliance, and employee representative bodies to deliver integrated people solutions
• Partner with and develop the HR Spain team, including one People Advisor and two HR Operations Associates, fostering a high‑performing and inclusive team culture
• Champion continuous improvement in HR processes and contribute to broader HR transformation initiatives

About the Team

The HR Spain team is a dedicated and close‑knit group based in Madrid, made up of one People Advisor and two HR Operations Associates. The team provides comprehensive local HR support to employees and managers across the organisation, ensuring alignment with Spanish employment legislation and company policies. From employee relations to organisational change, the team partners closely with Legal, Rewards, Compliance, and employees to deliver impactful, people‑centred HR solutions.

About You

You are a confident, pro‑active, commercially minded HR professional who brings both strategic thinking and practical know‑how to everything you do. You build trust quickly, communicate with clarity, and are energised by working in a fast‑paced, international environment. You lead with empathy, act with integrity, and are passionate about making a real difference to the people and business you support.

We are looking for candidates who meet these requirements

• Deep knowledge of Spanish employment law and HR practices, with proven hands‑on experience navigating complex employee relations matters
• Demonstrated expertise in performance and talent management, with the ability to coach and influence leaders at all levels
• Experience leading or supporting organisational change and workforce planning, with a track record of delivering results in dynamic environments
• Strong analytical and decision‑making skills, with the ability to translate HR policies and people data into practical, business‑focused recommendations
• Proven ability to manage and develop a small team, fostering collaboration, accountability, and continuous growth
• Experience working in an international or matrix organisation, ideally within financial services such as insurance or banking
• Exposure to Works Councils or employee consultation processes and an understanding of collective bargaining frameworks in Spain
• Background in reward, restructuring or HR transformation projects
• Ability to work effectively across multiple cultures and time zones, with strong cross‑functional collaboration skills
• Full working proficiency in both Spanish and English

For Spain, the base salary range for this position is between EUR 59 000 and EUR 99 000 for a full‑time role.

In addition to your base salary, Swiss Re offers an attractive performance‑based variable compensation component, designed to recognise your achievements. Furthermore, you will enjoy a variety of global and location specific benefits. Eligibility may vary depending on the terms of Swiss Re policies and your employment contract.

Our company has a hybrid work model where the expectation is that you will be in the office at least three days per week.

About Swiss Re

Swiss Re is one of the world’s leading providers of reinsurance, insurance and other forms of insurance‑based risk transfer, working to make the world more resilient. We anticipate and manage a wide variety of risks, from natural catastrophes and climate change to cybercrime. Combining experience with creative thinking and cutting‑edge expertise, we create new opportunities and solutions for our clients. This is possible thanks to the collaboration of more than 15,000 employees across the world.

Our success depends on our ability to build an inclusive culture encouraging fresh perspectives and innovative thinking. We embrace a workplace where everyone has equal opportunities to thrive and develop professionally regardless of their age, gender, race, ethnicity, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, physical or mental ability, skillset, thought or other characteristics. In our inclusive and flexible environment everyone can bring their authentic selves to work and their passion for sustainability.

If you are an experienced professional returning to the workforce after a career break, we encourage you to apply for open positions that match your skills and experience.

We may use AI‑powered tools to support the review and evaluation of applications for this position. These tools provide additional insights to our recruitment teams, but all hiring decisions are carefully reviewed and made by people. To learn more about how we use AI in recruitment and how we handle your personal data, please review our Data Privacy Statement before applying.

Start your career journey with Swiss Re.