HR Business Partner

Kraton Chemical Oy; Oulu; On-site; EUR 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Epassi fitness benefit

Employee bicycle benefit

Sports events support

Comprehensive occupational health care

Lunch benefit

Hybrid work model

Job summary

Kraton Chemical Oy in Oulu is seeking an HR Business Partner to serve as the primary HR leader for the site, collaborating with the plant leadership team to drive business performance, employee engagement and organizational effectiveness.

The role combines strategic partnering with hands-on HR execution and will advance HR digitalisation, automation and standardized processes across the site, including payroll, benefits and vendor coordination.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in HR, business, law or related field.
• 3+ years HR experience in manufacturing or unionized environments.
• Strong knowledge of Finnish employment law and collective agreements.
• Experience leading Finnish Change Negotiations.
• Fluent in Finnish and English with excellent communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Act as primary HR partner for the Oulu site and align people initiatives with business goals.
• Lead employee and labor relations, investigations and grievances.
• Oversee talent acquisition, onboarding and workforce development.
• Drive HR digitalization, automation and process improvements.

Skills

HR experience

Site leadership partnering

Finnish employment law

Change negotiations

Labor relations

HR process improvement

HRIS systems

Finnish/English bilingual

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR / Business / Law

Tools

HRIS systems

Job description

The HR Business Partner serves as the primary HR leader and trusted advisor for the Oulu manufacturing site, participating in the plant leadership team, partnering closely with leaders, supervisors, employees and employee representatives to drive business performance, employee engagement, operational excellence and organizational effectiveness. The role combines strategic business partnering with hands-on HR execution and plays a key role in advancing HR digitalization, automation and process improvement initiatives across the site.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic HR Business Partnership: Act as the primary HR Business Partner for the Oulu manufacturing site, providing strategic guidance on workforce planning, talent management, organizational effectiveness and employee engagement. Partner with site leadership to align people initiatives with business priorities and operational objectives. Coach and support managers on leadership development, performance management and organizational change.
• Employee & Labor Relations: Lead employee and labor relations activities, including investigations, disciplinary matters, grievances and workplace conflict resolution. Provide expert guidance on Finnish employment law, collective agreements and labor relations practices. Build effective relationships with employee representatives, unions and key stakeholders. Lead and coordinate Finnish Change Negotiations and other workforce restructuring initiatives.
• Talent Acquisition & Workforce Development: Lead recruitment, selection and onboarding activities for salaried, technical and professional roles. Partner with leaders on workforce planning, succession planning and talent development. Support employee development, performance management and retention initiatives.
• Digitalization, Automation & Process Improvement: Drive HR digitalization, automation and continuous improvement initiatives to enhance efficiency and employee experience. Develop and promote self-service solutions, knowledge management tools and standardized HR processes. Utilize HR metrics, analytics & reporting to support data-driven decision making. Coordinate HR administration, payroll, benefits and vendor-related activities while ensuring compliance and data accuracy.

Required Skills

• Minimum 3 years of HR experience, preferably within a manufacturing, industrial, or unionized environment.
• Proven experience partnering with site leadership teams.
• Strong knowledge of Finnish employment legislation, collective labor agreements, and employment practices.
• Demonstrated experience leading and supporting Finnish Change Negotiations.
• Experience managing complex employee and labor relations matters, investigations, disciplinary cases, and conflict resolution.
• Experience driving HR process improvements, standardization, digitalization, and automation initiatives is highly preferred.
• Experience with HRIS systems, employee self-service solutions, and digital HR tools.
• Fluent Finnish and English language skills, both written and verbal.

Education, Certifications & Licenses

Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Law, or a related field.

At Kraton we offer you A dynamic, pleasant, and growth-oriented work environment where you’ll have the opportunity to take on responsibility, grow professionally, and help develop operations from an HR perspective A local and international work environment where collaborating with the Global HR team, among others, provides the opportunity to learn about HR practices across different countries.

Benefits

• Excellent employee benefits, such as the annual Epassi fitness and culture benefit with no out-of-pocket cost
• an employee bicycle benefit
• the opportunity to participate in sports events throughout the year with employer support
• comprehensive occupational health care
• a lunch benefit
• active recreational activities
• In addition, we recognize our employees for long‑term service after 10, 20, 30, and even 40 years of service
• Regardless of years of service, we honor employees turning 50 and 60 with commemorative gifts
• Competitive compensation and a bonus system
• A hybrid work model where you have the option to work remotely for about 2 days a week