Senior HR Business Partner

Akiem; Saint-Ouen-sur-Seine; Hybrid; EUR 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Hybrid working policy

On-site restaurant access

RTT days

Job summary

Akiem is seeking an experienced HR leader to act as a trusted partner to senior management across multiple countries, mainly France and Italy. You will manage a small HR team and collaborate with payroll, training, and social controlling to drive employee relations, performance management, and talent development.

This role offers exposure to compliance projects and an international work environment. You will lead the design of onboarding programs, manager upskilling initiatives, and a

Qualifications

• 7+ years HR experience, including significant experience in a HR Business Partner role.
• Strong business acumen with the ability to understand operational challenges and provide pragmatic HR solutions.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to operate effectively in a multicultural environment.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and operational HR guidance across the employee lifecycle.
• Lead organizational design, workforce planning, and transformation initiatives.
• Advise managers on employee relations, performance issues, and disciplinary processes.
• Develop and implement HR policies, processes, and initiatives for compliance and operational excellence.
• Drive talent management processes including performance reviews and leadership development.
• Lead compensation review cycles and salary governance.

Skills

HR business partner

Strategic HR leadership

Employee relations

Stakeholder management

Multicultural communication

English fluency

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR or related field

Job description

A leading European provider of services to rail operators, manufacturers, and local authorities, Akiem offers its 100 customers in 22 European countries a fleet of over 760 locomotives and 42 passenger vehicles, as well as solutions covering the entire rolling stock value chain.

The company is in an active growth phase, having recently completed a significant refinancing to fund fleet expansion, alongside new maintenance workshops (such as Borlänge, Sweden) and continued fleet orders from manufacturers like Siemens and Alstom. This growth trajectory is accompanied by internal transformation, with ongoing reflections around the organization of its activities and its governance structure.

About The Role

Reporting to the HR Director, you will be the primary point of contact for managers and employees across a 250-person perimeter spanning mainly across France and Italy. You will manage a team of two — Piramitha, Talent Acquisition Manager, and Ilham, HR Generalist — and work closely with the broader HR team (social controlling, payroll, training & development). You'll partner with managers and senior leadership on the full range of HR matters: employee relations and disciplinary/legal topics, performance management and succession planning, salary review campaigns, and social relations (preparation and follow-up of the two French CSEs).

Beyond running day-to-day activities, this role is a great opportunity to shape HR processes in a fast-growing, international environment; you'll be a key contributor to several structuring projects currently underway, e.g. compliance with the EU Pay Transparency Directive, the design of an onboarding program, manager upskilling initiatives, and the company's schools/talent-pipeline strategy.

A monthly travel to the company site in Ostricourt (59) is expected.

What You'll Be Doing

Your key responsibilities will include but won't be limited to:

• Partner with senior leaders and managers to provide strategic and operational HR guidance across the employee lifecycle.
• Lead organizational design, workforce planning, and transformation initiatives to support business objectives and growth.
• Advise and support managers on employee relations matters, including disciplinary processes, grievances, performance issues, litigation risks, and employee exits.
• Develop, improve and implement HR policies, processes, and initiatives to ensure compliance, operational excellence, and a positive employee experience.
• Drive talent management processes, including performance management, succession planning, talent reviews, and leadership development initiatives.
• Lead the annual compensation review cycle, including data preparation, calibration, salary increase and bonus recommendations, governance, and implementation.
• Manage employee and labor relations activities, including preparation and participation in Works Council (CSE) meetings, follow-up of actions, and validation of meeting minutes.
• Lead and coordinate recruitment, onboarding, and HR administration activities through the management of the Talent Acquisition Manager and HR Officer.
• Partner with business leaders to identify people-related risks and opportunities, providing data-driven insights and recommendations.
• Lead cross-functional and international HR projects that support the organization's strategic priorities and continuous improvement efforts.

Who We Are Looking For

We are looking for a hands-on and strategic HR leader capable of partnering with senior management across multiple countries and business functions:

• 7+ years HR experience, including significant experience in a HR Business Partner role,
• Strong business acumen with the ability to understand operational challenges and provide pragmatic HR solutions,
• Comfortable advising leaders and moving between strategic discussions and operational execution,
• Strong knowledge of French employment law and employee relations, experience working with employee representative bodies and social dialogue processes,
• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills, with the ability to build credibility at all levels of the organization,
• Excellent communication skills, ability to operate effectively in a multicultural environment.
• Fluency in English; good command of German is a plus.

Why you will enjoy working with us

• Join a fast-growing, entrepreneurial organization where you can make a real impact, drive meaningful change, and grow alongside a collaborative team in a dynamic and international environment.
• Thrive in a people-focused culture that promotes respect, trust, and wellbeing.
• Benefit from modern offices located just outside Saint-Ouen metro station.
• Direct access to an on-site company restaurant.
• Preferential rates at the fitness center located in our building.
• Hybrid working policy
• Health insurance and transport contribution
• Additional RTT days
• Plus a range of perks and benefits to help you thrive both professionally and personally.

We are committed to fostering an inclusive workplace where diversity is valued and everyone can thrive. We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds, experiences, and identities, and are dedicated to providing equal opportunities for all.