HR Director, EMEA

WorldFirst; London; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

WorldFirst is seeking an experienced People Partner to lead HR initiatives across the EMEA region from their London office. This senior role involves partnering with global and regional leadership, driving transformation, and enhancing organizational practices focused on employee engagement, diversity, and compliance with UK employment law.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 10-15 years of HR experience with 5+ years in leadership.
• Proactive approach to driving change with strong business acumen.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to influence senior leaders.
• Must have UK-based HR experience with a strong understanding of UK employment law.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and coaching to EMEA leaders in areas like recruitment, employee relations, and performance management.
• Establish a competent people team interconnected across the region.
• Drive organizational analysis and develop people strategies for growth.
• Collaborate with functions to achieve desired business outcomes.
• Engage in organizational design and change management initiatives.
• Promote regional culture building and support inclusivity in the workplace.

Skills

HR leadership

Business acumen

Interpersonal skills

UK employment law knowledge

Data trend analysis

Organizational design

Education

Degree in Business, Human Resources or similar

Job description

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Description

Position at WorldFirst Ant International strives to become the most trusted digital services connector to achieve sustainable growth of global commerce. With a focus on Travel, Trade, Technology, and Talent, Ant International is committed to enhancing the digital mindset and capacities of businesses worldwide. Through fostering collaborative efforts with partners, we are driving responsible innovation and increasing market accessibility for global SMEs. In EMEA, we operate across three key businesses: Alipay+, Antom, and WorldFirst (where you will partner as HRBP+).

Team Introduction

The Ant International People Team is looking for an experienced, dynamic, and commercial People Partner to support the EMEA region. As the global HQ for Ant International is in Singapore, this role based in London offers global exposure with peers in the People & Talent leadership team. It requires maturity and agility to partner with global senior leadership as well as regional leadership. You will provide end-to-end functional leadership, including implementing People initiatives that enable the delivery of the group strategy and business plans for the EMEA locations. This is a senior HR role, and we seek someone passionate about HR with a proactive, strategic mindset who wants to drive transformation and change. The ideal candidate will gain buy-in from key stakeholders and understand the business at its core. To succeed, you should embody the culture of Ant International and thrive in a global, inclusive, creative, fast-paced, and collaborative environment.

Key responsibilities:

1. Provide leadership, consulting, and coaching to EMEA leaders across all areas of the people function including recruitment, employee relations, performance management, rewards & benefits, talent management and development, mobility, and regulatory compliance.
2. Establish and maintain a highly competent and motivated people team that is effectively interconnected across the region through dedicated people partners, exceptional workplace experience, and efficient People Operations.
3. Drive organizational analysis, including data trend analysis, to identify business challenges and develop people strategies to facilitate growth and organizational development.
4. Collaborate with our CoE Talent & Acquisition, C&B, and Shared Services functions to achieve desired business and organizational outcomes, considering stakeholder needs.
5. Facilitate organizational design and change management initiatives to optimize efficiency and effectiveness.
6. Engage in organizational design issues to improve structure, processes, and workflows for more effective team operations.
7. Maintain solid ER knowledge and understanding of employment legislation to advise managers and lead ER cases appropriately.
8. Review and analyze data to identify trends and recommend solutions to improve performance, retention, and engagement.
9. Champion regional culture building, promote diversity, and support the development of an inclusive employee culture across all aspects of the employee journey, policies, and practices.
10. Organize programs and events for employee engagement and cultivate the company's culture and values across functions and teams in the EMEA region.

Job requirements and expectations:

1. Degree qualified in Business, Human Resources, or similar, with a minimum of 10-15 years of HR experience and 5+ years of leadership experience.
2. Strong business acumen with a proactive approach to driving change.
3. Intellectual agility, curiosity, and sound judgment, with collaborative skills across different cultures.
4. Awareness of organizational dynamics and navigating complex matrix environments.
5. Experience working closely with senior leaders, with the ability to influence and challenge when necessary.
6. Proactive, always seeking improvements and not satisfied with maintaining the status quo.
7. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to develop relationships quickly.
8. Must have UK-based HR experience and a strong understanding of UK employment law. Experience in other EMEA countries is advantageous.