HR Operations Lead (Nordics)

Michael Page; West Midlands; Remote; GBP 85,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Michael Page is seeking an experienced HR leader to oversee a large multi-country operation spanning the UK, Ireland and the Nordic region. You will lead a team of HR professionals and act as the senior HR voice for the region, influencing business leaders and driving HR excellence.

The role requires strong knowledge of Nordic employment practices, a commercial mindset and experience in shared services models. Regular travel is expected, with home-based work and broad regional exposure.

Qualifications

• Significant HR leadership experience within a complex, international environment.
• Strong knowledge of employment practices across the UK, Ireland and the Nordic region.
• Proven experience leading multi-country teams and developing HR talent.
• Background operating within a shared services HR model.
• Experience using enterprise HR systems such as Workday, ServiceNow or similar platforms.
• Strong employee relations expertise with the confidence to challenge and influence senior stakeholders.
• Commercial mindset with the ability to balance business needs, compliance and employee experience.
• Experience managing reward processes, budgets and workforce planning activities.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to build credibility across a matrix organisation.
• CIPD qualification or equivalent would be advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Lead, coach and develop a team of HR professionals across multiple countries.
• Act as the senior HR lead for the region, providing strategic guidance to business leaders.
• Drive consistent, high-quality HR service delivery across six countries.
• Partner with shared services, centres of excellence and other HR functions to improve effectiveness and efficiency.
• Manage complex employee relations matters, organisational change initiatives and leadership challenges.
• Ensure compliance with employment legislation and regulatory requirements across multiple jurisdictions.
• Identify, assess and mitigate people-related risks.
• Oversee compensation activities and workforce cost management in partnership with reward teams.
• Support organisational design, restructuring, transformation and integration programmes.
• Promote the effective use of HR technology and data-driven decision-making.

Skills

HR leadership

International HR

Multi-country teams

Shared services

HRIS (Workday/ServiceNow)

Employee relations

Commercial mindset

Reward & workforce planning

Communication

CIPD beneficial

Education

CIPD qualification or equivalent

Tools

Workday

ServiceNow

Job description

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced HR leader to take responsibility for a large multi-country HR operation spanning the UK, Ireland and the Nordic region. Reporting into European HR leadership, you will drive HR excellence, lead a team of HR professionals and influence business strategy across a complex international landscape. It is essential you have HR Lead experience in the Nordics

Client Details

Our client is a large international organisation with a well-established European presence and a modern HR operating model. The business combines shared services, specialist centres of excellence and market-leading technology to deliver a high-quality employee experience, creating a commercially focused environment where HR plays a strategic role in organisational success

Description

• Lead, coach and develop a team of HR professionals across multiple countries.
• Act as the senior HR lead for the region, providing strategic guidance to business leaders.
• Drive consistent, high-quality HR service delivery across six countries.
• Partner with shared services, centres of excellence and other HR functions to improve effectiveness and efficiency.
• Manage complex employee relations matters, organisational change initiatives and leadership challenges.
• Ensure compliance with employment legislation and regulatory requirements across multiple jurisdictions.
• Identify, assess and mitigate people-related risks.
• Oversee compensation activities and workforce cost management in partnership with reward teams.
• Support organisational design, restructuring, transformation and integration programmes.
• Promote the effective use of HR technology and data-driven decision-making.

Profile

• Significant HR leadership experience within a complex, international environment.
• Strong knowledge of employment practices across the UK, Ireland and the Nordic region.
• Proven experience leading multi-country teams and developing HR talent.
• Background operating within a shared services HR model.
• Experience using enterprise HR systems such as Workday, ServiceNow or similar platforms.
• Strong employee relations expertise with the confidence to challenge and influence senior stakeholders.
• Commercial mindset with the ability to balance business needs, compliance and employee experience.
• Experience managing reward processes, budgets and workforce planning activities.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to build credibility across a matrix organisation.
• CIPD qualification or equivalent would be advantageous.

Job Offer

• Regional responsibility across the UK, Ireland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland
• Home based role with regular, weekly travel
• Salary of c£90,000 plus benefits
• Leadership responsibility for a multi-country HR team
• Exposure to approximately 1,200 employees across the region
• Opportunity to operate as the senior HR voice within a major European cluster
• Significant visibility with senior leadership and European HR stakeholders
• Broad HR remit covering employee relations, compliance, reward, organisational design and transformation
• Opportunity to shape and enhance HR delivery across a large international operation
• Exposure to complex employment environments
• Opportunity to lead strategic change and continuous improvement initiatives within a sophisticated HR function

We are committed to creating an inclusive environment. As an inclusive recruiter we welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, identities and experiences. If you require any adjustments or accommodations during the recruitment process, we'll work with you to ensure you can perform at your best