Head of HR (Europe)

Optiver; Amsterdam; On-site; EUR 60,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Performance-based bonus structure

25 paid vacation days

Fully paid first-class commuting expenses

Training opportunities

Health insurance discounts

Extensive office perks

Weekly in-house chair massages

Competitive relocation packages

Visa sponsorship for expats

Job summary

Join a forward-thinking company as the Head of HR, leading a dynamic team in Amsterdam. You will oversee HR operations, drive continuous improvement, and ensure alignment with global frameworks. This role offers a unique opportunity to shape HR strategies and develop talent in a collaborative environment. With a focus on excellence, you will be part of a diverse team dedicated to tackling challenges in the financial markets. This is your chance to make a significant impact in a high-performing culture that values innovation and growth.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of HR experience with team leadership responsibilities.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage diverse HR functions.

Responsibilities

• Oversee HR delivery in Amsterdam, ensuring quality and consistency.
• Support HR teams in their development and effectiveness.

Skills

HR Operations

Team Leadership

Stakeholder Management

Organizational Skills

Communication Skills

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Human Resources or related field

Job description

We are looking for an experienced and hands-on Head of HR to lead the HR function for our Amsterdam office. This role covers the full breadth of HR delivery: HR Business Partners, HR Operations, Regional Rewards, Change, and Project Management. You will be responsible for ensuring that these functions are well-organised, aligned, and delivered with quality and consistency reporting into the Global Chief People Officer. This is a role for someone who builds trust by being clear, reliable, and in control—able to navigate complexity without adding to it.

You’ll oversee a team of capable HR professionals who are at different stages in their development, and you will play a key role in coaching and supporting them as they grow in ownership and effectiveness. At the same time, you will be working across functions and regions to ensure local HR delivery fits within broader transatlantic (TA) and global structures.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

Leading the Local HR Function

• Oversee the day-to-day delivery of HR in Amsterdam, across Business Partnering, HR Operations, Rewards, Change, and Projects.
• Drive consistent service delivery and continuous improvement across the employee lifecycle.
• Ensure timely implementation of HR initiatives and ongoing business-as-usual work.
• Translate people-related priorities into clear, actionable workstreams.

People Development

• Support and develop the HR teams under your scope—encouraging ownership, clarity, and growth.
• Partner with HRBPs to ensure managers are equipped to handle performance, growth, and team needs, elevate the team’s effectiveness and output.
• Help translate business needs into practical HR solutions.
• Align functional specialists (Rewards, Change, Projects) on local needs, global frameworks, and shared priorities.

Stakeholder Management and Cross-Regional Alignment

• Work closely with the European CEO and Global CPO on HR-related topics and projects within your scope.
• Translate people-related priorities into clear, actionable workstreams.
• Act as the point of coordination with the US HR team on shared transatlantic priorities and capacity planning.
• Ensure local delivery aligns with global frameworks while remaining fit-for-purpose in the European context.

WHAT YOU’LL GET

You’ll join a culture of collaboration and excellence, where you’ll be surrounded by curious thinkers and creative problem solvers. Motivated by a passion for continuous improvement, you’ll thrive in a supportive, high-performing environment alongside talented colleagues, working collectively to tackle the toughest problems in the financial markets.

In addition, you’ll receive:

• A performance-based bonus structure unmatched anywhere in the industry. We combine our profits across desks, teams and offices into a global profit pool.
• The opportunity to work alongside best-in-class professionals from over 50 different countries.
• 25 paid vacation days and fully paid first-class commuting expenses.
• Training opportunities and discounts on health insurance.
• Extensive office perks, including breakfast and lunch, world-class barista coffee, sports and leisure activities, Friday afternoon drinks, and weekly in-house chair massages.
• Competitive relocation packages and visa sponsorship where necessary for expats.

WHO YOU ARE

• 10+ years of experience in HR, including responsibility for operational delivery and team leadership.
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage a broad scope with attention to detail.
• Comfortable leading others while staying close to the work.
• A clear communicator who brings calm, clarity, and structure to complex environments.
• Experience working across regions and functions in an international setting.
• Comfortable working across regions and time zones; experience in a global or matrixed environment is a plus.

WHO WE ARE

At Optiver, our mission is to continuously improve the market. By providing liquidity and accurate pricing in various financial instruments, to multiple exchanges across the world, we participate in the safeguarding of healthy and efficient markets.

HOW TO APPLY

Are you interested in furthering your career on one of the most dynamic and exciting trading floors in Europe?

Apply directly via the form below. If you have any questions feel free to contact our Recruitment team at [e-mail].

Please note:

• We cannot accept applications via email for data protection reasons.
• We do not require any assistance from third-parties including agencies in the recruitment of this role.