HR Manager BeNe – Region Antwerp

For the regional operations of an international industrial company, we are looking for an HR Manager BeNe for a permanent position. As HR Manager, you will have overall responsibility for HR policy and activities in Belgium and the Netherlands, covering approximately 200 FTEs (blue- and white-collar employees). You will operate at both a strategic and operational level and act as a key sparring partner for management, employees and social partners. You will report directly to the Global HR Director and work closely with the various plant and site managers.

Your responsibilities:

• Act as a strategic and operational HR sparring partner for managers and plant managers on a wide range of HR matters, including HR policy, employment law and social legislation.
• Build and maintain constructive employee and labour relations with trade unions, works councils and other social partners in Belgium and the Netherlands, including preparing for and conducting union negotiations.
• Take responsibility for the HR aspects of the entire employee lifecycle, from onboarding to offboarding , including terms and conditions of employment, performance and appraisal discussions, difficult conversations, disciplinary measures, performance improvement plans and termination cases.
• Manage cases relating to long-term absence and reintegration , working closely with relevant internal and external partners.
• Act as a confidential point of contact for employees regarding sensitive and confidential personnel matters and work closely with the external occupational health and psychosocial prevention service.
• Operationally manage and coach the HR team , consisting of 1 HR BP in Belgium and 1 HR BP in the Netherlands.
• Develop, implement and monitor HR policies for both countries, in line with the global HR strategy and local legal requirements.
• Prepare, analyse and report relevant HR and personnel data , such as absenteeism, FTEs, employee movements and other HR KPIs.
• Take responsibility for recruitment , in cooperation with external recruitment partners and the relevant hiring managers.
• Collaborate and negotiate with external partners , including insurance companies, pension funds, payroll providers, legal advisors, auditors and employers’ organisations.
• Monitor and maintain job classifications and employment conditions .
• Proactively monitor relevant developments in employment law and social legislation , including new European regulations on pay transparency.
• Translate new legislation and policy decisions into concrete HR processes and communicate them clearly throughout the organisation.
• Document, communicate and ensure compliance with agreed arrangements , collective labour agreements and HR policies.
• Regularly align with the Global HR organisation and contribute to international HR projects and initiatives .

Your profile:

• Demonstrable experience as an HR Manager and/or HR Generalist in a broad HR role, with experience supporting both blue- and white-collar employees.
• Strong experience in employee relations and trade union negotiations is essential.
• Experience in an industrial, manufacturing or technical environment is a strong advantage.
• Good and up-to-date knowledge of Belgian and/or Dutch employment and social legislation. Knowledge of international employment legislation, for example in France, Germany or the UK, is a plus.
• Strong communicator and negotiator who remains calm, decisive and effective in difficult or sensitive situations.
• Strategic mindset combined with a hands-on approach, with the ability to switch smoothly between day-to-day HR matters and long-term projects.
• Able to work independently, set the right priorities and connect different stakeholders.
• Willing to travel to the site in the south of the Netherlands once a week.
• Dutch and a good to very good command of English.

Offer:

• An attractive and competitive salary package, supplemented with fringe benefits.
• Flexible working hours and the possibility of working from home.
• An autonomous and varied role with significant responsibility and plenty of room for initiative.
• A role with a broad impact across both the Belgian and Dutch organisations.
• An international working environment with short communication lines and direct collaboration with the Global HR team.
• The opportunity to help shape HR policy and HR processes within an international organisation.