HR Generalist - Netherlands

Project description

The HR Generalist manages the complete employee lifecycle post-hiring for HR Operations procedures in the Netherlands. This is a broad, generalist role that combines hands-on payroll and administrative expertise with business partner responsibilities, requiring an adaptable individual who can focus priorities according to the needs of the business. The HR Generalist is the main HR representative at the Eindhoven location and should build strong relationships across the location while ensuring the delivery of compliant and legally sound processes. This role is empowered to make independent decisions within established guidelines. The HR Generalist is expected to regularly inform and consult the People and Culture Lead the Netherlands on more complex cases or significant HR matters for the Netherlands to ensure alignment with organisational policies and strategic goals. You will be part of the organisation led by the People and Culture Lead for the Netherlands and report directly to the Team Lead, HR Administration and Payroll for Western and Southern Europe (WSE). Working as part of the W&SE team, you will be the first point of contact for all HR-related administration queries, including payroll, and support in HR operational projects and reporting. The ideal candidate brings strong experience in HR administration and payroll operations within an international, multicultural matrix environment, and is passionate about delivering excellent employee experiences while maintaining operational excellence in line with Dutch labour law, pension, and social security regulations.

Responsibilities

• Employee Lifecycle & HR Administration
  · Act as first point of contact for all HR-related queries in the Netherlands, by understanding and being able to communicate and explain local policies and procedures.
  · Coordinate employee lifecycle administration with the shared services team and relevant stakeholders, including onboarding, mandatory training and probation period milestones, absence administration, contract changes, reward communications, and offboarding.
  · Implement strategy to maintain personal data records for local employee base (controlling electronic employee files).
  · Manage 30% ruling applications and renewals for eligible expat employees. Payroll & Admin Operations
  · Coordinate payroll inputs with the external payroll provider and local finance team, using a sound understanding of payroll fundamentals to ensure accurate and timely processing.
  · Act as the local point of contact for payroll queries, coordinating employees, managers, finance, and the external payroll provider, and ensuring required employee data and statutory documentation are complete.
  · Manage relationships with key HR vendors, including the insurance broker, pension provider, and external payroll provider, monitoring service quality and resolving operational issues.
  · Oversee HR invoice processing for the location and manage cost allocation.
  · Maintain a working knowledge of Dutch social security, tax, pension, and statutory reporting requirements, coordinating with external specialists and escalating compliance risks when needed.
  · Maintain records and produce necessary reports and HR metrics as the role requires.
  
  Business Partner & Labour Relations
  · Understand local compliance topics and Dutch labour law legislation for the location.
  · Advise managers on the terms and conditions of employment and knowledge share best practice with them.
  · Collaborate with the People and Culture Lead the Netherlands on labour relations matters, ensuring compliance with employment legislation and regulatory standards.
  · Assist in organising and facilitating consultations with the Works Council (Ondernemingsraad) regarding organisational changes, policy rollouts, and employment-related issues, ensuring legal requirements are fulfilled and promoting a transparent, cooperative working environment.
  · Manage complex employee relations casework including dispute resolutions, disciplinaries, grievances, absence, and redundancy.
  · Advise on workforce planning, organisational restructurings, talent development, and succession planning in line with business priorities.
  · Drive alignment between HR strategy and business goals. Regional & Continuous Improvement
  · Be proactive in continuous improvement activities to ensure that processes are standardised, simplified and automated.
  · Develop HR policy and procedures to drive performance and mitigate disputes.
  · Provide strategic advice on current and existing benefits for employees and managers.
  · Continuously monitor and review HR policies and processes and implement improvements where necessary.
  · Participate in the implementation of specific projects, procedures, and guidelines to help align the workforce with the strategic goals of the organisation.
  · Supports the People and Culture Lead the Netherlands in communicating organisational culture to employees: onboarding, town halls, corporate events, etc.
  · Participate in global and regional HR initiatives and collaborate closely with the W&SE HR team to support consistent delivery across the region. What we offer:
  · Competitive salary that reflects your role and responsibilities, depending on experience and qualification.
  · Holiday allowance
  · Company pension plan
  · You’ll receive a fixed one-year contract for 40 hours with the possibility to extend.
  · Working in an International and multi-cultural matrix organization.
  · 25 vacation days plus national holidays
  · This role can be performed remotely from within the Netherlands, with regular travel to Eindhoven office (typically once a week) is required.
  · Work from home equipment reimbursement
  · The opportunity to work up to 20 days per year from abroad.
  · You’ll have the space to grow both personally and professionally. Whether you want to deepen your expertise, develop your personality, or improve your leadership style, we offer a broad range of trainings and courses.
  · Your well-being is our priority. We believe that when you feel good, you perform better. That’s why you’ll have access to our Employee Assistance Program, our wellbeing platform (including for your family).

SKILLS

Must have

• Professional Experience
  · A University degree or professional level, or the equivalent level of attainment gained through 2-5 years of professional experience.
  · In-depth knowledge of Dutch Labour Law, HR best practices, and HR compliance.
  · Solid knowledge of HR administration and payroll fundamentals, with experience coordinating payroll inputs and managing external providers and internal stakeholders.
  · A profound working knowledge of IT/HR systems and MS Office.
  · Experience in working for a multicultural international company.
  · Experience in labour relations and collaboration with Works Councils (Ondernemingsraad) is a benefit. Core Competencies
  · Fluency in written and spoken English at C1 level is essential; proficiency in Dutch is an advantage.
  · A ‘can do’ pro-active, solutions-oriented attitude and work ethic.
  · Comfortable working independently while knowing when to collaborate and escalate.
  · A resourceful and relentless drive to make things happen, to improve performance and deliver outstanding results through new, innovative, and more effective ways of working.
  · A talent for simplifying, automating, and standardising processes, to build improved employee experience.
  · Excellent organisational and time management skills.
  · A talent for numbers, analytics, financial reporting, and attention to detail and accuracy.
  · Excellent interpersonal, communication, and presentation skills.
  · A positive team spirit and attitude.
  · Competency to build and effectively manage relationships at all levels of the organisation, locally, regionally, and globally.
  · A high level of personal integrity, reflecting respect, open-mindedness, and honesty.
  1. 2- 5 years' experience working in an HR team in an international organisation.
  2. Solid experience in HR administration, including coordinating payroll-related activities with an external provider and relevant internal stakeholders.
  3. Working knowledge of payroll fundamentals and experience coordinating payroll activities with an external provider, Finance, managers, and employees.
  4. Working knowledge of global relocations and expat programmes (30% ruling) is advantageous but not necessary.
  5. Experience in complex employee relations matters.
  6. Experience with Dutch Works Council (Ondernemingsraad) processes is beneficial.

Nice to have

dutch language