Senior Expert Employee Relations (all genders)

At Evotec’s headquarters in Hamburg, Germany, we are seeking a highly motivated and dedicated

Senior Expert Employee Relations (all genders)

Full-time and permanent

Key Responsibilities:

Employee Relations, Labor Law & Works Councils

• Serve as Evotec’s subject matter expert for German labor law and co-determination matters, providing strategic guidance to HR, leadership and business stakeholders.
• Build and maintain trusted, constructive relationships with Works Councils and employee representative bodies across Germany, acting as the key interface between HR, management and employee representatives.
• Advise HR colleagues and business leaders on complex employee relations matters, including performance and conduct issues, grievances, conflict resolution, organizational change and terminations.
• Lead and support negotiations with Works Councils and employee representatives, developing pragmatic solutions that balance legal requirements, employee interests and business objectives.
• Ensure compliance with German labor law, co-determination requirements, collective regulations, Works Agreements and company policies, while proactively identifying and mitigating employment-related risks.
• Monitor changes in legislation and case law, translating legal requirements into practical policies, processes and guidance for HR and business stakeholders.

Global HR Programs & Change Initiatives

• Partner with HR Business Partners, Centers of Excellence, Legal and business leaders to assess, localize and implement global and local HR initiatives in compliance with German labor law and co-determination obligations.
• Act as the Employee Relations lead for Germany in global HR projects, defining implementation, stakeholder engagement and Works Council strategies while balancing legal compliance, business objectives and project timelines.
• Provide risk-based recommendations and manage Employee Relations workstreams for organizational transformations, restructurings and other strategic people initiatives.
• Monitor implemented initiatives and proactively address emerging employee relations, labor law and co-determination risks.

Required Qualifications:

• University degree in Law, Human Resources, Business Administration or a related field, ideally with a focus on German individual and collective labor law.
• 7-10 years of professional experience in Employee Relations, Labor Relations, Human Resources and/or Employment Law.
• Extensive practical knowledge of German labor law, including the Works Constitution Act (BetrVG), co-determination rights, employment contracts, employee relations matters, terminations and organizational change.
• Significant experience working with Works Councils and employee representative bodies, including independently preparing, leading and concluding negotiations.
• Proven ability to manage complex employee relations matters and provide pragmatic, risk-based recommendations.
• Strong stakeholder management, influencing and negotiation skills with the ability to balance legal requirements, employee interests and business needs.
• Ability to translate complex legal requirements into practical HR policies, processes and business guidance.
• Strong analytical, conceptual and problem-solving skills combined with a diplomatic and solution-oriented approach.
• Ability to act as a trusted advisor to HR Business Partners, senior leaders and management teams.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in German and English.

Ideal Qualifications:

• Experience in an international and/or matrix organization.
• Experience within the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, life sciences, technology or a similarly complex industry.
• Experience working with multi-site Works Council structures, including General Works Councils (Gesamtbetriebsrat) and Group Works Councils (Konzernbetriebsrat).
• Experience supporting organizational transformations, restructurings and workforce change initiatives.
• Experience negotiating Works Agreements related to compensation, working time, performance management, IT systems, data protection and organizational change.
• Experience localizing and implementing global HR policies and programs within the German labor law framework.
• Experience collaborating with external employment law counsel, employer associations and labor courts.
• Additional expertise in mediation, conflict management or negotiation.
• Strong project management skills and experience leading cross-functional initiatives with senior stakeholders.

Our Offer

• A position within a vigorous and exciting professional environment promoted by an open culture and a spirit of community.
• A diverse, international workforce with a dynamic working environment that fosters creativity, innovation and teamwork.
• The opportunity to shape and influence Employee Relations strategy in a global organization undergoing continuous transformation and growth.
• Close collaboration with international HR, Legal and business leaders across the Group.
• 30 days of annual holiday, flexible working hours and an in-house canteen.
• Capital-forming benefits, holiday allowance, annual bonus depending on performance and a monthly allowance for public transportation (Deutschlandticket - JobTicket Premium).
• Excellent opportunities for professional and personal development within an innovative and international company.

FR : Dans le cadre de sa politique Diversité, Evotec étudie, à compétences égales, toutes les candidatures dont celles des personnes en situation de handicap.

EN: In the frame of our Diversity policy, Evotec considers, with equal competences, all applications including people with disabilities.

IT: In compliance with fundamental ethical and professional principles and with Legislative Decree 198/2006, Evotec is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to fostering a safe, diverse, and inclusive workplace built on mutual respect. We provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified candidates and employees based on their skills, experience, and professional qualifications. In line with our ethical and professional principles, all employment-related decisions, including recruitment and selection processes, are made fairly and without any form of discrimination. All qualified candidates will be considered for employment regardless of race, color, sex, age, disability, genetic information, gender expression, gender identity, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected under applicable law.

About Us

Evotec is a life science company with a unique business model that delivers on its mission to discover and develop highly effective therapeutics and make them available to the patients. The Company’s multimodality platform comprises a unique combination of innovative technologies, data and science for the discovery, development, and production of first-in-class and best-in-class pharmaceutical products. Evotec leverages this “Data-driven R&D Autobahn to Cures” for proprietary projects and within a network of partners including all Top 20 Pharma and over 800 biotechnology companies, academic institutions, as well as other healthcare stakeholders. Evotec has strategic activities in a broad range of currently underserved therapeutic areas, including e.g. neurology, oncology, as well as metabolic and infectious diseases. Within these areas of expertise, Evotec aims to create the world-leading co-owned pipeline for innovative therapeutics and has to-date established a portfolio of more than 200 proprietary and co-owned R&D projects from early discovery to clinical development. Evotec operates globally with more than 5,000 highly qualified people. The Company’s 17 sites offer highly synergistic technologies and services and operate as complementary clusters of excellence. For additional information please go to www.evotec.com and follow us on X/Twitter @Evotec and LinkedIn.

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