Contract type :Permanent
Availability :Full time
Director of European Employee Relations & European Workers Council (EWC) Management
VP of HR, EMEA, APAC, and Technical Functions, with a dotted line to Global Chief People Officer
Together, enable individuals to look, feel, and be their true selves.
Wella Company is one of the world's leading beauty companies, comprised of a family of iconic brands such as Wella Professionals, Clairol, OPI, Nioxin and ghd. With 6,000 employees globally, presence in over 100 countries, Wella Company and its brands enable consumers to look, feel, and be their true selves. As innovators in the hair and nail industry, Wella Company empowers its people to delight consumers, inspire beauty professionals, engage communities, and deliver sustainable growth to its stakeholders.
For additional information about the Wella Company please visit www.wellacompany.com.
Wella is committed to building a modern, strategic employee and labor relations function that fosters trust, ensures compliance, and reinforces our commitment to being a great place to work. This senior HR leader will play a dual role: leading our engagement with the newly formed European Works Council (EWC) and shaping an employee relations (ER) strategy that reflects Wella's values and supports our people through transformation and growth.
This new role will develop strategy, manage, and coordinate interactions with Wella's newly formed European Works Councils (EWC). It will also work in partnership with other HR team members to coordinate with local country-level works councils across the EU.
This senior HR leader will also work closely with Wella's Employment Legal team to ensure compliance with applicable labour laws and support constructive dialogue between Wella and its employee representatives. This position is key in shaping and executing Wella's labour relations strategy in a multinational context.
As the primary liaison to the EWC, this leader will drive a collaborative, transparent relationship-one that goes beyond compliance to create meaningful dialogue and alignment with business priorities. They will also oversee all aspects of employee relations across Europe, including investigations, grievances, policy development, and case resolution. Managing and developing a small ER team, this individual will build capability across the business, promote fair and consistent practices, and provide expert guidance on complex employee and labor issues.
This is a high-impact opportunity to influence how Wella engages with its people across borders-strengthening our employee experience while enabling agile, people-centered business outcomes.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
REQUIRED SKILLS:
- Skilled at developing strategy and building trust with employee reps and senior leaders; able to translate complex business issues into clear, actionable dialogue.
- Effective facilitator and negotiator with a calm, solutions-focused approach in high-stakes or contentious situations.
- Strong business acumen and ability to align employee relations strategy with broader organizational goals.
- Demonstrated commitment to ethical practices, confidentiality, and fostering inclusive, respectful workplace relationships.
- Intercultural skills/familiarity with cultural nuances in employee representation across Europe.
- Willingness to travel within Europe.
ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATIONS:
- Fluency in English (required); additional European languages, especially German and French (both written and spoken), are a plus.
- Bachelor's or Master's in Human Resources, Labor Law, Industrial Relations, or related field.
- A background in conflict resolution or mediation training is a plus
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