HR Director- Total Rewards & Operations

Location: Hengelo, Netherlands

About us
With over 80.000 talents working in 68 countries, we are one of the biggest high-tech employers in the field of safety and security. In the Netherlands, where about 3000 employees are based, we are located in four locations: Huizen, Delft, Eindhoven and Hengelo (HQ). Together with an extensive ecosystem of knowledge partners, customers and suppliers, we work on radars for naval vessels, cyber security solutions, transportation systems, communication equipment for land forces, cryogenic cooling solutions and research & development for radar tech (in collaboration with TU Delft).

About the Job
The HR Director- Total Rewards & Operations is a senior leadership role responsible for designing, implementing and overseeing the Total Rewards strategy for the Netherlands in close alignment with the group strategy and ensuring effective delivery of HR Operations. You will lead and develop two teams C&B team and HR Operations team, currently consisting of 15 colleagues. The HR team consists in total of 48 employees- Talent Learn and Culture, Talent Acquisition and the HR Business Partner Team. Thales owns her own Pension fund and is managed by a separate Pension team as part of the overall HR Team. You will be responsible for initiating and successfully running projects focused on optimizing employee benefits, and remuneration and HR processes. You will work closely with other HR disciplines locally and within the group and with managers from various business domains. You will report to the VP HR Netherlands and the VP HR C&B of the Thales Group.  

Over the last few years, Thales NL has been experiencing strong growth due to the geopolitical situation in the world. Entering a new phase, Thales NL is set to continue its clear growth and performance ambitions. A key enabler of the company’s success is a strong focus on the People roadmap and attractiveness in the labour market.  

This focus is not only on the further development and design of the People strategy but is also crucial for effectively implementing this strategy to be and remain the partner of choice for future employees of Thales.

This is an exciting opportunity to join Thales with the objective of further enhancing the organization and ability to ramp up. The role asks for a driven personality with strong leadership and personal skills with experience in Compensation and Benefits to shape and further grow our People agenda successfully.

Key Relationships

Reports To:

• VP HR NL and VP C&B Group
• Member of HR Management Team Thales Netherlands
• Part of Group C&B community

Direct Reports:

• C&B Team
• Global Mobility
• HR Shared Services Team
• Data & HR IS 

Other Key Relationships:

Management, Employees, Workers Councils, Unions, internal Thales Stakeholders, Partners

Hr Director – Total Rewards & Operations

• Develop, lead and execute the Total Rewards Strategy, including compensation and benefits structures aligned with business objectives and market trends closely aligned with the C&B group strategy. 
• Design competitive and compliant compensation and benefits structures aligned with business objectives, market trends and CLA& legal requirements.
• Oversee job evaluation, salary benchmarking and incentive plan design aligned with the group strategy.
• Ensure alignment of reward with performance management and talent development strategies.  
• Manage key programs as Pay for Performance, variable compensation, employee share plans, profit sharing, benchmarking employee benefits packages, and more. In addition to internal policies, you will also be responsible for adhering to the collective labor agreement (CLA) for our employees.
• The team also implements International Mobility, responsible for international secondments between Thales locations to or from Thales Netherlands.
• Thales also has its own pension fund, managed by a separate Pension team as part of the HR team. As pension is a key part of the benefits package alignment and collaboration is key.   
• You'll take the initiative to develop, streamline, and implement competitive and modern employment conditions within the Thales Group policy and the collective labor agreement. You'll play a key role in attracting and retaining employees and positioning Thales as an employer with attractive and modern employment conditions. 

Hr Operations

• Lead and optimize HR Service delivery across the employee lifecycle, ensuring high-quality and efficient HR processes aligned with the Group setup.
• Manage HR systems, data integrity, and reporting to enable fact-based decision-making.
• Ensure Compliance with Dutch labour laws and international regulations.
• Drive continuous improvement in HR processes, policies and technology adoption and a data driven way of working.  
• The HR Operations team consists of the HR Shared Service Center, HR Information Systems (HRIS/HR Data), and Payroll.
• HR Shared Services is a centralized team that handles administrative and operational HR tasks. Payroll involvesmanaging employee expenses and paying wages for every employee on the payroll. You are responsible for handling HR administrative processes consistently, ensuring compliance with rules and regulations.
• You maintain contracts with external parties such as the payroll provider and the Occupational Health and Safety Service (OHS). You also ensure operational excellence, clear responsibilities for administrative processes through streamlined processes and optimized workflows. 

Leadership & Collaboration

• Lead and develop the Total Rewards and HR Operations teams
• Partner with Country HR/ business teams and the Group Thales Reward and Operations teams
• Act as a trusted advisor to management on all compensation, benefits and HR Operational matters.
• Represent HR in cross functional and international projects.  

Desired Outcomes

In the first 12-18 months the successful candidate will complete or make significant progress to:

• Built buy-in and confidence with the team in Thales NL and Group.
• Developed and implemented concrete progress on the different programs in the area of Reward and Operations.  
• Demonstrated strong personal credibility and leadership to guide the team in prioritizing actions and decision making to significantly improve the pace and quality of execution.
• Fostered a culture which drives performance and motivates, empowers and retains colleagues as well as developed talent by recognizing engagement and result.

About You

• Master’s or Bachelor degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field. Financial background is a plus.
• 10+ years of progressive HR experience, with significant exposure to Total Rewards and HR Operations.
• Proven leadership experience in an international environment.
• Strong knowledge of compensation and benefits frameworks, HR systems and labor law compliance.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills
• You are comfortable communicating in English and Dutch
• Experience with working with Unions and Workers Councils.
• Up-to-date knowledge of current social and tax legislation, labor law, and terms of employment.

Our Thales Key Leadership Competences Tmt- Think Big, Make It Happen, Together

Driving Results

• Makes process changes to existing ways of working to significantly improve results
• Proactively seeks to improve processes, raising quality through efficiencies or by implementing best-in-class solutions
• Strong analytical and problemsolving skills with a hands-on approach
• High level of integrity and confidentiality
• Ability to influence and collaborate at all organizational levels

Collaborating And Influencing

• Ability to influence and collaborate at all organizational levels
• Identifies all necessary stakeholders and connects with them to gain support or agreement
• Engages others in open dialogue and adapts own influence approach to different stakeholders in ways that address their interests or concerns.
• Engage and motivate others
• Furthermore, she/he has a flexible leadership style, adjusting communication and motivation methods according to the needs of the team members. She/he leads by example, exhibiting integrity, enthusiasm, commitment, and a sense of teamwork.

Leading Change

• Takes personal ownership for advancing change
• Communicates a new direction or change with a clear rationale and/or sense of urgency
• Creates or takes advantage of multiple opportunities to promote needed change
• Adapts communication content, approach or style around change to appeal to different audience

Thales Offers

• Join a diverse, inclusive and international team in a high-tech, innovative environment where a wide range of perspectives and experiences are genuinely valued
• Enjoy strong support for personal and professional development – whether you're aiming for technical depth, commercial growth, international experience or leadership – with opportunities tailored to your goals and potential
• Collaborate with colleagues from over 68 countries in a culture built on equality, respect and shared learning
• Work in a modern, accessible office with flexible hours, support for work-life balance, and adaptability to suit your personal circumstances – at every stage of life or when balancing responsibilities
• Benefit from 40 vacation days per year, a competitive salary and the freedom to customize your employment package – including options such as internet reimbursement, corporate fitness, bike plan, union contributions or relocation support
• Your ideas and initiative are truly welcome – you'll have the freedom to shape your role and make meaningful contributions

Interested?
Apply now! Click on the button below to upload your profile and show your interest.
To ensure that we are a good match, we can ask you to participate in an assessment.

Diversity Statement
We actively support a working pattern that suits your lifestyle and helps you reach your ambitions. That means that equal opportunities, inclusion and an informal culture are integral to our success. It also means that your well-being and happiness matter to us! That’s why we offer you the flexibility to do what’s important to you; whether that’s part time hours, job sharing, remote working, or the ability to flex your start and finish times.

Security Requirements
In line with Thales' Baseline Security requirements, candidates will be asked to provide evidence of identity, eligibility to work in The Netherlands and employment and/or education history. Some vacancies may require a security clearance which can require further evidence to be provided. For further details of the evidence required to apply for security clearance please refer to the General Intelligence and Security Service.

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