HR Operations Lead Germany & Austria (m/f/d)

Make your mark for patients

We are looking for a Talent Operations Lead Germany & Austria who is strategic, operationally strong, and collaborative to join our Talent & Reward Operations team in Monheim, Germany. In this highly influential role, you will shape the future of our local HR Operations and Total Reward environment, ensuring a seamless, compliant and people-centered employee experience across two countries. To stay closely connected to the business, a minimum site presence of 40% at our Monheim office is required.

About the role

As Talent Operations Lead, you will drive the evolution of UCB’s Talent Operating Model locally, ensuring strategic alignment with global frameworks while tailoring processes to the needs of the German and Austrian organizations. You will lead and develop the local Talent Operations team, partner with senior business leaders, manage complex employee relations topics, collaborate closely with the Works Council, and ensure the consistent application of policies, systems and digital tools.

Who you’ll work with

You will collaborate closely with local and global Talent Partners; Compensation & Benefits / Total Rewards teams; Legal, Tax, and Employee Relations experts; senior leadership in Germany & Austria; and a capable Talent Operations team. You will also work frequently with the Works Council, acting as a trusted, knowledgeable and collaborative partner in co‑determination topics.

What you’ll do

• Lead, design and continuously enhance the local Talent Operations and Total Reward framework, ensuring a smooth, compliant and employee centric experience across the full HR lifecycle.
• Translate the global Talent Operating Model into local practice by tailoring processes, ensuring adoption, and embedding operational excellence in all Talent and Reward interactions.
• Guide, coach and empower the Talent Operations team to become proactive process stewards, strengthening their capacity to advise stakeholders and deliver high quality operational service.
• Act as a trusted advisor on Employee Relations topics, managing complex cases with sound judgment, sensitivity and a strong understanding of local legislation and internal policies.
• Build and maintain a strong and productive relationship with the Works Council, ensuring transparent communication, collaborative decision making, and smooth operational governance.‑making and smooth operational governance.
• Oversee all compensation and benefits processes, ensuring market competitiveness, consistency, and a clear understanding of UCB’s Total Rewards offering across the employee population.
• Leverage data, analytics, and HR metrics to identify trends, highlight risks or opportunities, and provide actionable insights that influence strategic decision making.
• Drive digital transformation within Talent Operations by optimizing workflows, integrating technology, promoting automation, and ensuring continuous improvement of process efficiency.
• Partner closely with Finance to plan, allocate and manage the Talent Operations budget responsibly and strategically.
• Support organizational change initiatives, ensuring structured rollouts, readiness of stakeholders, and the adoption of new processes, tools or policies.

Interested? For this role we’re looking for:

• Extensive experience in HR Operations leadership, ideally in a multicountry and matrixed environment, with deep understanding of operational HR processes and Total Rewards.
• Strong background in Employee Relations, including handling complex cases and collaborating effectively with the Works Council in Germany.
• Proven ability to lead and develop teams, driving capability building, engagement and operational maturity.
• Excellent communication and influencing skills, with the ability to adapt messages to senior leaders, employees, and cross functional stakeholders.
• Strong analytical abilities, combined with a high level of digital fluency and interest in transforming HR operations through data, automation and system optimization.
• Demonstrated ability to balance strategic thinking with hands-on execution in a fast changing, dynamic business environment.
• Fluent German and English skills, both written and spoken.

Are you ready to ‘go beyond’ to create value and make your mark for patients? If this sounds like you, then we would love to hear from you!

About us
UCB is a global biopharmaceutical company, focusing on neurology and immunology. We are over 9.000 people in all four corners of the globe, inspired by patients and driven by science.

Why work with us?
At UCB, we don’t just complete tasks, we create value. We aren’t afraid to push forward, collaborate, and innovate to make our mark for patients. We have a caring, supportive culture where everyone feels included, respected, and has equal opportunities to do their best work. We ‘go beyond’ to create value for our patients, and always with a human focus, whether that’s on our patients, our employees, or our planet. Working for us, you will discover a place where you can grow, and have the freedom to carve your own career path to achieve your full potential.

At UCB, we’ve embraced a hybrid-first approach to work, bringing teams together in local hubs to foster collaborative curiosity. Unless expressly stated in the description or precluded by the nature of the position, roles are hybrid with 40% of your time spent in the office.

UCB is an equal opportunity employer. All employment decisions will be made without regard to any characteristic protected by applicable laws.

Should you require any adjustments to our process to assist you in demonstrating your strengths and capabilities contact us on EMEA-Reasonable_Accommodation@ucb.com. Please note should your enquiry not relate to adjustments; we will not be able to support you through this channel.