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Director, Labor & Employee Relations – Europe

West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. is a leading manufacturer of packaging components and delivery systems for injectable drugs and healthcare products. Working by the side of its customers from concept to patient, West creates products that promote the efficiency, reliability and safety of the world's pharmaceutical drug supply. West is headquartered in Exton, Pennsylvania, and supports its customers from locations in North and South America, Europe, Asia and Australia. West's 2020 sales of $2.14 billion reflect the daily use of approximately 112 million of its components and devices which are designed to improve the delivery of healthcare to patients around the world.

Location: Eschweiler, North Rhine-Westphalia, DE
Department: Human Resources
This is a hybrid position (3 days per week) working in our office at Eschweiler, Germany. Candidates applying must be residing within a 50-mile commutable distance to the job location.

Job Summary
In this role, you will play a pivotal role in shaping and driving the company's regional HR strategy, focusing on labor relations, employee engagement, investigations, and policy management. This leadership position requires a strong strategic thinker with exceptional communication, leadership and interpersonal skills. Will ensure the company maintains a positive and productive work environment aligned with our organizational values and objectives in both unionized / work councils and nonunionized settings. Develop and support the design and delivery of labor and employee relations strategies and initiatives. The role fosters positive management-employee relationships and supports a diverse, fair, and respectful workplace. The position demands a balance of hands-on execution and strategic thinking, aligning initiatives with West's strategic goals. This role champions a positive work environment, workplace harmony, and ensures all HR activities contribute to a productive and compliant workplace.

• Act as chief spokesperson for the company to the German works council and union, European works council or collaborate with the local HR Managers for negotiations with works councils or unions at European sites
• Act as strategic advisor to other European sites for labor and employee relations issues
• Responsible for German works agreements negotiations in collaboration with local HR Managers
• Strategic development and implementation: leads, develops and implements a comprehensive regional strategy for positive employee relations, leadership development and third-party relationships, ensuring that our business and customer needs are met with flexibility and efficiency
• Create and implement employee relations programs to enhance job satisfaction, employee engagement and productivity and provide guidance to HR Managers and business leaders on managing complex employee relations issues
• European labor and employee relations oversight. Lead matrix team supporting employee and labor relations initiatives in Europe
• Develop and administer training to organizational leaders and Human Resources on positive employee relations, negotiations and labor relations etc.
• Partner with internal and external legal counsel on employee relations and labor relations matters to ensure compliance and mitigate risks
• Oversee and participate in investigations and disciplinary processes across European locations.
• Lead liaison to German Data Privacy Officer
• Data Privacy Officer for Italy and Spain
• Human Resources policy management. Create, implement, standardize and harmonize site-level HR policies. Ensure policies are accessible and uniformly stored across all regions

• Bachelor's degree in human resources, industrial relations, psychology, business administration or equivalent experience
• 10+ years HR experience (strategic and operational)
• 5+ years of experience in labor and employee relations
• Experience within an international manufacturing company
• Experience with employee relation data analysis, record, tracking, trending and data facts based decision preferred
• Strong understanding and experience with labor law, collective agreements, unions and works councils
• Ability to maintain confidentiality with sensitive issues
• Team player actively contributing to positive team spirit
• Demonstrated decision-making and objective problem-solving skills
• Works to the highest level of professional and ethical standards
• Ability to work with multiple sources of data and assimilate information quickly
• Fluency and experience with labor law, collective agreements, negotiations, unions and works councils
• An excellent communicator, able to present information in a clear and concise manner orally and in writing to ensure others understand ideas; appropriately adapt message, style, and tone to accommodate a variety of audiences
• Willingness to travel 10% (up to 26 business days per year)

• Internationality – As an American company, we live a global cooperation within international structures
• Philanthropy – We value an appreciative and friendly work environment as well as flat hierarchies
• Market-appropriate remuneration – We offer an attractive, market-oriented remuneration, including company social benefits and purchasing benefits
• Social engagement – We support local aid organizations through various actions organized by our employees
• Diversity – We at West value the wide range of our employees who make up our company
• Safety – Occupational safety is our highest priority; we offer secure jobs in a sustainable industry
• Development opportunities – Our employees benefit from an extensive range of trainings as well as from a constant and targeted employee development
• Family-friendly culture – We attach great importance to reconciling private life and work; flexible working hours are a matter of course for us