Director, Labor & Employee Relations – Europe

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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

This role supports multiple customer accounts in all market units as needed with moderate guidance and direction. It provides technical, scientific support relating to West's products, processes and services portfolio and identifies and assists in closing sales opportunities. The role is the technical interface between the customer and West's functions.

• 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 process 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
• Must be able to communicate effectively with written and oral skills, make quick decisions, interpret data, read and write, speak in front of groups, express and exchange ideas, understand direction and adhere to procedures.
• Minimum C1-level German and English communication skills.
• Organizational skills will enable planning, prioritization and achievement of goals especially of importance for the successful execution of related activities.
• Position operates in a professional office environment. May stand or sit for extended periods of time.
• This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines.
• Read and interpret data, information and documents.
• Must maintain the ability to work well with others in a variety of situations.
• Must be able to multitask, work under time constraints, problem-solve, and prioritize.
• Ability to make independent and sound judgments.
• Observe and interpret situations, analyze and solve problems.

• 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