HR Operations Specialist DACH

Overview

HR Operations Specialist (6-month fixed term contract)

at Kyowa Kirin International plc

Dusseldorf, Germany

WE PUSH THE BOUNDARIES OF MEDICINE.

LEAPING FORWARD TO MAKE PEOPLE SMILE

At Kyowa Kirin International (KKI), our purpose is to make people smile. This means more than drug discovery and development; it is about embedding care into everything we do to make a difference every day for those that need it most. We’re an inclusive pharmaceutical company that takes time to understand what really matters to our patients, their families, and their healthcare professionals, helping our people to take bold actions that deliver life-changing solutions sooner. Our culture is rooted in our values: Teamwork, Commitment to Life, Innovation, and Integrity. They help us to push boundaries to deliver extraordinary impact and make KKI a brilliant place to work.

Job Purpose

To deliver efficient, compliant and employee-focused HR operational services across DACH, partnering with HR Director to maintain robust HR policies, processes and employment documentation while driving self-service adoption, knowledge management and continuous improvement through ServiceNow and HR technology solutions.

Responsibilities

Key Responsibilities:

• Serve as the primary operational contact for the Works Council on standard personnel matters (e.g. hires, transfers, promotions, organisational changes etc.)
• Support the HR Director DACH in preparing, implementing, and maintaining Works Council agreements, policies, and mandatory lists in compliance with the BetrVG and local labor law
• Support the HR Director DACH with the Equal Pay project, including data collection, documentation, and coordination with HR Shared Services, Compensation & Benefits, and Legal
• Maintain open, proactive, and structured communication with the Works Council, ensuring consistency, documentation, and timely handling of all co-determination processes
• Prepare and review monthly payroll input, ensuring that all personnel changes are captured accurately and on time
• Support the HR Director DACH with compensation and benefits initiatives, audits, and process updates
• Provide professional HR operational advice and guidance to employees, managers and HR colleagues on policies, processes, employment practices and legislation and employee lifecycle matters
• Manage end-to-end employee lifecycle administration including generating contracts, offer letters, and other employment documentation
• Manage and resolve HR queries and complex cases through ServiceNow, applying judgement, identifying customer needs and collaborating with HR Director, HR Services and Centres of Expertise for escalation or specialist input where required
• Support the HR Director DACH in managing recruitment activities for German roles (permanent and temporary) in close collaboration with Talent Acquisition, HR SS and the Local Works Council
• Assist in monthly HR budget tracking, reconciliation, and reporting
• Prepare and maintain monthly HR reports and dashboards, ensuring data accuracy and actionable insights
• Coordinate quarterly Health & Safety Committee (ASA) meetings in line with German legislative requirements
• Organise and document annual health and safety initiatives in cooperation with external providers

Qualifications

Position Requirements

• Knowledge and expertise with a recognised HR qualification preferred, CIPD (or similar European qualification) or qualified through experience
• Preferably degree educated or HR Shared Services advisor experience and works Council experience
• Fluent in German and English
• Generalist HR advisory experience across a range of HR activities/processes with specialism in one or more HR process areas
• Demonstrable success in an HR Service role
• Excellent understanding and experience of working with HR systems preferred (Success Factors)
• Sound working knowledge of EMEA employment law
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Outstanding customer focus and the ability to manage customer requirements through a partnership approach
• Professional and flexible approach to work and to managing customer needs
• Experience of working on projects
• Confidentiality with the ability to handle sensitive situations within data protection legislation

Kyowa Kirin International is an equal opportunities employer.

No agencies please.

Salary: €48,000 to €73,000 depending on experience