HR Generalist - Germany - temporary position

Santen is a specialized company with a proud 130-year heritage focused exclusively on eye health. As a Japan-originated, global company with our footprint in over 60 countries and regions, our mission is to provide essential and significant value to patients and society through our products and services created from our expertise in ophthalmology and from the patient’s perspective.

Temporary position from 01.05.2026 to 30.10.2026. Full-time, with option for 30 hours per week.

We are looking for an experienced and proactive HR professional to join our team as an HR Generalist in Germany. In this role, you will play a key part in aligning people strategies with business objectives while ensuring operational excellence across all HR activities.

As HR Generalist, you will support the implementation of HR strategies that align with Santen’s business goals and EMEA-wide processes. The HR Generalist will manage daily HR operations, including employee lifecycle activities, data accuracy, payroll coordination, and labor law compliance—ensuring smooth and efficient HR service delivery in Germany.

What you will do:

• Payroll Management: Oversee and coordinate the monthly payroll process in collaboration with the outsourced payroll provider, ensuring accuracy and compliance.
• Compensation & Benefits: Support, review, and enhance the country’s compensation plan, including social security, individual coverage, tax assessments, and operational benefits (e.g., phone, car, IT, meals). Act as the local expert on market needs.
• Data Management: Maintain, review, and update employee data in SuccessFactors, ensuring accuracy and regular validation.
• Recruitment: Define hiring needs, conduct interviews, assess candidates, and manage the selection process for temporary and permanent positions. Propose compensation packages in collaboration with C&B and ensure a seamless candidate experience and efficient onboarding.
• Performance Management: Lead the annual performance review cycle (P&D), ensuring smooth execution through clear communication, training support, and guidance to managers and employees.
• Labor Relations: Serve as a key point of contact for managers and employees, providing guidance and support on employee relations and legal matters working closely with local payroll providers or legal counseling
• Employee Support: Act as a trusted partner for employees, addressing concerns, providing guidance, and ensuring a positive employee experience throughout the organization.
• Budget & Cost Management: Support annual headcount and personnel expense planning in close collaboration with line manager and business partners, ensuring accurate budgeting and cost control.

What you will bring to the role:

• 3+ years HR generalist experience.
• End-to-end employee lifecycle experience (from hiring to offboarding).
• Solid knowledge of German labor law and day-to-day HR operations.
• Demonstrate a solid understanding of business needs and develop HR solutions accordingly.
• Demonstrate strong implementation skills, prioritize tasks, and work independently.
• Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business or Organizational Development.
• Proficient in both German and English.

Grow your career at Santen
A career at Santen is an opportunity to make a difference. We aspire to contribute to the realization of “Happiness with Vision” by providing eye health products and services to patients, consumers, and medical professionals around the world. Guided by our CORE PRINCIPLE, “Tenki ni sanyo suru”, Santen is engaged in the global research & development, manufacturing, and sales and marketing of pharmaceutical products in ophthalmology. We have team members around the world using their diverse talents to unlock new modalities and drive innovations for patient outcomes, education and treatment. At Santen, we believe in empowering all our team members with flexible ways of working and a highly inclusive work environment.

The Santen Group is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to building diverse teams and ensuring a safe and inclusive physical and virtual workplace for every one of our team members. All employment decisions are based on business needs, role requirements and individual qualifications regardless of race, color, ethnicity, national origin/ancestry, religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity/ expression, age, disability, medical condition, marital status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

If you require any kind of accommodation during our recruitment process, please let the recruiter from our team know.