Who We Are:
Since 1906, New Balance has empowered people through sport and craftsmanship to create positive change in communities around the world. We innovate fearlessly, guided by our core values and driven by the belief that conventions were meant to be challenged. We foster a culture in which every associate feels welcomed and respected, where leaders and creatives are inspired to shape the world of tomorrow by taking bold action today.
HR Manager – Central Europe
(Germany, Austria, Poland)
JOB MISSION
The HR Manager- Central Europe will provide broad, operational generalist HR support to our associates and the wider business, with the aim of building a high‑performing, highly engaged organisation across both corporate and retail environments. This role is hands‑on, requiring active involvement in day‑to‑day HR operations in addition to leading the HR function across the territory.
You will act as the key HR escalation point for the Central Europe territory. While leading and developing a team of HR Advisors/Generalists, you will also remain operationally involved, delivering HR support and managing key activities across the associate lifecycle.
You will act as the territorial HR lead, connecting regional HR guidance with local operational delivery across Germany, Austria and Poland.
MAJOR ACCOUNTABILITIES
People Management & Leadership
- Lead, coach, and develop a team of HR Advisors/Generalists across the territory to deliver an exceptional, service-driven HR function, while also remaining actively involved in day-to-day HR delivery.
- Delegate and oversee casework and daily operational tasks among HR Advisors/generalists, while directly managing more complex cases and operational activities as required.
- Act as an active escalation point for HR Advisors on complex employee relations, recruitment, or compliance matters, stepping in hands-on where needed.
2. Territory HR & Operations
- Execute against, regional HR strategy across the Central Europe territory, ensuring practical and operational execution alongside strategic direction.
- Translate regional HR direction into effective, hands‑on operational execution across the Central Europe territory
- Align regional HR plans with European corporate and retail targets, conducting regular/ad hoc store and office visits within the territory.
- Apply HR and business knowledge to aid decision making and see the wider business impact of decisions.
- Carry out research into innovation and best practice for HR to support HR policy and procedure development.
- Ensure consistent application of policy and procedure across the organization and territory.
- Build and maintain effective relationships with the wider HR team, local/regional/global stakeholders and external partners.
- Undertake HR projects as needed, owning delivery from design through execution.
- Manage operational territory needs including travel, company cars, and regional office management.
3. Associate Lifecycle & Talent Management
- Be responsible for HR activity through the associate lifecycle across our Central Europe corporate offices and retail stores, personally supporting both associates and managers where needed.
- Lead and manage recruitment and selection end-to-end when required, directly handling roles in addition to overseeing team delivery, across multiple countries.
- Provide advice to managers and associates for the annual Performance Management and Talent Management processes.
- Ensure any learning and development requirements are identified and fed into the HRBP.
4. Employee Relations, Law & Compliance
- Utilise employment law knowledge to meet business needs and ensure consistent, fair, and accurate application across all countries in the remit (Germany, Austria and Poland).
- Provide coaching and advice on employee relations issues to managers, influencing and intervening when appropriate to ensure fairness and consistency.
- Manage complex employee relations casework when required, remaining directly accountable for key and sensitive cases.
- Navigate diverse legal environments and manage local union/Works Council relations where applicable within the territory.
5. Change Management & Culture
- Execute ongoing organisational change across the business and support change management initiatives.
- Develop programmes to enhance employee relations and associate engagement in line with the regional approach.
- Champion DE&I, community connection, and wellbeing activities.
- Role model for brand values and behaviours, serving as an ambassador for the HR function and bringing new associates into our culture.
KEY REQUIREMENTS FOR SUCCESS
- Languages: Fluent in English (written and spoken); proficiency in German is considered an asset.
- Experience: Proven experience in a similar multi-country role, delivering a service-driven HR function at management level. Previous experience managing direct reports (such as HR Advisors or generalists) is required. The role requires the ability to effectively work with and support teams operating remotely across multiple locations.
- Industry Context: Broad generalist experience across corporate and retail environments; previous experience working in a multi-country, matrixed environment is highly advantageous.
- Core Focus: Strong focus on employee relations, developing policy and procedure, and managing multi-site/multi-country operations.
- Legal Knowledge: Comprehensive working knowledge of employment law for countries in the remit (Germany, Austria and Poland).
- Soft Skills: Outstanding and confident communicator, collaborator, leadership, and influencing skills at all levels.
- Mindset: Accountable decision-maker who is able to think regionally and globally, a proactive self-starter with a results- and deadline-driven approach.
- Attributes: Highest levels of integrity, professional credibility, attention to detail, and strong analytical skills.
- Education: Ideally degree-educated in HR, business, or a related subject.
- Systems: Systems proficient; Workday/HRIS experience is advantageous, MS Office is essential.
- Mobility: Experience and/or willingness to have a broad knowledge of travel, and flexibility to travel up to 10-15% across the assigned Central European territory.
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Equal Opportunity Employer:
New Balance is committed to equality of opportunity for all current and prospective associates regardless of age, disability, race, religion or belief, gender, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, marriage and civil partnership and gender reassignment. We are an equal opportunity employer and support a culture of diversity and inclusion.
If you have not already done so, please let us know if you require any support so we can make the right adjustments and considerations should they be required.
Skills Required
- Fluent English, written and spoken
- Proficiency in German
- Proven experience in a similar multi-country HR management role
- Experience delivering a service-driven HR function at management level
- Previous experience managing direct reports, such as HR Advisors or HR Generalists
- Experience supporting teams remotely across multiple locations
- Broad generalist HR experience across corporate and retail environments
- Experience in a multi-country, matrixed environment
- Strong employee relations experience
- Experience developing HR policies and procedures
- Experience managing multi-site or multi-country operations
- Comprehensive working knowledge of employment law in Germany, Austria, and Poland
- Strong communication, collaboration, leadership, and influencing skills
- Analytical skills, integrity, professional credibility, and attention to detail
- Degree in HR, business, or a related subject
- Systems proficiency and Microsoft Office skills
- Workday or HRIS experience
- Willingness and flexibility to travel 10–15% across Central Europe
New Balance Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about New Balance and has not been reviewed or approved by New Balance.
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Healthcare Strength — Benefits coverage is described as comprehensive, including medical, dental, and vision options alongside wellness resources like health coaching. Fitness reimbursement is also cited as part of the overall health and wellness offering.
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Retirement Support — Retirement support is positioned as strong, with a 401(k) plan and a company match described as dollar-for-dollar up to a stated contribution level in some locations. Life insurance and disability benefits are also included as part of the broader financial protection package.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Time-off offerings are characterized as generous, with paid holidays, vacation time, and paid sick leave highlighted. Flexible schedules and telecommuting options are also described as supporting work-life balance.
New Balance Insights
What We Do
In 1906, New Balance began as a humble one-man operation founded on the belief that “we were born to move,” and has since grown into an international corporation, selling footwear and apparel in over 120 countries and employing over 8,000 associates worldwide. Our mission has always been to support the performance of athletes, and with an unparalleled focus on quality and craftsmanship, we’ve come to set the standard for comfort and fit in an industry all too often driven by hype. We’re incredibly proud of our history and how far we’ve come, but companies don’t thrive for over a century by being content. Whether it’s setting a new style trend, retooling our manufacturing process, or building a new state-of-the-art headquarters, we pursue innovation with a spirit of fearless independence. As the only privately held major footwear company in the world, we’re free to do things our way, pushing limits and testing boundaries as we continually reimagine what could be. After all, the status quo isn’t static. But doing things our way wouldn’t mean much if we weren’t also doing them the right way. We invest in our associates as they invest in us, and as we move forward, we make a point of giving back, supporting communities around us through ambitious philanthropic efforts and involvement programs. We are a company that cares, and our culture is one of integrity and teamwork where together we become greater than the sum of our parts.
