HR Manager, Central Europe

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 lead the delivery of HR support across Germany, Austria and Poland, providing broad, operational HR support to associates and managers across both corporate and retail environments. We are seeking an experienced HR Manager with strong knowledge of employment legislation and HR practices across Germany, Austria and Poland, as well as proficiency in the relevant local language(s) to effectively support associates and stakeholders across the territory.

This role is hands-on, requiring active involvement in higher-complexity HR matters, including employee relations and employment law and other complex HR issues in addition to managing the HR team across the territory.

You will act as the key HR escalation point for the Central Europe territory. While managing and developing a team of HR Generalists, you will also remain operationally involved, delivering HR support and managing key activities across the associate lifecycle.

The successful candidate will have proven experience managing and developing remote HR teams across multiple locations, while fostering collaboration, consistency and high-quality HR service delivery across Germany, Austria and Poland.

You will act as the Central cluster HR manager, connecting regional HR guidance with local operational delivery across Germany, Austria and Poland and ensuring HR practices remain aligned with local legislation and business needs.

This position reports directly to the Regional HR Manager, Europe.

MAJOR ACCOUNTABILITIES

People Management & Leadership

• Lead, coach and develop a remote team consisting of 1 HR Generalist and 1 HR Operations Associate across Germany, Austria and Poland, empowering team members to operate autonomously while ensuring alignment, consistency and high-quality HR support across the territory.
• Provide guidance, support and expertise to the Central Europe HR team on employee relations, performance management, employment law and other complex HR matters, ensuring a consistent approach across the territory.
• Act as the primary escalation point for complex employee relations, compliance and employment law matters, providing expert guidance to managers and HR team members across the territory.

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.
• Monitor developments in employment legislation and HR best practices across Germany, Austria and Poland, providing recommendations to support continuous improvement and compliance.
• 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.
• Support managers and associates in addressing people-related matters, balancing business needs with legal and policy requirements.

3. Associate Lifecycle & Talent Management

• Be responsible for HR activity through the associate lifecycle across our Central Europe corporate offices and retail stores, 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 within the territory.

5. Change Management & Culture

• Execute ongoing organizational 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 behaviors, serving as an ambassador for the HR function and bringing new associates into our culture.

KEY REQUIREMENTS FOR SUCCESS

• Languages: Professional fluency in German and English is required. Additional language skills, particularly Polish, would be advantageous.
• 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 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: Extensive, practical knowledge of employment law in Germany, Austria and Poland is essential. The successful candidate must be able to independently advise on complex employee relations matters, interpret local legislation and ensure compliance across the territory.
• 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.