Head of HR

Salary - €€ negotiable

Start: ASAP

Location: Hoogstraten - Belgium

Languages: English, Dutch , German is an additional bonus

 

The role:

As the head of HR you will lead and develop a global team spanning a 1000-person manufacturing workforce with operations in the USA, South East Asia and some European sites.

This strategic role has a core focus on training & development (50%), supporting all employee levels from front-line staff to management, and commercial teams within a complex matrix organization.

 

Key Responsibilities

Design, champion, and deliver training & development programs for all departments (frontline, support, sales, management), continuously benchmarking against industry standards.Build and maintain a people strategy for the global sites, guiding performance and succession planning.Lead all aspects of HR operations: talent acquisition, onboarding, engagement, retention, and workforce planning for over 1000 staff.Foster strong relationships and collaboration with management, executive leadership, and global teams.Navigate and represent the company in all union matters, including CDA and works councils, ensuring compliance and positive employee relations.Drive ESG initiatives and sustainability projects, working with the management board to uphold and elevate Platinum EcoVadis standards.Monitor, report, and analyze HR metrics using robust data and benchmarking to continuously improve HR strategy and employee outcomes.Oversee reward & recognition, policy compliance, payroll, and HRIS in a global matrix setting.Advise on workforce diversity, equity, and inclusion, championing DESTER’s culture across locations.

 

Candidate Profile

Track record in manufacturing HR leadership, preferably with experience in multinational, matrix organizations.Deep expertise in union matters (CDA, works councils) and global employment law.Strong analytical, reporting, and benchmarking capabilities.Demonstrated success in training and development delivery at scale.Appreciation for ESG frameworks, sustainability, and experience managing or supporting EcoVadis standards.Proven ability to work closely with executive management and influence strategic decisions.Excellent communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.Experience in supporting large workforces across diverse international operations.Commercial acumen and hands-on leadership with a collaborative, inclusive approach.