HR Manager Serbia & Adriatic

Do you have the appetite to Grow Your Magic?

Consumers everywhere are increasingly conscious of the quality of the food they eat. Puratos develops, produces and distributes a unique range of ingredients for bakers, pastry-chefs and chocolatiers who demand the very highest quality.

Founded in Belgium in 1919, Puratos is growing rapidly with about 10.000 employees in 74 countries and a consolidated turnover of over €2.2 billion in 2021. Our passion for innovation, pioneering spirit and core values continue to propel our global ambitions. This, coupled with our commitment to our communities is what makes working at Puratos so magical.

HR Manager Serbia & Adriatic

Position Overview

The successful candidate for this role will ensure the implementation of country-specific HR Strategy & People plan – as part of Group strategy and Long Range Plan - together with the country General Managers, local Management Teams, and Regional HR Leader (Northern & Eastern Europe). The primary focus will be on Serbia considering headcount and operations (industrial and commercial teams), plus on all other Adriatic countries where Puratos currently operates and plan to operate (mergers and acquisitions). The successful candidate will report directly to General Manager of Serbia and will collaborate closely with other country GMs.

The incumbent will be in charge of the full employment life-cycle (performance management, talent management, people development), Compensation & Benefits policies, organization development and productivity programs. The role also includes full integration and alignment with Puratos' Group and culture, bringing the People Charter to life, in coordination with the Regional HR Leader (Northern & Eastern Europe) and in close cooperation with Group HR centres of excellence based at HQ in Belgium. The position is based in Belgrade (Altina) and requires regular traveling to Puratos’ plant in Kragujevac, and in Adriatic countries. Total headcount managed is 140 FTEs, of which 100 in Serbia.

Key Accountabilities

• Recruit, coach & develop the people and act as their regular contact person
• Act as a trusted advisor to the General Manager of Puratos Serbia and other Adriatic countries , their management teams and team leaders
• Champion change management to continue integration of Puratos Serbia and Adriatic as a key entity of Puratos Group
• Coordinate necessary interim people support and be the main contact for interim agencies (ensure that all necessary documentation is in place)
• Implement, lead and maintain the group HR processes (group’s talent management & performance review processes, salary review processes, etc.)
• Establish Puratos University and other Puratos training programs in Serbia and Adriatics and establish and maintain a training module based on the different job profiles with GAP analysis.
• Establish the annual local HR & HC budget, based on the long range Workforce Plans as reference, in close cooperation with the finance department & GM
• Co-manage with the regional HR responsible and group HR the training and development plans and the compensation and benefit programs
• Manage the on-boarding and exit of people incl. all necessary legal documentation
• Monitor the ‘people market’ , in terms of talent availability, compensation & benefits
• Manage interesting applicants and potential future candidates in line with data privacy law (candidate profile data base)
• Take initiatives to develop Puratos as an Employer Brand
• Personnel administration in SuccessFactors
• Support in all HR related matters during audits (ISO, IFS, Financial Audits, etc.)
• Follow HR regulations and labor law changes and implement them (in work contracts & rulebook)
• Pro-actively suggest improvements People related for the organization

Required Competencies

• At least 7 years of experience in HR as a generalist (exposure to manufacturing environment is highly recommended) in an international company (ideally with a matrix organization)
• Master’s degree in Economics, Commerce , Business Administration, Psychology, or equivalent
• Fluent in both Serbian and English
• Technical and functional understanding of and experience with different HR techniques (talent management – training & development – recruiting –performance management – competence management – job grading – HR systems).
• Decent knowledge of Serbian labour law.
• Motivator, coach, team player, facilitator and leader
• Strong interpersonal skills with ability to establish contacts easily
• Confidential & diplomatic
• Strong communication skills, able to work with international teams
• Strategic thinker with a pragmatic approach to business topics
• Roll-up-your-sleeves attitude
• Strong Analytical & Implementation skills (problem solver mindset)
• Business & result driven
• Empathy & Active Listening
• Experience in/looking forward working in matrix management