Director, Human Resources EMEA

The Director, Human Resources EMEA is a strategic HR leadership role responsible for driving the people agenda across Dayco's EMEA Aftermarket business, the company's largest business unit by revenue, as well as all EMEA-based corporate functions. Reporting directly to the Chief Human Resources Officer, this position serves as the primary HR partner to senior business leaders, translating organizational priorities into workforce, talent, organizational design, culture, and employee relations strategies. The role provides regional HR leadership across EMEA, ensuring alignment between business objectives and people initiatives while delivering operational excellence, legal compliance, employee engagement, and organizational effectiveness. The Director, Human Resources EMEA acts as a key integrator of HR activities across the region and contributes to the development and execution of Dayco's global HR strategy. Duties & Responsibilities Strategic HR Business Partnership
• Serve as the primary HR partner to the Managing Director, EMEA Aftermarket, Chief Commercial Officer, Chief Supply Chain Officer, and EMEA-based corporate leaders.
• Partner with business leadership to build a high-performing organization capable of delivering sustainable growth, commercial excellence, innovation, and supply chain performance.
• Translate business priorities into workforce, organizational, talent, and leadership strategies.
• Support organizational transformation and change management initiatives across the region. Talent & Organizational Development
• Lead succession planning, leadership development, talent assessment, workforce planning, and performance management activities.
• Drive organizational effectiveness initiatives to enhance capability, engagement, and productivity.
• Develop and execute strategies to attract, develop, retain, and engage top talent across EMEA.
• Coach and advise senior leaders on organizational design, leadership effectiveness, and people-related decisions. Employee & Labor Relations
• Develop and oversee regional employee and labor relations strategies.
• Manage relationships with employee representatives, unions, works councils, and labor organizations where applicable.
• Partner with local HR teams and legal counsel to prepare for and support collective labor negotiations.
• Provide guidance on sensitive employee relations issues while balancing business requirements, legal considerations, and employee experience. HR Operations & Compliance
• Lead the execution of a consistent and scalable regional HR operating model.
• Ensure compliance with applicable employment laws, labor regulations, data privacy requirements, and corporate governance standards across EMEA.
• Oversee HR operational processes including employee data management, reporting, payroll coordination, policy administration, and process standardization.
• Promote consistent application of Dayco's mission, values, leadership principles, and HR practices. Analytics & Business Insights
• Utilize workforce data, talent analytics, and business metrics to identify trends, support decision-making, and measure the effectiveness of people initiatives.
• Provide insightful reporting and recommendations to senior leadership.
• Support business planning activities through workforce, talent, organizational, and productivity analysis. Global & Regional Collaboration
• Partner closely with global HR leaders and Centers of Excellence to ensure alignment of regional and enterprise-wide initiatives.
• Act as the EMEA voice within global HR discussions and strategic decision-making forums.
• Foster collaboration across countries, functions, and cultures within a global matrix environment. Requirements Education
• Bachelor's Degree required.
• Master's Degree or advanced education preferred. Preferred Fields Of Study
• Human Resources
• Labor Relations
• Business Administration
• Law
• Organizational Development
• Industrial Psychology or related disciplines Experience
• Minimum 15 years of progressive Human Resources experience.
• Significant experience as an HR Business Partner supporting senior executives and regional leadership teams.
• Demonstrated experience managing employee and labor relations across multiple EMEA countries.
• Proven success leading organizational change, workforce transformation, and talent strategies in complex environments.
• Experience in manufacturing, industrial, automotive, or aftermarket organizations is strongly preferred.
• Experience working within multinational and matrix organizations. Knowledge, Skills & Competencies
• Strong expertise in strategic HR business partnership.
• Deep understanding of organization design, talent management, succession planning, performance management, and workforce planning.
• Solid knowledge of EMEA employment legislation, labor relations, and cross-border HR governance.
• Demonstrated experience managing union and employee representative relationships.
• Strong business acumen and ability to connect people strategies to business outcomes.
• Advanced workforce analytics and data-driven decision-making capabilities.
• Ability to influence senior stakeholders and operate effectively in a global matrix environment.
• Strong executive presence, communication, coaching, and leadership skills.
• Proven ability to balance strategic thinking with hands-on execution.
• High level of integrity, judgment, professionalism, and discretion.
• Cross-cultural awareness and ability to build relationships across diverse regions and teams. Work Location & Travel
• Hybrid role based in Burolo / Ivrea, Italy.
• Approximately 15% travel within EMEA and occasionally to other Dayco locations globally.
• Experience working across multiple time zones and supporting international teams is required.