Head of Labor & Employee Relations Central & Northern Europe

Req ID:510491 

At Alstom, we understand transport networks and what moves people. From high-speed trains, metros, monorails, and trams, to turnkey systems, services, infrastructure, signalling and digital mobility, we offer our diverse customers the broadest portfolio in the industry. Every day, more than 80,000 colleagues lead the way to greener and smarter mobility worldwide, connecting cities as we reduce carbon and replace cars.

Could you be the full-time Head of Labor & Employee Relations Central & Northern Europe (f/m/d) in Berlin, Ernst-Reuter-Platz 6, we’re looking for?

Your Future Role:

As Head of Labor & Employee Relations (f/m/d), you shape the labor‑relations architecture across Central & Northern Europe and ensure that social partnership, business transformation, and legal governance work hand in hand. In this highly visible role, you act as a strategic advisor to senior leadership, guide complex negotiations, and steer critical transformation initiatives with cross‑country impact. You will have a central role in safeguarding stability while enabling change — ensuring that our organization maintains strong, constructive labor relationships and navigates complexity with confidence, clarity and integrity.

What you will drive:

• Shape regional labor relations strategy and ensure full alignment with global governance, corporate standards, and country‑specific legal frameworks
• Build strong, trust‑based partnerships with works councils, trade unions and senior leaders — enabling constructive co‑determination and supporting the organization in managing its industrial footprint responsibly
• Provide cross‑country leadership in labor and collective law, guiding local teams, ensuring consistency, and driving the harmonization, simplification and standardization of IR processes
• Coordinate European Works Forum (EWF) processes, ensuring high‑quality documentation, procedural integrity and EU‑compliant information flows
• Act as a strategic advisor on transformation and negotiation matters, especially in the context of German labor law, collective bargaining, co‑determination, and consultation processes
• Lead restructuring and collective negotiation workstreams, including social plans, reconciliation‑of‑interests agreements, legal architecture, impact assessments and consistent implementation
• Oversee all labor relations aspects in Mergers & Acquistions activities, including due diligence, employee transfers, collective law harmonization and SPA‑relevant provisions
• Ensure clarity and credibility in sensitive labor‑relations communication, building alignment across internal and external stakeholders in high‑impact situations

All About You

We value passion and attitude over experience. That’s why we don’t expect you to have every single skill. Instead, we’ve listed some that we think will help you succeed and grow in this role:

• Fully qualified lawyer with outstanding expertise in employment and labor law (First and Second State Examination), ideally certified as a Specialist Lawyer in Employment Law; international legal study or practical experience is considered an advantage
• Minimum 10 years of experience in labor relations ideally within an industrial or technically driven environment
• Strong leadership presence with proven effectiveness in complex, multicultural and unionized settings, balancing business performance with social‑partnership responsibility
• Deep expertise in employment and collective labor law, combined with strong command of governance, policies, and compliance frameworks
• Outstanding negotiation and consultation capabilities at national and European level, including experience with EWF processes
• Analytical, integrity‑driven leadership style, characterized by clear communication and a pragmatic, hands-on, solution‑oriented mindset
• Native German and English at business‑proficient level

Things You’ll Enjoy

Join us on a life-long transformative journey – the rail industry is here to stay, so you can grow and develop new skills and experiences throughout your career. You’ll also:

• Experience a dynamic work environment with a permanent position at a leading company for green mobility
• Enjoy a competitive remuneration package, 30 days of vacation, and benefits such as company pension plans and subsidized “Deutschlandticket” (Job Ticket)
• Work in our modern headquarter at Ernst-Reuter-Platz with excellent public transportation access
• Optimize work-life balance with flexible working hours and hybrid working models
• Explore growth opportunities and steer your career across functions and countries
• Benefit from excellent training opportunities through our award-winning Alstom University and participate in the company's innovation culture through idea management programs
• Thrive in a modern and collaborative workplace featuring mentor and buddy programs, diversity & inclusion initiatives, CSR activities, and engaging employee events
• Access to corporate benefits 

You don’t need to be a train enthusiast to thrive with us. We guarantee that when you step onto one of our trains with your friends or family, you’ll be proud. If you’re up for the challenge, we’d love to hear from you!

Equal Opportunities Statement

As an employer, Alstom stands for equal opportunities. By creating an inclusive work environment where all employees are encouraged to realise their full potential, individual differences are valued and respected. All applicants are considered solely on the basis of their qualifications, regardless of skin colour, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ethnic and national origin, disability or other legally protected characteristics.

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