European Head of HR

Job Description

The European Head of HR is accountable for shaping and delivering an ambitious people strategy across 29 countries, translating global direction into powerful local execution that drives commercial performance and long‑term growth. Reporting directly to the Regional Managing Director & COS people director, the role sits at the heart of the European regional team ensuring people decisions enable strategy, strengthen organisational capability and unlock the potential of teams across every market.

Operating as a trusted adviser to senior leaders, the European head of HR blends strategic influence with hands‑on ownership of the moments that matter most. It leads and inspires a team of seven Area HR leaders, responsible for executing HR activations across the store estate, while also acting as the HR Business Partner to European regional department heads based in London. As the bridge between Global HR and Europe, the role gives the region a strong, confident voice championing what Europe needs to win, today and in the future.

European people strategy & leadership

• Partner with European and Global business leaders to translate global people frameworks into effective, locally relevant execution that supports European strategy and growth.
• Build strong, trust‑based relationships with leaders to embed people priorities into operational and commercial decision‑making.
• Represent Europe credibly in group people forums, ensuring a strong European voice and challenging global approaches where they do not deliver for local realities.
• Create a strong EU HR community, with shared ways of working, best practice and accountability

Organisation effectiveness & change

• Lead workforce planning and organisational design to ensure the business is structured for performance, agility and future readiness.
• Drive and support change and transformation initiatives, enabling leaders and teams to adapt to evolving business needs.

Talent, succession & leadership capability

• Own succession planning and talent pipelines for critical European roles.
• Drive internal mobility and capability building, strengthening leadership depth and accountability across markets.
• Provide senior guidance on performance, development and engagement, intervening directly where impact or risk is high.
• Retain direct involvement in complex senior hires, critical leadership cases, restructures and sensitive people issues.

Culture & colleague experience

• Champion a values‑driven, inclusive culture that strengthens engagement, belonging and performance.
• Embed colleague experience frameworks, including Moments That Matter, to elevate engagement and retention.
• Provide senior oversight of employee relations, ensuring fair, consistent and legally sound outcomes across Europe.

Qualifications

Alignment to our company values is the most important characteristic we look for in all new joiners. Our values are the behaviours that we appreciate above and beyond anything else. We are open-minded and curious, we dare to be different, we believe in constant improvement and we empower and trust you to take ownership. Our values are part of who we are, what we stand for and how we act.

What you need to succeed

• Proven senior HR leadership experience within a complex, multi‑country environment, ideally in a consumer‑led business.
• Demonstrated experience leading other HR leaders and building high‑performing teams and shaping capability as well as delivery.
• Strong commercial acumen with the credibility and confidence to influence Regional Managing Directors and leadership teams.
• Track record of translating strategy into practical, high‑impact people solutions that drive business performance.
• Comfortable operating at both strategic and hands‑on levels, owning critical people decisions and interventions when it matters most.
• Deep experience working within matrixed, global organisations, with the ability to navigate complexity and influence without authority.
• Strong expertise across core people priorities, including organisational design, workforce planning, succession, leadership development and employee relations.
• Calm, decisive leadership style with the judgement to manage risk, ambiguity and sensitive situations across diverse markets and cultures.
• Passion for building inclusive, values‑driven cultures that strengthen engagement, performance and long‑term talent retention.

Additional Information

This is a full time permanent contract based at our Regional Office in London

Benefits

We offer all our employees attractive benefits with extensive development opportunities around the globe. All our employees receive a 25% staff discount usable on all our H&M Group brands in stores and online. In addition to our staff discount, all our employees are included in our H&M Incentive Program – HIP. You can read more about our H&M Incentive Program here.

In addition to this COS based colleagues also receive

• 25 days holiday + bank holidays
• Discounts on everyday brands and leisure activities 
• Long service awards
• Retail Trust membership 
• Excellent private pension scheme 
• Private health & dental care
• Discounted gym membership 
• Cycle to work scheme 

Inclusion & Diversity  

At COS we’re determined to create and maintain inclusive, diverse and equitable workplaces throughout our organisation. Our teams should consist of a variety of people who share and combine their knowledge, experience and ideas. Having a diverse workforce leads to a positive impact on how we address challenges, what we perceive as possible and how we choose to relate to our colleagues and customers all over the world, therefore all diversity dimensions are taken into consideration in our recruitment process.   

Brand Description

COS offers a wardrobe of ready-to-wear and accessories rooted in exceptional quality and lasting design. The brand has an elevated aesthetic that embodies luxury with an emphasis on craftsmanship, innovation and compelling fashion movements.

In this role you will have some flexibility to work remotely however due to the high level of cross department collaborations 4 days per week office presence is required to foster strong collaborations and team work.

Ready to apply? Click on the I’M INTERESTED link where you can upload your CV securely. Once we have received your application, we will keep you updated regularly about the status of your application so please look out for our email.

We are looking forward to hearing from you!