Head of HR DACH, Frankfurt (DE)

Our client is a leading international banking institution with a strong presence across Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, supporting multinational corporates, financial institutions, and investors through a global network of offices and markets. The organisation continues to expand its European platform, with Germany serving as a key hub for its Corporate and Investment Banking activities and cross-border client franchise. As part of its continued growth and evolving regulatory environment, the business is focused on strengthening organisational capability, governance, and leadership to support sustainable expansion and client delivery. To support this agenda, the organisation is now seeking a Head of Human Resources to be based in Frankfurt, Germany, who will act as the strategic HR partner to senior leadership while leading the people strategy and HR function across the German entity and its European branches.

Reporting directly to the local executive leadership team and working in close partnership with global HR and functional stakeholders, the Head of Human Resources will serve as the senior HR leader for the organisation’s German entity and its associated European branches. The role is responsible for shaping and delivering the local people strategy in alignment with broader global priorities, ensuring that the organisation’s workforce, culture, and organisational capability effectively support business growth and performance. Acting as a trusted advisor to senior leadership, the individual will partner closely with business heads, HR Centres of Excellence, and functional stakeholders to drive key people initiatives across areas such as talent development, organisational design, workforce planning, and employee engagement. The role will also oversee the full spectrum of HR operations, ensuring that people processes are effective, compliant, and aligned with both regulatory requirements and the organisation’s risk and governance frameworks across multiple jurisdictions. A key element of the position will be leading and developing the local HR team while navigating a complex stakeholder landscape that includes works councils and employee representative bodies. The role requires a strong ability to influence, challenge, and guide senior leaders on people-related decisions, while fostering a high-performance culture and ensuring that the organisation continues to attract, develop, and retain critical talent. This is a highly visible leadership role offering the opportunity to shape the people agenda for a strategically important European platform, contributing directly to organisational growth while ensuring strong governance, regulatory alignment, and a sustainable people framework in a dynamic and international environment.

You will bring extensive senior HR leadership experience, ideally gained within international financial services or similarly complex, regulated environments. A strong understanding of operating within global organisations while leading HR in a local market context will be essential, including experience navigating multi-country stakeholder landscapes and aligning local people strategies with broader global priorities. You combine strategic thinking with pragmatic execution and are comfortable acting as a trusted advisor to senior leadership teams. With the ability to influence and challenge constructively, you are able to translate business strategy into effective people initiatives, leveraging global HR expertise while ensuring local relevance and compliance. Experience working closely with HR Centres of Excellence, business leaders, and functional partners across international markets will be highly valued. You will also bring a strong track record of managing complex employee relations environments, including engagement with works councils or employee representative bodies. Your ability to balance governance, risk management, and business priorities in a regulated setting will be critical to ensuring effective and compliant people practices. Resilient, adaptable, and highly credible, you thrive in dynamic environments where ambiguity and change are part of the landscape. You are comfortable navigating complexity, managing competing priorities, and driving outcomes in a demanding stakeholder environment.

Operating at the intersection of global and local priorities, this position provides the chance to drive meaningful organisational impact in a complex, international environment while partnering closely with business leaders and global HR stakeholders.

Success in the role will require resilience and adaptability, as the position operates in a fast-paced international context with evolving business, governance, and people-related demands.