Head of EMEA HR and Strategic HR Business Partner (AI)

Location: London, UK; other location: Frankfurt (Eschborn), Germany

Company

ISS STOXX delivers research, data, and technology solutions for capital market participants, covering indices, corporate governance, sustainability, cyber risk, and fund intelligence.

What you will do

• Lead the EMEA HR agenda and manage, develop, and inspire an HR team of approximately 15 people.
• Act as the senior HR thought partner to an Executive Leadership Team member on organisation, people, culture, and business effectiveness.
• Oversee employee relations, employment-law compliance, Works Council and union relationships, consultations, performance cycles, compensation cycles, and complex HR matters.
• Lead restructuring, change management, and regional M&A due diligence and post-deal integration.
• Own the transition of operational HR work to global Shared Services, simplify and automate processes, and track released capacity.
• Champion responsible AI-enabled HR, use people analytics to guide decisions, and contribute to global HR strategy.

Requirements

• Degree in Human Resources, Business, Economics, Law, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• 15+ years of progressive HR experience, including significant senior-level partnership with executive leaders on strategy, organisation design, and change in a complex, international, matrixed organisation.
• Proven experience moving HR from operational delivery to strategic business partnering, including transferring work to Shared Services or a global capability centre, simplifying processes, and adopting HR technology and AI.
• Experience leading restructuring, M&A integration, and large-scale change across several European countries, including Works Council consultation.
• Thorough knowledge of employment law and practice across key EMEA markets.
• Business and financial acumen, including the ability to read a profit and loss statement, understand value streams and cost drivers, and connect people decisions to business outcomes.
• Credible thought partnership, constructive challenge of senior leaders, organisation design and change leadership, coaching, and an enterprise-wide mindset.
• Ability to use people analytics and AI tools to generate insight and productivity and lead others in their use.
• Fluent English required.

Nice to have

• Experience in financial services, financial data, or technology.
• Organisation design, change, or coaching accreditation.
• Experience with Workday and/or SAP SuccessFactors.

Culture & Benefits

• Full-time role within a global HR Leadership Team.
• Work with colleagues across EMEA, the Americas, and Asia-Pacific.
• Culture focused on diverse skills, perspectives, and experiences.
• Opportunity to contribute to global HR transformation, innovation, and capital-market solutions.