HR Generalist - EMENA

HR Generalist - EMENA

Location:  EMENA
Required Language : English
Employment Type : Full Time
Seniority Level : Mid – Senior Level

Buckman is a privately held, global specialty chemical company with headquarters in Memphis, TN, USA, committed to safeguarding the environment, maintaining safety in the workplace, and promoting sustainable development. Buckman works proactively and collaboratively with its worldwide customers in pulp and paper, leather, and water treatment to deliver exceptional service and innovative specialty chemical solutions to help boost productivity, reduce risk, improve product quality, and provide a measurable return on investment.  Buckman is in the middle of a digital transformation of its businesses and focused on building the capabilities and tools in support of this.

Position Summary 

As and HR Generalist you will be an instrumental member of our HR team working across the EMEA region. In this role, you will provide leadership to bring critical HR Excellence initiatives to successful delivery. You will serve as HR specialist driving functional excellence in processes from hiring to onboarding and from employee compensation and benefits to evaluation. Through your leadership you will enable Buckman's transformation, deliver key reporting, analytics and change management to enable a best-in-class employee experience and achieve our enterprise goals around uplifting our people, culture, and communities.

 Basic Qualifications

• Masters or alternative of similar level in Human Resources Management
• 4-7 years of relevant working experience
• Minimum 3 years experience in Recruitment
• Excellent and effective communication skills in English
• Experience in an international environment
• Driving process improvement experience
• Experience in Payroll/ Benefits management is a plus
• Well versed in Microsoft office

Job Responsibilities

1) Leading efficient and effective recruitment and selection activities

- A Recruitment & Selection professional to lead and support end-to-end hiring processes with a strategic and collaborative mindset.

• Define selection criteria based on job profiles and business needs;
• Ensure recruitment processes are followed correctly, including maintaining up-to-date job profiles;

• Plan and coordinate all stages of the selection process, including screening calls, assessments, and in-person or virtual interviews;
• Review candidate information (CVs, contact details, etc.) using the Applicant Tracking System (ATS);
• Create job descriptions and interview guides aligned with each role’s requirements;
• Draft and post internal and external job advertisements using appropriate media and channels;
• Train and support hiring managers in conducting competency-based interviews;
• Manage the onboarding of new hires effectively and efficiently;
• Collaborate with the HR Business Partner to prepare employment contracts and amendments;
• Maintain accurate records and ensure timely updates in HR information systems (e.g., SAP and GSC tools);
• Inform payroll teams of any changes affecting salary or employment terms;
• Foster strong partnerships with recruitment consultants, universities, and other relevant institutions;
• Coordinate and participate in assessments and interviews;
• Lead direct sourcing efforts (headhunting) when necessary;
• Promote and manage the internal employee referral program;
• Build and maintain a talent pipeline through engagement with former applicants and potential candidates;
• Keep accurate and organized documentation of all recruitment materials, interview notes, and records for stakeholder access;
• Support continuous development of hiring managers by training them in structured, competency-based interview techniques.

2) Effective management of new associates onboarding and offboarding

• Support the successful integration of new associates into the company workforce;
• Clearly communicate company benefits, policies, and procedures during the onboarding process;
• Share essential documentation related to company operations and compliance;
• Collaborate with hiring managers to prepare and distribute new hire announcements;
• Coordinate onboarding and offboarding activities across all relevant departments;
• Ensure that a 90-day integration plan is prepared by the hiring manager and properly implemented;
• Conduct exit interviews and gather insights to support continuous improvement;
• Evaluate and optimize HR processes (e.g., onboarding, offboarding), ensuring alignment with global standards while addressing regional and local requirements;
• Own and lead standard work for regional processes, including:

• Designing and implementing process improvements that enhance efficiency, effectiveness, and employee experience;
• Documenting processes and maintaining clear SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures);
• Delivering training and conducting process audits;
• Driving continuous process optimization in collaboration with global, regional, and local stakeholders.

3) Effective coordination of training and development 

• Effectively coordinate training and development initiatives across the organization;
• Develop the annual training calendar in collaboration with management and global HR, considering departmental and individual needs, priorities, and timing;
• Ensure all training and qualification records are accurately maintained in employee files, in compliance with local legislation—especially safety-related training;
• Collaborate with managers to guarantee that all new associates complete mandatory training within the required timeframes, in alignment with global policies.

4) Effective leadership/ and or participation to assigned company projects 

• Lead and/or actively participate in assigned company or departmental projects, ensuring timely delivery of agreed outcomes;
• Manage stakeholder expectations and build strong, lasting relationships across HR and other departments to establish trust and credibility;
• Support the planning and coordination of EMENA Associates Meetings and related organizational updates;
• Assist with administrative tasks such as visa processing, preparation of bonus letters, and identifying opportunities to streamline or optimize low-value tasks;
• Serve as a backup for the payroll/staffing assistant during periods of leave, ensuring continuity of essential HR operations.

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