HR Director

The organisation

Setting up a brewery during the Dutch Revolt was a daring move, but founder Willem Neerfeldt opened one in the Dutch town of Grolle in 1615 anyway. Known for its characteristic flavor, iconic swing-top bottle, and creative ads, Grolsch has been building a strong brand for over 400 years. Their longest-running campaign slogan “Vakmanschap is Meesterschap” has even become a part of the Dutch language.

From its strong local roots, Grolsch greatly expanded its reach in 2007 when the board accepted an offer by SABMiller. In 2016, the brewery was integrated into the Asahi Holding Group. The international group acquired Grolsch and several other brands to gain access to the European market. In 2022, Asahi Europe and International realized almost 3.5 billion euros turnover in the region as a result of its acquisition strategy.

Grolsch is one of the premium brands distributed by Asahi Brands France, along Peroni Nastro Azzurro, Asahi Super Dry, Meantime, St Stefanus, and Pilsner Urquell. The company prides itself on its carefully selected raw materials and centuries-old brewing techniques. The group operates in the Netherlands, France, Italy, the United Kingdom, and Canada, and distributes its brands in Europe, Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

The position

Grolsch has been brewing its iconic beer in the swing-top bottle for over 400 years. Since the acquisition by the Asahi Holding Group, Grolsch’s innovations and international expansion have only accelerated. The HR Director drives the end-to-end HR strategy and processes for employees in manufacturing, commercial, wholesale, and corporate functions in the Netherlands and France.

Tasks & responsibilities

The HR Director sets the people strategy for the Netherlands and France in line with the business priorities for Grolsch and Asahi Europe and International, managing the diverse group of employees in manufacturing, commercial, and wholesale. They drive the end-to-end implementation and HR processes, ranging from HR operations and business partnering, to employer branding and recruitment, diversity and inclusion, wellbeing, facility management of the brewery and offices, trade union negotiations, and management of the pension fund. They report to Emily Pittman, the Managing Director, and are part of the executive team. The HR Director is also involved in regional decisions as member of the HR leadership team of Asahi Europe and International.

“Grolsch might be a medium-sized company, but there is a broad range of responsibilities and fascinating complexities under the hood. I expect the HR Director to bring me their vision for HR, how it will help our people grow and perform, and how it connects to the Asahi Group.” – Emily Pittman, Managing Director Grolsch

With a team of about 20 HR professionals, the HR Director drives the strategic interface between HR and the designated business and functional leaders, helping to deliver business results through optimal human resource management. The HR Director also embeds the HR approach and processes from Asahi Europe and International and manages the implementation and quality assurance at the local level. Specifically, they ensure that the interests and needs of the business units and employees are met.

Candidate profile*

• Over 12 years of experience
• In consumer goods and/or a manufacturing environment
• In end-to-end HR management including trade union negotiations
• Excellent stakeholder management skills
• Pragmatic problem solver with strong commercial acumen
• Dutch and English fluency

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced HR leader who is quick to shift between strategic thinking as part of the executive team to hands-on implementation on a wide array of HR topics. The HR Director is keen to be on the ground with their people, spending at least three days a week in Enschede. Their experience with trade unions, ability to inspire trust, and excellent stakeholder management help them set Grolsch up for continued growth and performance.

* Research shows that while male candidates feel confident enough to apply when they meet about 60% of the requirements, female candidates only apply when they tick every box. So if this role has your name on it, but you’re not sure about the criteria, we still want to hear from you.

Interested?

You can apply for this position by using the link below. Grolsch is working with Top of Minds to fill this vacancy.