Compensation & Benefits Specialist

INTERNATIONAL RECRUITMENT & HR EXPERTS ACROSS THE PLASTICS, PACKAGING, SPECIALITY CHEMICALS, LIFE SCIENCES, BIOPOLYMER, FOOD ADDITIVES & INGREDIENTS, ENERGY AND RECYCLING SECTORS SINCE 1975.

Compensation & Benefits Specialist
Based in Germany

Job ref: JE /64696

A world renown manufacturing company is seeking and experienced Compensation and Benefits specialist to make the following role their own:

The Compensation & Benefits Director is a key member of the global HR leadership team, responsible for designing, governing, and continuously enhancing the organisation’s global reward strategy. This role ensures that compensation, benefits, mobility, and performance frameworks are competitive, compliant, cost-effective, and aligned with the company’s long-term business objectives.

Operating in a complex, multi-country manufacturing environment, the Director will lead the global reward agenda, balancing strategic oversight with hands-on execution across diverse markets. This individual will partner closely with senior leadership to drive talent attraction, retention, and high performance across all regions.

Key Responsibilities:

· Global Reward Strategy & Governance
· Develop and implement a comprehensive global compensation and benefits strategy aligned with company objectives.
· Provide oversight for job architecture, grading, salary structures, and market competitiveness.
· Establish governance frameworks to ensure global alignment while allowing for local flexibility.
· Compensation Management
· Lead annual salary review cycles, bonus design, sales compensation, and executive reward programmes.
· Oversee global benchmarking, job evaluation, and external survey participation.
· Partner with Finance on budgeting, forecasting, and modelling compensation scenarios.
· Ensure compliance with regulatory requirements across all regions (e.g., pay equity, transparency laws).
· Benefits & Wellbeing Programmes
· Evaluate and optimise global and regional benefit plans, including medical, retirement, insurance, and wellbeing initiatives.
· Manage relationships with brokers, consultants, and third-party providers.
· Develop global wellbeing strategy aligned to workforce health and safety priorities.
· Global Mobility & Expatriate Management
· Oversee mobility frameworks, including expatriate assignments, relocation policies, tax compliance, and vendor management.
· Provide strategic oversight of international transfers, ensuring competitive and compliant packages.
· Performance, Incentives & Recognition
· Lead the design and governance of global incentive plans, long-term incentive programmes (LTIPs), and recognition schemes.
· Support the company’s talent philosophy by ensuring alignment with performance management processes.
· Leadership, Stakeholder Management & Advisory
· Act as trusted advisor to senior executives, regional HR teams, and business leaders.
· Provide coaching and upskilling to HR teams globally on reward principles and processes.
· Represent the reward function to RemCo/Board committees and executive leadership.
· Data, Analytics & Systems
· Champion data-driven decision-making within reward.
· Oversee compensation tools, HRIS reward modules, and reporting processes.
· Ensure accuracy of global reward data, dashboards, and analytics.

Experience & Qualifications:

· 10+ years of progressive experience in Compensation & Benefits within a complex international organisation.
· Experience in manufacturing, industrial, engineering, or similarly structured global businesses.
· Proven background in designing and implementing global reward frameworks.
· Strong command of job evaluation methodologies (e.g., Mercer IPE, Hay, Willis Towers Watson).
· Expertise in executive compensation, bonus schemes, and global benefits management.
· Ability to manage large-scale reward cycles and global mobility programmes.
· Strong analytical, financial modelling, and narrative-building skills.

Desirable:

· Experience presenting to or supporting RemCo/Board-level committees.
· Knowledge of regional labour markets across Europe, Asia, or the Americas.
· HRIS / Reward system implementation experience.

Key Competencies:

· Strategic judgment and commercial acumen
· Exceptional communication and influencing skills
· Global mindset and cultural awareness
· High integrity and confidentiality
· Data literacy and analytical strength
· Stakeholder partnership and cross-functional collaboration

Education:

· Bachelor’s degree in HR, Business, Finance, or related field.
· Master’s degree or professional certification (GRP, CIPD, CCP) preferred.

For reasons of better legibility, the simultaneous use of the language forms male, female and diverse (f/m/d) is avoided. All personal designations apply equally to all genders.
For EU roles, candidates must be eligible to work and live in the European Union. Proof of eligibility will be required with your application

Throughout 2026 & 2027 you can meet with Listgrove at the following exhibitions:
Interpack, France Innovation Plasturgie, Interplas UK, Plast Milan, Fakuma, ArabPlast, NPE 2027

Meet us at Plastics Live Ireland in Dublin, 26-27 November, Stand B7

Performance through People.

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