Regional Head of HR Operations, EMEA & APAC

The Head of HR Operations, EMEA & APAC serves as the senior HR Operations leader and subject matter expert across Auto Store's countries in Europe and Asia-Pacific, ensuring compliant, efficient, and scalable HR operations while supporting the company's global People strategy. Covering a diverse portfolio of countries: including Germany, United Kingdom, France, Italy, Spain, Lithuania, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, and Australia, this role operates in a highly complex legal and regulatory environment.

The role provides expert guidance on regional employment legislation, HR operations, governance, and operational risk, ensuring global HR processes are successfully deployed while meeting local statutory requirements. As Auto Store continues its journey towards a technology-enabled operating model, the role will play a critical part in advancing Employee Self-Service (ESS), Manager Self-Service (MSS), workflow automation, and global process standardization. Rather than focusing on transactional HR administration, the position serves as a strategic operational advisor, helping shape scalable solutions that balance global consistency with local compliance.

This role has limited people leadership responsibilities and primarily serves as a senior expert and trusted advisor.

Role reports to:
Vice President, People Operations, Platforms & Governance

• Serve as the senior HR Operations expert across EMEA and APAC, providing guidance on operational excellence, governance, and employment compliance.
• Ensure HR operational practices comply with employment legislation, regulatory requirements, and internal governance across multiple jurisdictions.
• Partner with global process owners to translate local legal and operational requirements into globally scalable HR processes.
• Lead regional deployment of global HR policies, processes, systems, and governance frameworks.
• Drive simplification, harmonization, automation, and digital adoption across the employee lifecycle, supporting continued expansion of Employee Self-Service (ESS), Manager Self-Service (MSS), and workflow automation.
• Provide operational leadership and expert guidance during organizational restructurings, acquisitions, workforce transitions, and other business transformations.
• Partner closely with Payroll, Legal, Finance, HR Business Partners, and Centers of Excellence to ensure integrated delivery of HR services.
• Maintain high standards of HR data integrity, documentation, audit readiness, and operational controls.
• Identify operational risks and proactively develop mitigation strategies across multiple legal jurisdictions.
• Monitor regional service performance, recommend improvements, and drive continuous process optimization.
• Manage relationships with external HR service providers, payroll, and statutory partners where applicable.
• Provide coaching, guidance, and day-to-day leadership to a small HR Operations team, supporting capability development while maintaining hands-on regional expertise.

• Extensive experience leading HR Operations across multiple countries within EMEA and APAC.
• Demonstrated expertise managing HR Operations within complex, multinational environments with diverse employment legislation.
• Strong knowledge of employment law and HR operational practices across multiple international jurisdictions; experience supporting both European and Asia-Pacific countries is highly preferred.
• Proven ability to navigate legal complexity, balance local compliance with global standards, and advise senior stakeholders on operational risk.
• Significant experience implementing HR technology, driving process standardization, and enabling digital HR operating models, including Employee Self-Service (ESS), Manager Self-Service (MSS), and workflow automation.
• Strong understanding of HRIS platforms, payroll processes, HR governance, data privacy, and operational controls.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills with the ability to influence globally across functions and cultures.
• Demonstrated success operating as a senior subject matter expert and trusted advisor within a matrix organization.
• Experi…