Director, People Business Partners EMEA

Director, People Business Partners EMEA

Location: Berlin, Haarlem, London (EMEA)

Job Type: Full‑time, in‑office, 5 days per week

About the Role

Planet is expanding rapidly across Europe, establishing a new satellite manufacturing hub in Berlin and scaling its EMEA workforce. The Director of People Business Partners will translate Planet’s global people strategy for the region, leading regional people initiatives, overseeing a cross‑functional People team, and acting as the primary liaison with US People leadership.

Impact You'll Own

• Serve as the senior People Team leader in EMEA, owning the regional people strategy and ensuring the employee lifecycle is consistent with the US standards.
• Provide general oversight for People Business Partners, Talent Partners, and People Operations Partners, coaching and prioritizing them for maximum impact.
• Drive execution of global People initiatives (performance management, pay transparency compliance, leadership competency framework, HRIS migration) adapted to European legal and cultural contexts.
• Help lead the people strategy for the Berlin manufacturing hub buildout, including organizational design, workforce planning, leadership development, and cultural integration.
• Act as the main relay between EMEA Leadership and US People leadership, ensuring regional context informs global decisions and advocating for EMEA needs.
• Partner with Talent Acquisition to align the EMEA recruiting engine with workforce plans, providing context on org design and compensation.
• Collaborate with People Operations to ensure compliance and seamless operational execution for all EMEA employees, covering entity compliance, payroll, benefits, and onboarding.
• Own sensitive employee relations matters, applying deep knowledge of European labor law and making difficult decisions when business and legal considerations conflict.
• Build cultural connective tissue that integrates Planet’s EMEA workforce into the broader company, fostering collaboration and equitable development opportunities.

What You Bring

• 12+ years progressive HR/People experience, including 5+ years as a senior People Business Partner or HR leader in European operations of a scaling technology or manufacturing company.
• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field.
• Deep expertise in European employment compliance and works council engagement.
• Experience building or significantly scaling a European operation, including entity establishment, localized employment practices, and integrating new workforce into a US‑headquartered culture.
• Leadership of a regional People function, making high‑stakes decisions autonomously and communicating outcomes clearly to headquarters.
• Proficiency in organizational design and workforce planning, translating business plans into org structures, role architecture, and hiring sequences.
• Strong decision‑making skills in ambiguous, cross‑jurisdiction environments, balancing legal, cultural, business, and employee experience factors.
• Experience driving performance management, compensation, and talent review in European markets, with familiarity with EU pay transparency regulations.
• A proactive leadership style that establishes clarity, defines decision rights, prioritizes ruthlessly, and moves initiatives to completion.

What Makes You Stand Out

• Background in aerospace, satellite, defense, or precision manufacturing where export control and ITAR compliance influence people decisions.
• Track record building a People function, with deep knowledge of the European talent market, local employer landscape, and scaling realities.
• Experience deploying AI‑enabled tools or processes within HR, from evaluation to adoption.
• Experience in organizational development, change management, or consulting that demonstrates diagnosing organizational health and aligning executive talent strategy.
• Experience supporting a company through major growth stages in European operations, such as entity establishment, works council formation, site launch, or rapid headcount scaling from under 50 to 200+ employees in one geography.

Benefits While Working at Planet

• Paid time off including vacation, holidays, and company‑wide days off
• Employee Wellness Program
• Home Office Reimbursement
• Monthly Phone and Internet Reimbursement
• Tuition Reimbursement and access to LinkedIn Learning
• Equity
• Volunteering Paid Time Off

Application Deadline: August 17, 2026, 11:59 p.m. / 23:59 CET (Central European Time)

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

EEO statement: Planet is committed to building a community where everyone belongs and we invite people from all backgrounds to apply. Planet is an equal opportunity employer, and committed to providing employment opportunities regardless of race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity.