Head of HR France

As a strategic, truly generalist HR leader, you partner with local business leaders to shape and implement the local HR strategy, driving performance, engagement, and well-being for all Rituals employees. You lead the local HR team and ensure HR policies, systems, and programs are aligned with business needs while fostering a culture of trust, pride, and growth. This role combines a strong background in Talent & People Development with robust expertise in HR Operations, including large-scale hiring and turnover flows, complex payroll variables, occupational health processes, and the management of diverse employment contract types.

You report in a matrix: functionally to the Director International HR and operationally to the Managing Director / France Country Director. You are a member of both the local Management Team and the global HR team. In this capacity, you lead and develop a local HR team of 5 –10 people (up to 10 FTE), typically including three HR Business Partners (one per zone), Learning & Development, and Works Council (CSE) management. The payroll and administration teams are managed in a dotted-line structure, in total this is a team of +-20 people. You also take ownership of and contribute to cross-functional projects that support key business and HR priorities.

Key responsibilities include:

• Lead and develop a high-performing HR team, driving expertise, collaboration, and reliable execution
• Act as a strategic advisor to senior leadership, shaping HR strategy, policies, transformation, and key people decisions
• Partner with (Store) managers, Area managers and Heads of Retail, to build inclusive, motivating, and high-performing teams
• Drive leadership development and learning initiatives, coaching leaders and strengthening capabilities at all levels
• Build a winning culture through engagement initiatives, change management, and continuous improvement
• Own strategic workforce planning and talent acquisition, including attraction, retention, large-scale hiring, and turnover management
• Ensure excellent employee experience, well-being, and employee relations, including occupational health and CSE topics
• Deliver HR operational excellence across HR processes, payroll complexity, and diverse contract types in a scaling environment
• Use HR metrics and analytics to steer workforce planning, performance, and key people KPIs
• Ensure competitive and fair compensation and benefits frameworks are aligned with business needs

What success looks like:

• An analytical, structured, and proactive leadership style, with the ability to sustain a high work tempo and deliver results in a dynamic, fast-growing environment
• Strong presence and gravitas to uphold Corporate HR positions while championing business priorities and supporting multiple functions
• Acting as a thought leader who influences leadership behaviours and ways of working across the organization