Role Overview

We are looking for a highly skilled and experienced HR professional to take on the role of Regional HR Business Partner for Europe, based in Madrid. This role combines strategic and operational responsibilities, offering the opportunity to make a significant impact across Volcafe both regionally and locally.

As Regional HRBP, you will oversee HR delivery for Volcafe across five countries—Spain, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, and the UK—partnering with business leaders to align HR strategies with organizational goals. In addition to the regional responsibilities, you will act as the on-site HRBP for Volcafe in Spain, managing local HR operations, ensuring compliance with local labour laws, optimizing HR practices, and supporting the unique needs of the coffee business locally.

This position requires a strong balance of strategic vision, commercial acumen and operational excellence. You will drive high-impact HR initiatives at the regional level across Europe whilst delivering localized solutions for Spain, contributing to organizational growth and success in a fast-paced, global environment.

Business Overview

Volcafe Ltd is one of the world’s leading international green coffee trading companies, operating in over 20 countries globally. Our expertise spans green coffee procurement and preparation, sustainability, blending, quality control, risk management and export as well as importing and distribution. We supply the world’s major coffee roasters and retail distributors with their green coffee requirements, with significant strategic growth ambitions for the future. We are part of ED&F Man Commodities, a world leading trader of agricultural products including coffee, sugar, molasses and animal feed.

Volcafe works across the whole green coffee supply chain to make coffee business better, together with our partners and employees. We have built and operate sustainable coffee supply chains across all our origins, addressing key economic, social and environmental issues in coffee farming communities. Our Volcafe Way farmer support programme engages with thousands of coffee farmers and provides a holistic response to the challenges they face.

Key Accountabilities

Accountable for the full delivery of human resource services including recruitment and retention, compensation and benefits, employee engagement, learning and development, employee relations and welfare, and performance management. The employee population consists of office employees spread over five countries: Spain, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, and UK.

• Strategic Business Partnering: Proactively build and maintain strong relationships with country and regional leadership teams, providing strategic HR support and guidance to ensure alignment with organizational objectives and drive business success (requires up to 20% travel).
• HR Strategy Development and Execution: Collaborate with the Senior HR team to design and implement HR strategies, policies, and procedures that drive excellence and support short- and long-term business goals.
• HR Team Leadership: Lead, mentor, and develop the local HR team, ensuring high performance and effective HR service delivery.
• Organizational Development: Spearhead organizational and manpower development initiatives, focusing on talent management, succession planning, and supporting a high-growth dynamic business environment.
• Training and development: Responsible for identifying training and development needs and collaborating with global head of talent development to develop and implement training solutions to meet those needs.
• Talent Acquisition and Workforce Planning: Oversee recruitment processes to attract and retain high-caliber candidates, supporting the organization’s staffing needs and growth objectives.
• Diversity, Inclusion, and Employee Engagement: Develop and implement initiatives that promote diversity, foster an equitable workplace culture, and enhance employee engagement and well-being.
• Compensation, Benefits, and Payroll Management:
• Design competitive and cost-effective compensation and benefits programs, conducting regular market analyses to ensure organizational competitiveness.
• Manage payroll and benefits administration, evaluating providers to ensure quality and value, and overseeing key programs like medical insurance, pensions, and wellness initiatives.
• Policy and Compliance Oversight:
• Develop, review, and update employment contracts, policies, and collective labour agreements to ensure compliance with local labour laws and alignment with group policies.
• Regularly assess and improve HR practices and documentation to maintain compliance and best practices.

Skills and Experience

The ideal candidate is an experienced HR leader with a strong balance of strategic vision and operational expertise, capable of thriving in a dynamic, multinational environment. They will bring energy, ambition, and the ability to engage diverse stakeholders while driving impactful HR initiatives across the full employee life cycle.

• Previous experience of working in a full generalist business partnering role within a medium to large organisation ideally with international/global exposure. Industry experience in commodity trading would be advantageous but is not essential.
• A bachelor’s degree in human resources, business administration, or a related field is required.
• Advanced degrees or certifications in Human Resources, such as an MBA or PHR/SPHR certification, are desirable.
• Fluent business English and Spanish is essential.

Leadership and Strategic Partnership

• Proven ability to lead, mentor, and develop HR teams, fostering a collaborative and high-performing environment.
• Skilled in building strong relationships with leadership teams and employees, acting as a trusted advisor on HR matters.
• Expertise in designing and executing long-term HR strategies aligned with business goals
• Strong communication skills, effectively conveying complex concepts and fostering stakeholder alignment.

Talent Management and Organizational Development

• Experience in workforce planning, talent acquisition, and succession planning to attract and retain top talent.
• Track record in developing and implementing strategies to enhance employee engagement and build a positive workplace culture.
• Expertise in driving organizational development initiatives to support business growth and transformation.

Compensation, Benefits, and HR Operations

• In-depth knowledge of competitive compensation structures, benefits administration, and payroll management.
• Proven ability to oversee compliant and efficient HR operations, including developing and updating HR policies and managing processes across the employee lifecycle.
• Strong understanding of local Spanish and European labour laws, ensuring regulatory compliance across all practices.

We recognise that talent comes in many forms, and we value potential just as much as experience. If this role excites you but you don’t meet ever requirement, we still encourage you to apply.

Our Offer

We provide a fast-paced, stimulating and truly global environment, which will stretch your abilities and channel your talents. We also offer competitive salary and benefits combined with outstanding career development opportunities in one of the global leaders in soft commodity trading.

Our Values

Respect, Integrity, Meritocracy, Client Focus, Entrepreneurship

Our values define who we are. They are the fundamental beliefs that determine our actions and guide our behaviour. They influence the way we communicate and collaborate, and define the way we engage with our clients, partners, and communities. Our values are underpinned by a set of essential behaviours, which form part of our performance management approach. Delivering on our objectives is very much about ‘what’ we do, but these essential behaviours also provide a guide and measure for ‘how’ we do things. Our performance essentials are Take Initiative, Self‐Management, Deliver Results and Collaboration.

Our Commitment

We are committed to creating and sustaining an inclusive and diverse work environment where all employees are treated with dignity and respect. We are committed to promoting equal opportunities in employment and are focussed on actively building and developing diverse teams. All qualified applicants will receive equal treatment without regard to race, colour, sex, gender, age, religion or belief, ethnic or national origin, marital or civil partner status, physical or mental disability, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender reassignment (identity, gender expression), genetic information or any characteristic protected by local law.

We are willing to make any reasonable adjustments throughout our recruitment process.

To apply you must have the right to work for the provided location.