Director - HR Services EM

We are seeking a strategic and dynamic Director – HR Services (Emerging Markets) to lead and grow our HR Services delivery across multiple countries within Emerging Markets. As part of our Global Business Services (GBS) organization, this leader will be responsible for overseeing the delivery of standardized, high-quality HR services that have recently transitioned to the India Hub. The role requires driving operational excellence, stakeholder partnership, and continuous improvement across a geographically dispersed team.

This position is pivotal in ensuring a seamless employee experience, stabilizing transitioned processes, and building a scalable, future-ready HR services model for Emerging Markets.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership & Operations

• Lead and manage the HR Services team supporting multiple Emerging Market countries, ensuring consistent, high-quality service delivery.
• Stabilize and optimize recently transitioned HR processes from various countries into the India Hub.
• Provide strategic leadership to a team spread across geographies, fostering collaboration, accountability, and service excellence.
  
  

• Ensure HR services are delivered with accuracy, timeliness, and compliance with local labor laws, company policies, and global standards.
• Drive continuous improvement, automation, and digital solutions to enhance efficiency and employee experience.
• Monitor KPIs, SLAs, and service dashboards, proactively addressing variances and issues.
• Identify expertise gaps & create upskilling plan (i.e. establish GBS team as SAP/MyHub experts)
• Establish practices to stay updated on business news & EM strategy
• Ignite passion for the Brand & nurture sense of belonging (ie sports, roll out Leadership Framework training, review Onboarding process for new joiners)
• Upskill team leads & equip them with adidas leadership toolkit (ie on remote leadership, growth mindset, etc)
  
  

• Partner closely with HR Business Partners, Country HR Directors, and GBS counterparts & GPO’s to understand business priorities and align HR service delivery.
• Act as a trusted advisor and escalation point for critical HR services issues in Emerging Markets.
• Build strong relationships with regional and global stakeholders to ensure alignment, transparency, and credibility.
  
  

• Lead, coach, and develop a culturally diverse team across multiple locations.
• Create a culture of inclusion, high performance, and continuous learning.
• Develop leadership bench strength and succession planning for HR Services in Emerging Markets.
  
  

• Champion change management efforts in stabilizing newly transitioned services.
• Lead initiatives to standardize and harmonize HR processes across Emerging Markets.
• Stay ahead of market trends in HR operations and shared services to embed best practices.
  
  

• 15+ years of progressive HR/HR Services/Shared Services experience, with at least 5 years in a leadership role managing large, multi-country teams.
• Strong understanding of HR operations (Payroll, Employee Data Management, Onboarding, Benefits, Employee Lifecycle, Case Management, etc.) and compliance in Emerging Markets.
• Proven track record of leading HR service delivery within a GBS/Shared Services environment.
• Experience in process migration, stabilization, and transformation projects.
• Exceptional stakeholder management skills with experience working in a complex, global matrix organization.
• Strong business acumen, analytical ability, and a mindset for continuous improvement.
• Excellent communication and influencing skills; ability to lead through ambiguity and change.
  
  

• Strategic Leadership – Ability to set direction, inspire, and drive results across geographies.
• Operational Excellence – Strong focus on efficiency, metrics, and continuous improvement.
• Global Mindset – Cultural sensitivity and ability to operate effectively across diverse markets.
• Change Agility – Skilled at leading through transition, transformation, and complexity.
• Collaboration & Influence – Builds strong partnerships across functions and levels.