HR Director & Business Partner

At Cadence, we hire and develop leaders and innovators who want to make an impact on the world of technology.

Cadence is a pivotal leader in electronic design, building upon more than 30 years of computational software expertise. The company applies its underlying Intelligent System Design strategy to deliver software, hardware and IP that turn design concepts into reality.

Cadence customers are the world’s most innovative companies, delivering extraordinary electronic products from chips to boards to systems for the most dynamic market applications including consumer, hyperscale computing, 5G communications, automotive, aerospace industrial and health.

At Cadence, we hire and develop leaders and innovators who want to make an impact on the world of technology.

Job Title: Head of HR (HR Director & Business Partner)

Location: Sophia or Velizy, France

Reports to: HR Group Director & Business Partner

Job Overview:

Cadence is seeking an experienced and people-focused Head of Human Resources to lead HR across France, Italy, Spain, and Morocco. This role plays a critical part in aligning people strategy with business objectives in a fast-growing, international, high‑tech environment.

With more than 500 employees across the region and a significant proportion having joined through recent acquisitions, this role has a strong focus on post-acquisition integration, organisational alignment, and change leadership.

This is an opportunity to shape the people agenda for a growing and evolving region, working closely with both local and global leadership. You will have the scope, influence, and support to make a lasting impact on culture, capability, and organisational effectiveness.

Job Responsibilities:

• Hold overall accountability for HR across France, Italy, Spain, and Morocco, covering over 500 employees across multiple legal entities.
• Lead and support a regional HR team of six professionals spanning recruitment, learning, HR systems, and employee relations.
• Act as HR Business Partner to a significant part of the business, supporting leaders on people strategy and organisational effectiveness.
• Partner with regional leadership and global HR to design and implement HR policies, practices, and programmes aligned with Cadence’s strategic goals.
• Advise and coach managers on performance management, employee development, retention, succession planning, and career progression.
• Lead employee relations activities, including engagement with formal employee representation bodies, ensuring compliance, consistency, and constructive dialogue.
• Develop, adapt, and document local HR policies, ensuring alignment with global standards and local legal requirements.
• Collaborate with global compensation and benefits teams to assess market trends and support competitive, compliant reward practices.
• Partner closely with Finance on salary reviews, benefits administration, pensions, and other pay-related processes.
• Ensure full compliance with local labour laws and employment regulations across all countries in scope.
• Play a key role in M&A activity, with particular emphasis on post-acquisition integration and cultural alignment.

Job Qualifications:

• At least 15 years of progressive HR leadership experience, including senior HR roles with international remit, ideally within a global high‑tech or complex matrix organisation.
• Proven experience managing employee relations in environments with formal representation structures.

• Strong knowledge of labour law, compensation, pensions, and employment practices within relevant European labour markets.
• Demonstrated ability to partner with senior leaders, influence decision‑making, and translate business strategy into people outcomes.
• Experience leading and developing HR teams through periods of growth and change.
• Fluency in English and French, with excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Willingness and ability to work in a hybrid model and travel internationally as required.

Additional Skills/Preferences:                     

• Experience supporting mergers, acquisitions, and post‑acquisition integration.
• Master’s degree in Human Resources or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
• Strong consulting and coaching capability, with a collaborative and pragmatic approach.

Check what we can offer you:

• Competitive salary
• 25 days holiday per year
• Private Medical and Dental plans, Income Protection and Life Insurance
• Group Personal Pension Plan
• 5 days paid time to volunteer to give back to our communities
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan
• The opportunity to work for a Great Place to Work© & Fortune 100 organization

Cadence is committed to equal employment opportunity and employment equity throughout all levels of the organization. We strive to attract a qualified and diverse candidate pool and encourage diversity and inclusion in the workplace. 

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