People Director

The People Director France is responsible for owning the strategic, tactical, and operational people agenda, ensuring that DP World’s most valuable asset—its people—are engaged, motivated, and developed. This role drives workforce quality, talent pipelines, and leadership development to foster a high-performing, future-ready organization.

Reporting to the Vice President People Western Europe, the People Director will integrate and align newly acquired business(es) with DP World’s global people standards, ensuring a seamless transition and an enhanced employee experience. They will oversee people processes across all French operations, acting as the key partner to business leaders in driving culture, capability development, and compliance.

As a member of the People Cluster Leadership Team, the People Director provides functional leadership to the HR teams in the joint ventures and acts as the main point of contact for all people-related matters in France. They will work closely with internal and external stakeholders to maintain high-quality workforce standards, succession planning, and a strong leadership culture.

Operating within a regulated and diverse environment, the People Director will navigate complex labor laws, union engagements, and commercial client expectations while ensuring alignment with DP World’s vision for people excellence and business growth.

**How you will contribute**
- Business Growth and Support_
- Act as a strategic partner to the French business, driving growth through effective people processes and ensuring line managers and employees are fully supported in achieving business objectives.
- Provide hands-on support and solutions to help leaders and employees thrive, focusing on talent development, performance, and engagement.
- Governance and Compliance_
- Ensure all people processes comply with DP World’s global standards and French labor laws, working closely with external service providers for operations and administration.
- Serve as the key point of contact for labor relations, managing relationships with works councils, unions, and legal bodies.
- Integration and Alignment_
- Develop and execute a plan to integrate the acquired business into DP World, maximizing employee benefits from global programs and ensuring alignment with corporate standards.
- Facilitate access to regional resources and initiatives that support employee development and operational excellence.
- Stakeholder Management_
- Collaborate with line managers, senior leaders, and external partners to provide seamless people support and drive business performance.
- Act as the primary contact for the VP People Western Europe, offering guidance to DP World’s operations and joint ventures in France.
- People Strategy and Development_
- Implement a people strategy that supports business growth, enhances employee development, and fosters a high-performance culture.
- Lead initiatives for talent management, training, and career development, ensuring employees are empowered to contribute to business success.
- Operational Delivery and Excellence_
- Oversee day-to-day people processes, ensuring efficient operations through external providers while continuously improving services.
- Support line managers in all aspects of people management, providing tools and guidance for effective leadership.
- Cultural and Employee Engagement_
- Drive a positive workplace culture aligned with DP World’s values, enhancing employee experience and satisfaction.
- Promote open communication, collaboration, and a strong sense of belonging within the organization.
- Measurement and Continuous Improvement_
- Provide regular insights and reports on people metrics, business support outcomes, and operational performance.
- Continuously refine and optimize people processes to better support business growth and employee success.

**What you will bring**
- Bachelor’s or master’s degree in Business, Law, Labour Relations, Organizational Development, or a related field.
- 7-10 years of experience in people leadership roles, with a focus on business growth, employee development, and unionized environments.
- Proven success in managing people processes in complex, fast-paced environments, including ports and logistics.
- Extensive labor relations experience, including works councils, unions, and French labor law.
- Experience in post-acquisition integrations, TUPE processes, and managing external providers.
- Commercial experience in Logistics (Contract Logistics, Freight, Ports & Terminals), representing the organization in customer interactions and ensuring quality people services.
- Fluent in French and English.
- Flexibility to Travel: You are ready to travel between 30-50% of the time across to our operations in the assigned area to participate in meetings with leadership, employees, and works councils / unions. Preferred working location is Paris.
- Additional Skills_
- Strong Communication Skills: You are an exceptional listener. You commu