People & Culture Operations Partnering Manager

We're Celonis, the global leader in Process Intelligence technology and one of the world's fastest-growing SaaS firms. We believe there is a massive opportunity to unlock productivity by placing AI, data and intelligence at the core of business processes - and for that, we need your help. Care to join us?

The Team:The People & Culture Operations Partnering Team is a strategic hub of global governance and operational excellence, composed of team members located in key centers: Munich, Madrid, New York, and Bangalore. This distributed unit functions as the organization's specialized escalation partner for complex People issues, leveraging deep expertise to resolve high-impact matters. Crucially, the team drives strategic value by leading cross-functional process optimization projects to enhance the efficiency of the People & Culture function, and the overall employee experience. The team is further responsible for partnering with the People Compliance unit to ensure global compliance with all labor laws and internal policies, and driving high-impact systems alignment through direct collaboration with the People Systems team. Ultimately, the team is accountable for the governance and achievement of key operational metrics to translate service quality and adherence standards into actionable strategic insights.

The Role:This is a high-visibility, business-critical opportunity to lead the global transformation and strategic evolution of our People & Culture operations. The People & Culture Operations Partnering Manager will be directly responsible for the leadership of our global operational excellence function (the People Operations Partners team).

Reporting directly to the Global VP of P&C Operations, this position serves as the central driver for developing and implementing a unified, scalable Global Support Model. The Manager’s core mandate is to champion operational consistency worldwide: standardizing complex HR processes across all geographies to ensure a consistent, world-class employee experience. This work requires expert collaboration and partnership with a diverse group of stakeholders across multiple functions to ensure organizational alignment. This role is essential for realizing massive process optimization and building the scalable framework necessary for robust global compliance adherence, while translating service delivery performance into actionable strategic insights for leadership.

The work you’ll do:

• Lead the People Partners Team (Tier 2): Provide direct leadership, coaching, and performance management for the global team responsible for delivering complex P&C guidance and handling escalated employee inquiries.
• Implement Global Support Model: Design and manage the operational transition from regional support to a single, scalable global service delivery model, ensuring seamless 24/7 support coverage as required.
• Standardize Work & Processes: Own the mapping, documentation, and standardization of all Tier 2 operational processes and playbooks across all supported regions, eliminating regional variation and duplication of effort.
• Define Service Standards: Establish, monitor, and report on key performance indicators (KPIs) and service level agreements (SLAs) for Tier 2 operations, driving continuous improvement in response time, quality, and resolution rate.
• Process Optimization Mandate: Actively identify, champion, and lead cross-functional projects aimed at optimizing existing P&C operational processes, leveraging technology and driving efficiency to reduce administrative effort.
• Technology Partnership: Collaborate closely with the People Systems team to ensure Tier 2 process requirements are reflected in system design (e.g., ServiceNow routing, Workday self-service features) and to drive automation opportunities.
• Knowledge Management: Oversee the development and maintenance of Tier 2 knowledge resources and ensure consistency between the knowledge base, communication, and delivery practices.
• Enable Global Compliance: Partner with Legal and P&C Compliance teams to integrate regulatory and labor compliance requirements directly into Tier 2 standardized processes, minimizing exposure to regional inconsistencies and policy breaches.
• Change Management: Lead the change management activities related to new global processes and service model changes within the People Partners team to ensure immediate adoption and high-quality service continuity.
• Stakeholder Alignment: Act as a key liaison with functional experts to ensure the Tier 2 team executes processes effectively and provides consistent guidance on policies and programs.

The qualifications you need:

• 5+ years of progressive experience in People Operations, Shared Services or a related field, with a significant portion of that time spent in a global or multi-regional capacity.
• Demonstrated experience in leading large-scale HR process transformation.
• Proven ability to translate high-level business strategy into tactical, standardized, and scalable HR operational processes.
• HR Systems & Data Fluency (HRIS): Advanced proficiency with Workday and previous experience with case management platforms are required. 
• Expert ability to define and interpret key operational metrics.
• Exceptional ability to partner, influence, and build trust with diverse, senior-level stakeholders across cross-functional departments.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex operational and compliance topics clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Proven skills in change management methodology, communication planning, and driving adoption of new processes within a complex, globally distributed organization.

What Celonis Can Offer You:

• Pioneer Innovation: Work with the leading, award-winning process mining technology, shaping the future of business.
• Accelerate Your Growth: Benefit from clear career paths, internal mobility, a dedicated learning program, and mentorship opportunities.
• Receive Exceptional Benefits: Including generous PTO, hybrid working options, company equity (RSUs), comprehensive benefits, extensive parental leave, dedicated volunteer days, and much more. Interns and working students explore your benefits here.
• Prioritize Your Well-being: Access to resources such as gym subsidies, counseling, and well-being programs.
• Connect and Belong: Find community and support through dedicated inclusion and belonging programs.
• Make Meaningful Impact: Be part of a company driven by strong values that guide everything we do: Live for Customer Value, The Best Team Wins, We Own It, and Earth Is Our Future.
• Collaborate Globally: Join a dynamic, international team of talented individuals.
• Empowered Environment: Contribute your ideas in an open culture with autonomous teams.

About Us:

Celonis makes processes work for people, companies and the planet. The Celonis Process Intelligence Platform uses industry-leading process mining and AI technology and augments it with business context to give customers a living digital twin of their business operation. It’s system-agnostic and without bias, and provides everyone with a common language for understanding and improving businesses. Celonis enables its customers to continuously realize significant value across the top, bottom, and green line. Celonis is headquartered in Munich, Germany, and New York City, USA, with more than 20 offices worldwide.

Get familiar with the Celonis Process Intelligence Platform by watching this video.

Celonis Inclusion Statement:

At Celonis, we believe our people make us who we are and that “The Best Team Wins”. We know that the best teams are made up of people who bring different perspectives to the table. And when everyone feels included, able to speak up and knows their voice is heard - that's when creativity and innovation happen.

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