HR Generalist

Description

Summary: This role involves providing hands-on, operational HR support and ensuring a high-quality employee experience in Portugal for a growing international business. Highlights: 1. Opportunity to shape employee experience within a global HR function 2. Autonomy and visibility in a rapidly expanding international organization 3. Key role in a solutions-focused, multi-country business **About Glanua** Glanua is an industry leader in providing innovative and sustainable engineering solutions to design, build, operate and maintain critical water and wastewater infrastructure across Ireland and the UK. We are a trusted provider to the municipal and industrial sectors, with clients including the largest water utilities in Ireland and the UK: Uisce Eireann (formerly Irish Water), Thames Water, Yorkshire Water and Affinity Water. Glanua is passionate about solving today's environmental challenges and delivering a decarbonised and sustainable world. We believe diverse teams unlock more creative and innovative thinking, and we provide an environment where you have the freedom to develop and grow to your full potential. We champion our core values and uphold the highest standards of safety and wellbeing, innovation, integrity, collaboration, courage, agility, accountability, diversity and inclusion in everything we do. We have a talented team of 600\+ people across Ireland and the UK and are rapidly expanding our workforce across several disciplines to meet our ambitious growth plans. Glanua Engenharia is the Portuguese\-based Technical Hub of the Glanua Group, a leading provider of innovative and sustainable engineering solutions across Ireland and the UK. Established to support the design and delivery of critical water and wastewater infrastructure, our Lisbon office brings together expertise in Mechanical, Electrical, Automation, Process, and Structural Design. At Glanua Engenharia, we are driven by a shared mission to tackle environmental challenges and contribute to a cleaner, decarbonised, and more sustainable world. **The Role** The HR Generalist \- Portugal will act as the local HR representative for Glanua in Portugal, providing handson, operational HR support to employees and managers while ensuring alignment with HR policies and practices, under the guidance of the HR Senior Manager. This role is critical to delivering a consistent and highquality employee experience in Portugal, supporting the full employee lifecycle, and acting as the first point of contact for HR queries. In addition, the role will take ownership of local office coordination to ensure a professional and wellrun working environment. Finally, the role will require providing administrative support on procurement of services within the Glanua Group inclusive but not limited to developing payment applications and certificates as appropriate. The role works closely with the HR Senior Manager (based in Ireland) and external HR/payroll service providers along with the Group Head of Engineering for procurement related activities. It is suited to a practical, solutionsfocused HR generalist who is comfortable operating in a growing, multicountry business. **Main Duties and Responsibilities** The main duties and responsibilities of this role are outlined as follows: **Human Resources Responsibilities** * Act as the first point of contact for Portugalbased employees and managers on daytoday HR matters * Coordinate the onboarding and offboarding process, including * Support Talent Acquisition with new starter onboarding, including preparing, issuing, and tracking onboarding documentation to ensure a smooth and compliant joiner experience * Liaising with external HR/payroll providers for contract issuance * Managing preemployment checks and documentation * Coordinating inductions, IT access, and joining arrangements * Maintain accurate and uptodate employee records across HR systems and trackers * Support and track probation reviews, absence management, and leave administration * Liaise with external HR/payroll providers to * Submit payroll inputs and changes * Support statutory and nonstatutory leave processes * Ensure compliance with local requirements * Provide support and guidance to line managers on routine people matters, escalating complex issues to HR Senior Manager as appropriate * Ensure Group HR policies and procedures are applied consistently and appropriately within the Portuguese context * Support the rollout of Group HR initiatives (e.g., performance management, engagement, wellbeing, learning \& development) within Portugal * Assist with HR reporting, audits, and data requests as required **Office Management \& Local Support** * Act as the local point of contact for the Lisbon office * Coordinate reception and frontofhouse activities, including visitors * Support leadership and Global HR visits to Portugal * Manage office supplies, vendors, and facilities coordination * Help maintain a professional, safe, and wellorganised office environment * Support local wellbeing and nontechnical health \& safety coordination **Procurement Support** Develop and administer payment applications and payment certificates in co\-ordination with the relevant Project Managers across the Group. * **Knowledge, Skills and Experience** The main knowledge, skills and experience required of the role are outlined as follows: **Experience \& Skills** **Essential Requirements** * Proven experience in a HR Generalist or HR Officer role * Strong understanding of core HR processes across the employee lifecycle * Experience working with external payroll and/or HR service providers * Comfortable handling daytoday employee and manager HR queries * Highly organised with strong attention to detail * Ability to work independently and manage competing priorities * Strong communication skills and professional judgement * Fluent in Portuguese and English (written and spoken) * Willingness and ability to travel to Ireland and the UK when required for Global HR meetings (twice a year) Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration/Management, Psychology, Employment/Labour Relations, or a related field. **Desirable Experience** * Experience in a multisite or international organisation * Exposure to engineering, construction, or professional services environments * Experience combining HR responsibilities with office or operational support * Familiarity with HR systems and people data management **Personal Attributes** * Handson, pragmatic, and solutionsfocused * Approachable and credible with employees and managers at all levels * Comfortable working in an operational, officebased role * Strong sense of ownership and accountability * Adaptable and resilient in a growing and evolving business **Why Join Glanua** This is an opportunity to play a key role in shaping the employee experience in Portugal while being part of a wider Global HR function whilst offering additional opportunity to support the group design function in a procurement capacity. The role offers autonomy, visibility, and the chance to grow with the organisation as Glanua continues to expand internationally.