Senior HR Business Partner

At Octagon Professionals, we are looking for an experienced Senior HR Business Partner to join our internal team. This role goes beyond traditional HR. We’re looking for someone who is comfortable advising on organisational strategy, leading projects, and supporting our client-facing HR services when needed.
You will play a key role in driving HR initiatives across the business – from supporting our own team, to helping implement solutions for key clients. You’ll be the go-to for both strategic advice and operational follow-through.
This position requires solid knowledge of Dutch labour law, strong communication skills, and the ability to manage a wide range of responsibilities – from organisational change and performance management to complex HR projects.

Responsibilities:

Strategic HR Partnership
You will work closely with senior leadership to align HR strategy with business priorities. You’ll advise on organisational change, provide guidance on people-related matters, and help shape our internal HR direction as we grow.

Project Implementation & Client Support
You’ll lead HR-related projects within our company and support project-based implementations for our clients (e.g. on-boarding new services, policy design, process roll-outs). Coordination, planning, and stakeholder management will be part of your daily work.

Employee Relations & Engagement
You will help foster a positive, inclusive culture by supporting people managers and employees with clarity and care. This includes handling complex cases, conflict resolution, and improving employee engagement.

HR Operations & Compliance
You will be responsible for optimising processes, managing documentation and reporting, and ensuring compliance with all Dutch labour legislation and regulatory frameworks. You’ll also help manage relationships with third-party providers and internal tools.

What we’re looking for:

We’re looking for someone who can think strategically, but also enjoys getting things done. You should be confident in managing complexity and working closely with diverse teams- while keeping a practical, structured mindset.

We’d love to meet you if you have:

• At least 7 years of broad HR experience in the Netherlands
• Strong working knowledge of Dutch labour law and HR compliance
• Experience leading HR projects from planning through to implementation
• Excellent communication skills in English (Dutch is a strong plus)
• A hands-on mindset and the ability to build trust across teams
• Experience supporting external clients or managing service delivery is a plus
• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s or HR certification is a plus

We know senior professionals are looking for more than just a title. That’s why we offer a role where you’ll have real influence, autonomy, and the space to do meaningful work.

What we offer:

• One year contract with possibility of extension
• Hybrid working options (minimum presence in The Hague required)
• 30 days of annual leave
• Monthly travel cost reimbursement or company car
• Annual training & development budget
• A very competitive salary package, tailored to your experience
• A people-first, international work environment

We’re not just hiring someone to “do HR” – we’re looking for a partner in building the next chapter of Octagon. If you’re ready to bring your experience into a role where your voice counts, we’d love to hear from you.

Octagon Professionals International is a full-service recruitment and HR services firm with 30 years of experience in the European and international markets. Our large network of professionals across multiple functional areas, and multi-national team provide flexible solutions customized to individual client needs.
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