Bring more to life.
Are you ready to accelerate your potential and make a real difference within life sciences, diagnostics and biotechnology?
At Leica Microsystems, one of Danaher’s 15+ operating companies, our work saves lives—and we’re all united by a shared commitment to innovate for tangible impact.
You’ll thrive in a culture of belonging where you and your unique viewpoint matter. And by harnessing Danaher’s system of continuous improvement, you help turn ideas into impact – innovating at the speed of life.
Shape the Future with Us!
At Leica Microsystems, we have been shaping the future for over 175 years with groundbreaking optical and digital solutions. With a culture rooted in customer focus, innovation, and teamwork, we lead the market in microscopy, imaging, and analysis, unveiling the invisible and empowering our customers to build a better, healthier world.
Joining Leica Microsystems means contributing to scientific discoveries and supporting surgeons in making critical decisions. Our advanced microscopes and AI-based image analysis solutions enable users to gain profound insights into development and engineering challenges. Here, you will work on meaningful projects alongside passionate colleagues, driving progress and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.
Learn about the Danaher Business System which makes everything possible.
The Labour and Employee Relations Manager (f/m/d) is responsible to partner with Leica Leadership Team on strategic discussions related to footprint, workforce planning, M&A. This role will provide close consultation and support to HR Business Partners (HRBPs) on routine LER matters in Germany and will handle non-routine and more complex LER matters that require judgment, interpretation of policies, and deep labour and employee relations expertise and experience.
While Germany is the primary focus, the role will provide oversight and coordination of global LER processes with other sites where WC/Union relationship is required. The role is based on-site either in Mannheim or in Wetzlar.
In this role, you will have the opportunity to:
- Supporting project management and execution of core employee relations programs and practices in an effective and consistent manner including deployment of Corporate policy and processes, ensuring an effective feedback and escalation process to Project Owners to enable on-time deployment
- Advice and coaching to HRPBs and HR generalists on routine core labour and employee relations matters including routine workplace investigations, policy and issue resolution, performance improvement issues, disciplinary matters, employee separations and associate representative forums (as applicable).
- For more complex/non-routine cases, the role will be responsible for undertaking and managing associate complaints and grievances with systematic approach to address root causes, develop and recommend actions and countermeasures, and effectively conclude investigations by facilitating a review of the decision with appropriate stakeholders and close out of actions and countermeasures.
- The role will offer creative and effective recommendations and solutions to challenging workplace issues and drive consistency and collaboration in the management and execution of employee relations using tools and technology for case management, standard work and continuous improvement.
- Guidance and support to local German change management, reorganizations and restructurings (including consultation requirements relating to outsourcing, role elimination or redundancies).
- Responsible for driving education, process and program improvements, and audits as appropriate through training and other methods. Strengthen HR-related compliance processes, by being proactive. Consult and manage outside counsel per governance framework.
- Main interface between HR, management, and the local works councils in the 2 German sites, as well as the German Group Works Council.
- Represent Leica Microsystems voice within global and corporate forums
The essential requirements of the job include:
- Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent in Law (Labour/Industrial relations), Labour Relations, Business, Human Resources, or another related field; Profound knowledge of German labour law and LER subject matter
- 10+ years of labour and employee relations experience in leading a variety of complex LER issues including change management projects, investigations, disciplinary matters, terminations, etc.
- Proven track record in relationship management of collective representation bodies including execution of business change, restructuring, policy and project deployment.
- Advanced competency in preparing and negotiating collective / factory agreements consistent with best practices – supporting and developing HRBPs to achieve consistency and compliance.
- Understands how to apply LER expertise and experience with a pragmatic and proactive approach combined with the ability to build trusting relationships and used to work in a matrix organization
- Excellent bi-lingual (German and English) written and oral and presentation skills with professional presence
Travel & Motor Vehicle Record:
- Ability to travel
- Must have a valid driver’s license with an acceptable driving record
It would be a plus if you also possess previous experience in:
- Approaching decisions proactively and in a fact-based way, makes effective and pragmatic choices, balances benefit and risk, maintains compliance, and drives holistic LER strategies
- Foundational knowledge of Data Privacy/GDPR as it relates to the collective bargaining considerations and the management of associate data.
Leica Microsystems, a Danaher operating company, offers a broad array of comprehensive, competitive benefit programs that add value to our lives. Whether it’s a health care program or paid time off, our programs contribute to life beyond the job. Check out our benefits at Danaher Benefits Info.
Join our winning team today. Together, we’ll accelerate the real-life impact of tomorrow’s science and technology. We partner with customers across the globe to help them solve their most complex challenges, architecting solutions that bring the power of science to life.
For more information, visit www.danaher.com.