People & Culture Manager (M/F/D) Full time NEW

Practice Group / Department:

Germany HR Business Partnering

Job Description

Norton Rose Fulbright is a global law firm with more than 3,000 lawyers advising clients across locations in the United States, Europe, Canada, Latin America, Asia, Australia, Africa and the Middle East. We provide a full scope of legal services to the world’s preeminent corporations and financial institutions.

Our vision is to be a world class business, profitable, ambitious, cooperative and considerate, supporting our clients and people through our global business principles of Quality, Unity and Integrity.

With over 7,000 employees worldwide, our culture is the thread that connects us. Our strategy and culture are closed connected – defined by shared ambition, global collaboration and a one-team mindset. We believe pioneering work happens when people are empowered to think beyond boundaries, explore new opportunities and grow through diverse experiences. Alongside the right skills and experience, we are looking for people who are innovative, commercially minded, and motivated by the impact of the work they do – ready to share in our ambition and help shape what comes next.

Because while individuals can do well, together we achieve something extraordinary.

People & Culture Manager (m/f/d)

Are you an experienced HR Business Partner who enjoys partnering with senior leaders, supporting business decisions and driving meaningful people initiatives in a dynamic international environment?

We are looking for a People & Culture Manager to join our Munich office and become a key member of our EMEA People & Culture team.

Working closely with the Senior People & Culture Manager for Germany and the wider team, you will act as a trusted business partner to senior leaders across our German offices and play a key role in delivering our people strategy. Working closely with the German P&C team based in Frankfurt, regional Centres of Excellence and business stakeholders, you will help translate business priorities into practical people solutions.

What will you do?

As a People & Culture Manager, you will provide expert guidance across a broad range of people matters while supporting strategic business objectives.

Strategic Business Partnering & Stakeholder Management

• Build strong relationships with Partners, managers and business leaders across Germany
• Act as a trusted advisor, translating business priorities into practical People & Culture solutions
• Develop a deep understanding of talent priorities, organisational challenges and business needs
• Support leaders through organisational change and workforce decisions

Employee Relations & Advisory Support

• Provide commercially focused and legally sound advice across the employee lifecycle
• Support managers with employee relations matters, performance management and complex people issues
• Ensure consistent application of policies, procedures and best practices
• Work closely with People & Culture Advisors to coordinate operational delivery and escalations

Performance, Reward & Talent Management

• Support annual people processes including compensation reviews, promotions, talent reviews and succession planning
• Contribute to workforce planning and organisational effectiveness initiatives
• Use business insight and people data to support decision-making and talent outcomes

Culture, Engagement & Responsible Business

• Drive initiatives that enhance employee engagement, wellbeing, inclusion and belonging
• Partner with leaders to strengthen culture and employee experience
• Support local and regional Responsible Business and DE&I priorities

Policies, Governance & Continuous Improvement

• Support the implementation of People & Culture policies and local practices
• Promote effective use of systems, automation, AI and digital tools across People & Culture processes

Projects & Change

• Lead or contribute to local, regional and international People & Culture projects
• Support organisational change initiatives and continuous improvement programs
• Deliver solutions with pace, structure and accountability

What are we looking for?

• Fluent German and English, both written and spoken
• substantial experience within the HR function, with a minimum of five years in an HR Business Partner role
• Strong understanding of German employment law and HR practices
• Excellent stakeholder management, presenting and relationship-building skills
• Sound judgement and credibility when handling complex and sensitive employee relations matters
• Strong analytical capability with confidence using people data and business insights
• Experience in working in a matrixed, international and fast-paced environment
• Collaborative mindset and ability to work effectively across remote teams and geographies
• A proactive, solution-oriented approach with high levels of accountability and personal impact
• Confidence working with HR systems, people data and emerging technologies, including AI
• Excellent communication skills
• Experience within a law firm or professional services environment

Why join us?

• Be part of one of a leading international law firm
• Work alongside a talented and engaged P&C team in Germany and the wider global EMEA region
• Impact strategic people decisions and contribute directly to business success
• Lead meaningful People & Culture projects with visible impact
• Gain exposure to international stakeholders, projects and best practices across our organisation

Please note that candidates are required to submit their CV in English.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

To attract the best people, we strive to create a diverse and inclusive environment where everyone can bring their whole selves to work, have a sense of belonging, and realize their full career potential. 
Our new enabled work model allows our people to have more flexibility in the way they choose to work from both the office and a remote location, while continuing to deliver the highest standards of service. We offer a range of family friendly and inclusive employment policies and provide access to programmes and services aimed at nurturing our people’s health and overall wellbeing. Find more about Diversity, Equity and Inclusion here.

We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing teams. We strive to create an inclusive and accessible recruitment process for all candidates. If you require any tailored adjustments or accommodations, please let us know here.