Niko Wels
Strategic HR & Reward Partner
Experience
Strategic HR & Reward Partner
Freelancer
2024–2025: Strategic Total Rewards project to launch a new corporate total rewards function, including organizational design, job architecture, job grading, salary range design, job benchmarks, design of total rewards key processes, implementation of SuccessFactors Compensation Module at Bauer Media Group, Hamburg
2023–2025: International job grading review (job grading with Hay, market benchmark, salary positioning analysis) for 5 000 employees and 750 jobs worldwide at KWS Berlin GmbH, Berlin
2023–2024: Job grading project within the context of implementing a new in-house collective agreement for 1 700 employees and 400 different jobs (job architecture, job grading with Hay, salary and cost analyses) at ASML Berlin GmbH, Berlin
2023: Realign annual objective setting and bonus (development of objective scorecard, design of variable remuneration, benchmark with external market, communication & change) at Klingele Papierwerke GmbH & Co. KG, Remshalden
2023: Compensation & benefits project to create a job map and salary system (including external benchmark) at Emnify GmbH, Berlin
2022: Strategic reward project to define a job architecture and benefit scheme at Comgy GmbH, Berlin
2022: HR set-up of OpenRad Germany (carve-out; former part of medneo Group), Berlin
2022: Creation of a job architecture (job description, job evaluation, job levels), implementation of a salary benchmark and definition of career paths at MCL IT GmbH, Böblingen
2022: Redesign of the compensation & benefits model (job grading, salary benchmark, benefit review) at kbrw SAS, Paris, France
2021–2022: Improvement of the people experience (including Workday improvements), the HR organization and HR processes at Mister Spex SE, Berlin
2021–2022: Interim Head of People Operations, Compensation & Benefits and HR IS at Mister Spex SE, Berlin
Permanent clients: TUCOWS Inc. (Toronto, Canada); bibliotheca Group (Cheadle, UK); QAD Europe Group (Warsaw, Poland); Epredia Group (Kalamazoo, Michigan, US); FIRST Event & Marketing Group (Dublin, Ireland)
Head of Human Resources Germany
Schindler Deutschland AG & Co. KG
Strategic HR lead for the Schindler Germany Group with 5 500 employees
Strategic realignment and modernization of HR, including implementation of an HR business partner model, development of HR services, and introduction of innovative, digital and agile HR processes (e.g., talent acquisition)
Coaching and consulting of top managers on organizational development and leadership
Industrial and social relations management (IG Metall and works councils)
People leadership responsibility for over 30 HR team members
Head of Human Resources & Internal Communications Coal Europe
ENGIE S.A. Business Unit Generation Europe
Global lead HR business partner responsibility for eight generation sites within Europe with 1 300 employees
Coaching and consulting of managers on organizational and management issues
Steering strategic talent management initiatives, including staffing, talent reviews, mobility, talent roadmaps, succession planning and retention
Industrial and social relations management
Interim Head of HR Performance & Reward
ENGIE S.A. Business Unit Generation Europe
Compensation & benefits management for top executives (Top 250) within Europe, including salary reviews, benefit packages, variable pay/bonus, share programs, pension, performance management and job grading
HR performance: planning, reporting and controlling
HR Manager Top Executives and Expatriates
GDF SUEZ S.A. Branche Energy Europe
HR consulting and services for top executives and expatriates within Europe
Compensation & benefits management for top executives (Top 120), including performance management, salary reviews, benefits, variable pay, share programs and pension
Steering talent management initiatives, including staffing, talent reviews, mobility, talent roadmaps, competence management, succession planning and retention
Interim Team Lead Talentmanagement
GDF SUEZ Energie Deutschland AG
Design and implementation of the learning and development strategy, including gender diversity, demographic change, career management for experts, senior leadership trainings and succession planning
Increasing efficiency and streamlining of the need-based learning and development offer, including processes and tools
Planning and follow-up of development tracks for senior managers, high potentials and other dedicated target groups
Head of Compensation & Benefits / HR Performance
GDF SUEZ Energie Deutschland AG
Implementation and further development of a market-oriented and competitive reward system for executives
Design, implementation and monitoring of employee and executive benefit programs
Strategic development, implementation and monitoring of company pension systems
HR controlling: KPIs, scorecards and reports
Lead HR Quality Officer for Benelux & Germany
GDF SUEZ Energie Deutschland AG
Design, implementation and analysis of HR quality assessments to measure the maturity level of HR organizations and processes across Europe
Design, implementation, analysis and follow-up of a cross-country HR satisfaction scorecard
Team Leader Human Performance
GDF SUEZ Energie Deutschland AG
Project manager for SAP HCM implementation, including employee and manager self-services
Project manager for integration of three acquired power plants
Responsible for HR planning, reporting and controlling initiatives, including mid-term business plan, manpower planning and balanced scorecards
Team Leader HR Knowledge Management
E.ON Energie AG
Team lead HR knowledge management for the launch of the HR shared service center and single point of contact for HR knowledge management topics
Design and delivery of HR trainings and workshops on labor law, payroll, SAP HCM, conflict management and other HR topics
Development and launch of an HR knowledge management system (SAP KM)
HR Business Partner
E.ON edis AG
- Consulting with managers and employees in different business lines regarding recruiting, labor law and training
Working Student and Intern in HR Management
E.ON edis AG
Industries Experience
See where this freelancer has spent most of their professional time. Longer bars indicate deeper hands-on experience, while shorter ones reflect targeted or project-based work.
Experienced in Energy (19.5 years), Manufacturing (7.5 years), Advertising (4.5 years), Agriculture (4.5 years), Healthcare (4.5 years), and Information Technology (4.5 years).
Business Areas Experience
The graph below provides a cumulative view of the freelancer's experience across multiple business areas, calculated from completed and active engagements. It highlights the areas where the freelancer has most frequently contributed to planning, execution, and delivery of business outcomes.
Experienced in Human Resources (22.5 years), Quality Assurance (1.5 years), and Project Management (1 year).
Skills
- Ms Office, Sap Hr/hcm, Successfactors, Workday, Personio, Bob
- Acclaimed For Target And Result Orientation, Deep Analytical Skills, People And Interactive Skills, Leadership Competences, Intercultural Experience, Project And Process Management, And Pragmatism
Languages
Education
Berlin University of Applied Sciences - University of Applied Sciences Berlin
Diploma in Business Administration, focus on Human Resources & Organizational Management as well as Controlling · Business Administration · Berlin, Germany · excellent
Geschwister Scholl High School Fürstenwalde/Spree
Fürstenwalde, Germany · 1.8
Profile
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