Aldelia
About the Opportunity
Our client is a global engineering, consulting, and project delivery organization supporting clients across the energy, mining, industrial, and infrastructure sectors. As part of its strategic expansion into Brazil, the company is seeking its first Human Resources leader in the country to build and develop the local HR function from the ground up.
Position Summary
The Head of Human Resources – Brazil will be responsible for establishing and leading the entire HR function for the Brazilian operation. This is a highly strategic and hands-on role requiring a strong HR Generalist profile capable of building processes, policies, and organizational structures from scratch while supporting business growth.
As the first HR professional in Brazil, the successful candidate will work closely with local and international leadership teams to ensure compliance, attract top talent, develop organizational capabilities, and create a strong people foundation for future expansion.
Key Responsibilities
- Establish and develop the HR function in Brazil from the ground up.
- Design and implement HR policies, procedures, and processes aligned with local legislation and global standards.
- Lead and manage external recruitment partners and executive search firms to support talent acquisition activities in Brazil.
- Develop workforce planning strategies to support business growth.
- Manage employee relations, performance management, compensation, benefits, and organizational development initiatives.
- Ensure compliance with Brazilian labor legislation and HR best practices.
- Support leadership in organizational design and succession planning.
- Build and maintain relationships with external partners, service providers, and relevant authorities when required.
- Advise management on HR risks, opportunities, and people-related business decisions.
- Support onboarding and integration of new employees as the company expands its local footprint.
- Drive employee engagement, culture, and retention initiatives.
- Collaborate with global HR and business leaders to ensure alignment with corporate objectives.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Psychology, Law, or a related field.
- Master’s degree in Human Resources or a related field (MBA or equivalent) is highly desirable.
- Minimum 8 years of progressive HR experience, including senior leadership positions.
- Strong HR Generalist background covering the full employee lifecycle.
- Proven experience building HR structures, policies, and processes from the ground up.
- Demonstrated experience supporting greenfield operations, start-ups, business expansion projects, or newly established entities.
- Solid knowledge of Brazilian labor law and employment regulations.
- Advanced/Fluent English (spoken and written) is mandatory and will be assessed throughout the selection process.
- Strong stakeholder management, communication, and influencing skills.
- Ability to operate strategically while remaining hands-on in a growing organization.
Preferred Industry Experience
Candidates must have significant experience within one or more of the following sectors:
- Mining
- Oil & Gas
- EPC (Engineering, Procurement & Construction)
- Heavy Industry
- Industrial Services
- Energy and Infrastructure Projects
Key Competencies
- Entrepreneurial mindset
- Business partnering
- Strategic thinking
- Hands-on execution
- Change management
- Organizational development
- Leadership and influence
- Problem-solving and decision-making
- Resilience and adaptability
What We Offer
This is a unique opportunity to become the first HR leader in Brazil and play a critical role in building a local organization from the ground up. The position offers significant exposure to international leadership and the opportunity to shape the people strategy of a growing operation in Brazil.