Regional HR & Rewards Manager Nordics

We supply the sustainable and innovative paints and coatings that our customers, communities – and the environment – are increasingly relying on. Our world class portfolio of brands – including International, Interpon, Nordsjö and Sikkens – is trusted by customers around the globe. We’re active in more than 150 countries and have set our sights on becoming the global industry leader. It’s what you’d expect from a pioneering paints company that’s committed to science-based targets and is taking genuine action to address globally relevant challenges and protect future generations. 
We are around 1 000 employees in the Nordic countries. At the three production sites in Sweden we produce and develop paints and coatings for consumer, retail, and industry customers. Our headquartered is situated in Amsterdam, in the Netherlands.

We are looking for a senior Regional HR & Rewards Manager to lead the Nordic people agenda across four countries. This is a high-impact leadership role combining strategic influence, operational excellence, and ownership of a forward-looking Rewards agenda in a complex, international environment.

What can AkzoNobel offer you? 

At AkzoNobel you are met by a warm and welcoming atmosphere. We work together with a focus on innovation and sustainability, to be the leader in our industry. Diversity enriches our workplaces and we work actively together with our employees to make them thrive and develop. We work strategically to become a better employer. We offer you an international working environment where you take on rewarding and challenging tasks that broaden your horizon and develop you in your role. You will work with competent and like-minded colleagues who share your attitude and enthusiasm. Welcome! 

What will you do?

As Regional HR & Rewards Manager Nordics, you will lead the full HR and Rewards agenda across Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Finland. You will combine strategic leadership with operational oversight, ensuring that HR delivery is consistent, high-quality, and aligned with both regional business priorities and the global HR strategy. In this role, you will be accountable for shaping and executing the people agenda, strengthening organizational capability, and driving a competitive and forward-looking Rewards framework across the Nordics. Operating in a complex matrix environment, you will balance local business needs with standardization and efficiency, while building strong alignment across stakeholders and functions.

• Lead and develop the Nordic HR organization, ensuring delivery in line with SLAs, KPIs, and business expectations
• Drive and implement the regional HR strategy, aligning country priorities with corporate and functional direction
• Own and advance the Rewards agenda, driving continuous improvement, simplification, and alignment with global frameworks
• Oversee HR operations and collaboration across HR teams, Centers of Expertise, People Services, and business leaders
• Lead labour relations and union engagement, ensuring alignment with corporate industrial relations strategy

This is a permanent position with a preferred start date as soon as possible. You will be based in Malmö and report to HR Manager Dach & Nordics.

Who are you?

You are a senior HR and Rewards leader with a strong track record of delivering measurable impact in complex, international matrix organizations. You bring both strategic insight and operational excellence, with the ability to lead transformation, influence senior stakeholders, and navigate ambiguity. With deep expertise across HR disciplines and a strong understanding of Rewards, you are able to translate business needs into effective people strategies while building trust and engagement across the organization.

• University degree or equivalent, with extensive HR leadership experience including Rewards in an international environment
• Proven expertise in labour relations, stakeholder management, and leading HR in a matrix organization
• Strong experience driving Rewards strategies, with a focus on continuous improvement and alignment to global frameworks
• Demonstrated change leadership capability with a track record of delivering sustainable transformation
• Experienced people leader with excellent communication, influencing, and stakeholder management skills, fluent in English

Your application 

At AkzoNobel we are very committed to ensuring an inclusive and respectful workplace where all employees can be their best selves. We strive to embrace diversity, tolerance and respect. Our recruitment process plays a major role in this journey as it lays the foundation for a diverse work environment. In our organization, all qualified applicants are treated from an equal perspective regardless of ethnic origin, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age or disability. 

We review applications on an ongoing basis and unfortunately do not accept applications via email.

For further information about recruitment process, please contact, Ashna Badal, Talent Acquisition Team Lead, Ashna.Badal@akzonobel.com