Chanel Human Resources Director
- Location
- Seniority
- Director
- Department
- Human Resources, People & Culture
- Industry
- Fashion, Apparel & Leather Goods
- Posted
- Apr 23, 2026
About Chanel
Chanel is a privately held French luxury house renowned for haute couture, ready-to-wear, leather goods, fine jewelry, watches, fragrances and beauty. The maison combines traditional artisanal craftsmanship with global operations, maintaining exacting standards of quality, creativity and discretion across its manufacturing, retail and corporate activities.
Chanel seeks a Human Resources Director in Compiègne, France to lead site HR strategy, employee relations and talent development.
Role & Responsibilities
- Lead and implement the HR strategy for the Compiègne site, ensuring alignment with global and regional Chanel objectives.
- Manage all site-level HR activities including talent acquisition, onboarding, performance management, learning & development and succession planning.
- Serve as the primary HR business partner to local senior management, advising on organisational design, workforce planning and change management.
- Ensure compliance with French labour law and internal policies; oversee disciplinary processes, contracts and HR record-keeping.
- Own social dialogue and employee representation matters (works council/CSE), leading negotiations and maintaining constructive industrial relations.
- Build and develop the local HR team; set priorities, coach managers and promote internal mobility and career pathways.
- Drive employee engagement, retention initiatives and site culture programmes that reflect Chanel’s values of craftsmanship and excellence.
- Coordinate with global HR, payroll, and occupational health teams to deliver consistent HR services and site-specific solutions.
Qualifications
- Proven senior HR leadership experience, ideally as an HR Director or Head of HR at a site or regional level within complex organisations.
- Deep practical knowledge of French labour law and experience managing social dialogue and collective negotiations.
- Demonstrated ability to lead change and to partner effectively with operational leaders in manufacturing, retail or comparable environments.
- Track record of building HR teams and implementing talent, performance and development frameworks.
- Strong analytical, communication and stakeholder-management skills with executive presence.
- Fluency in professional French; English proficiency advantageous.
Skills
Experience
Extensive senior human resources experience with progressive responsibility, including proven leadership of HR teams and direct involvement in employee relations and site-level HR operations. Experience within luxury goods, manufacturing or retail is strongly preferred.
Education
Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration or related field; advanced degree or HR certification preferred.
Workplace
This position is based in Compiègne, Hauts-de-France, France, within easy reach of Paris.
Culture
Chanel fosters a workplace defined by craftsmanship, discretion and uncompromising quality. Employees are expected to combine operational rigour with creative sensibility, and the organisation prioritises long-term development, internal mobility and respect for heritage across its global operations.
About Cerulean
Cerulean is the definitive career portal for the global luxury industry. We match exceptional professionals with exclusive opportunities at the world's most prestigious brands. From haute couture and fine watchmaking to prestige beauty, hospitality, and boutique retail, Cerulean centralises luxury employment to help you find the career for which you were destined.
Frequently Asked Questions
The luxury industry is characterised by a diverse and nuanced nomenclature. Esteemed houses frequently employ proprietary terminology, and even within a single organisation like Chanel, titles may vary across global markets to reflect local conventions. To ensure absolute clarity, Cerulean assigns a standardised, industry-coherent canonical title to every listing. However, it is worth noting that this role is functionally synonymous with «Head of Human Resources», «HR Site Director», «Head of People & Culture», «HR Business Partner Lead», and other variations. Our sophisticated search architecture anticipates these variations, ensuring that inquiries using related terms will seamlessly yield the exact roles you desire.