Sephora HR Operations Specialist
- Employment
- Full-Time
- Seniority
- Senior
- Department
- Human Resources, People & Culture
- Posted
- Apr 23, 2026
About Sephora
Sephora is a leading prestige beauty retailer and a maison within the LVMH Group, renowned for its curated portfolio of global and proprietary brands and a highly experiential retail proposition. The company positions itself around diversity, inclusivity and customer-centric innovation, with an international footprint spanning numerous markets and a strong emphasis on retail excellence.
Sephora in Düsseldorf seeks a Senior HR Operations Specialist (full-time) to lead compensation, HRIS and HR analytics across the DENS hub.
Role & Responsibilities
- Design, implement and oversee compensation and benefits programs across the DENS hub (Denmark, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland), ensuring alignment with the organisation’s strategic objectives and retail salary structures.
- Support and administer the annual individual compensation review process, including salary reviews and variable schemes, and monitor market competitiveness and legislative changes.
- Collaborate with external payroll provider(s) to manage payroll compensation changes, ensure year-round accuracy and support payroll-related budget tracking.
- Manage HR controlling and analytics: maintain HR KPIs (headcount, costs), produce monthly and annual reports (LVMH reporting), and deliver ad-hoc financial and cost-impact analyses.
- Develop and maintain high-quality HR data processes; act as HRIS super-user to improve data integrity and reporting capabilities.
- Prepare and follow up on compensation & benefits budgets and related financial indicators.
- Administer HR documentation and contracts, support governance and process improvement initiatives to enhance reliability and compliance.
- Oversee HR service provider relationships and SLAs, ensuring compliance with indirect purchasing policy and service standards.
- Champion transparency, fairness and ethical decision-making in compensation and benefits administration.
- Participate actively in DENS Health & Safety initiatives and related organisational activities.
- Support fleet management activities as part of the compensation & benefits remit.
Qualifications
- Minimum 5 years of progressive experience in Compensation & Benefits and/or HR operations within a large, matrix organisation; retail, hospitality or service industry experience preferred.
- Demonstrable expertise in compensation practices, market benchmarking and relevant regulatory frameworks.
- Proven analytical capability with strong experience in HR controlling, KPI monitoring and data-driven decision-making.
- Hands-on experience with HRIS platforms and with administering HR data and reporting processes.
- Advanced proficiency in MS Office, particularly Excel and PowerPoint; strong numerical and presentation skills.
- Excellent communication and stakeholder-management skills with the ability to present complex information succinctly.
- High attention to detail, proactive problem-solving mindset, empathy and sound ethical judgement.
- Willingness to travel across the DENS hub.
- Fluency in German and English; French and/or a Scandinavian language(s) is a plus.
Skills
Experience
Minimum five years of experience in Compensation & Benefits and/or HR operations within a large matrix organisation, ideally gained in retail, hospitality or service sectors and including payroll collaboration, HR analytics and HRIS responsibilities.
Education
Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration or related field; advanced HR qualifications or compensation certifications are advantageous.
Workplace
This position is based in Düsseldorf, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.
Culture
Sephora cultivates an inclusive, diverse and empowerment-driven workplace where personal initiative and professional development are encouraged. As part of the LVMH family, the company blends a dynamic retail culture with rigorous standards of excellence and opportunities for cross-border collaboration and learning.
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 Sephora, 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 «Compensation & Benefits Specialist», «HRIS and HR Operations Analyst», «HR Data & Controlling Specialist», «People Operations Specialist», and other variations. Our sophisticated search architecture anticipates these variations, ensuring that inquiries using related terms will seamlessly yield the exact roles you desire.