Universo HR Business Partner (Maternity Cover)

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Location
Employment Temporary
Seniority Mid-Level
Posted Mar 11, 2026

Universo (Swatch Group) in La Chaux-de-Fonds seeks an HR Business Partner (maternity cover) to manage apprenticeships and support managers.

Overview

Universo SA is a member of the Swatch Group, a global leader in Swiss watchmaking. The company specialises in watch hands, dial appliqués and hesalite watch glasses, and operates within a culture of technical precision, artisanal craft and industrial excellence typical of the Swatch Group portfolio.

Role & Responsibilities

  • Act as HR Business Partner for assigned business units during a maternity-leave replacement, providing operational HR support to line managers.
  • Manage the end-to-end apprenticeship programme: recruitment, onboarding, vocational school coordination, progress monitoring and assessment.
  • Provide coaching and guidance to managers on performance management, talent development and employee relations.
  • Execute day-to-day HR activities including contracts, absence management, disciplinary procedures and local compliance with Swiss labour law.
  • Support recruitment and selection for entry-level and skilled technical roles, with a focus on early-career talent pipelines.
  • Contribute to training initiatives and career-pathing for apprentices and junior employees.
  • Maintain HR records and prepare basic HR reporting to track apprentice progress and staffing metrics.
  • Liaise with vocational schools, external training partners and internal stakeholders to ensure high-quality vocational training delivery.

Qualifications

  • Proven experience as an HR Generalist or HR Business Partner, ideally with responsibility for apprenticeship or vocational training programmes.
  • Practical knowledge of Swiss labour law and HR administration.
  • Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to coach managers and engage young talent.
  • Experience working in a manufacturing, technical or industrial environment is an advantage.
  • Ability to manage multiple operational tasks with rigour, confidentiality and discretion.

Skills

Apprenticeship programme management Employee relations and case management Performance management and managerial coaching Recruitment and onboarding HR administration and contract management Stakeholder management and cross-functional collaboration Training coordination and vocational school liaison Basic HR reporting and record-keeping

Experience

Several years of hands-on HR experience as a generalist or HRBP, including direct involvement in apprenticeship or early-career talent programmes; experience in a Swiss industrial or manufacturing context is highly desirable.

Education

Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration or equivalent professional experience.

Workplace

The role is situated in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Neuchâtel, Switzerland. There are currently 28 open positions in La Chaux-de-Fonds on Cerulean. Within Neuchâtel, Cerulean currently features 94 open roles. Across Switzerland, Cerulean lists 722 open roles — 19 of them newly added.

Culture

As part of the Swatch Group, Universo combines Swiss craftsmanship with industrial-scale precision. The workplace values technical excellence, mentorship of young talent and close collaboration between production and HR to sustain vocational training and long-term skill development.

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

A.

The luxury industry is characterised by a diverse and nuanced nomenclature. Esteemed houses frequently employ proprietary terminology, and even within a single organisation like Universo, 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 «Human Resources Business Partner», «People Business Partner», «HR Generalist — Business Partner», «HR Partner (Apprenticeships & Operations)», and other variations. Our sophisticated search architecture anticipates these variations, ensuring that inquiries using related terms will seamlessly yield the exact roles you desire.