ICS Milan, part of Globeducate, one of the leading international K-12 education, is seeking an experienced People & Culture Generalist to lead and manage the HR function within one of our most dynamic international school communities in Italy, with a multicultural, fast-paced and academically ambitious environment where People & Culture plays a critical role in enabling operational excellence and a positive workplace culture.
This role is ideal for a hands-on HR professional who combines strong operational expertise with sound judgement, discretion and the ability to confidently partner with school leadership, fully hands-on role with end-to-end responsibility.
The Role
Reporting directly to the Head of School, with a functional reporting line to the People & Culture Manager Italy, you will act as the key People & Culture reference point for ICS Milan.
You will oversee the full employee lifecycle and ensure that all HR processes are delivered with accuracy, compliance and professionalism, while fostering a respectful, engaging and high-performing work environment.
This is a fully cross-functional, and the successful candidate must therefore feel comfortable managing both strategic and operational aspects of HR, from complex employee relations matters to detailed administrative execution.
You will act as the trusted point of reference for both teaching and non-teaching staff, ensuring consistency, fairness and discretion in all people matters.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead and manage the full employee lifecycle for approximately 200 employees across three campuses: recruitment, onboarding, contract management, compensation and benefits, absence management, employee relations and offboarding.
- Coordinate and oversee payroll processes through Zucchetti Infinity Suite, ensuring accuracy, compliance and timely execution.
- Monitor and maintain employee data integrity and HR reporting dashboards.
- Manage immigration and relocation processes for international staff.
- Provide professional guidance to school leaders on employee relations matters, supporting consistent and compliant decision-making.
- Implement and reinforce HR policies and procedures in line with Italian labour law, GDPR and health & safety regulations.
- Support and coordinate training, engagement and internal communication initiatives that contribute to a positive school culture.
- Act as ambassador of Globeducate values within the school community.
Profile
- Proven experience in a senior HR Generalist or HR Manager role.
- Strong knowledge of Italian labour law and employee relations practices.
- Solid experience coordinating payroll and managing HR administration.
- Proven ability to independently manage the full HR spectrum in a standalone or small-team environment.
- Comfortable balancing strategic awareness with hands-on operational execution in a fast-paced school setting.
- Experience in multicultural or international environments is highly valued.
- Fluency in Italian and English required.
- Experience with Zucchetti or similar HRIS systems is a plus.
What We Offer
- A key and visible role within a leading international school community.
- A multicultural working environment with high professional standards.
- The opportunity to contribute meaningfully to operational excellence and workplace culture.
ICS Milan is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.We particularly welcome applications from under represented groups including ethnicity, gender, transgender, age, disability, sexual orientation or religion.
Successful applications will be subject to child protection screening, including robust vetting procedures, checks with past employers, and relevant safeguarding assessments.