Human Resources Business Partner

Founded in 2000 by three former Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) CF-18 fighter pilots who identified an opportunity to improve military readiness training, Top Aces has since established itself as the world leader in contracted adversary air (ADAIR) services and joint terminal attack controller (JTAC) training.

We pride ourselves on our unblemished safety record, having flown an industry leading 130,000+ hours of operational training without accident in support of customers worldwide, including Canada, the U.S., Germany, and multiple other NATO allies and international partner nations.

Our vision is to be the most trusted provider of innovative defense training solutions, continuously elevating standards in an industry where "Experience Matters." This commitment to innovation and technology ensures we remain adaptable, training allied militaries to succeed against evolving threats.

Top Aces’ dynamic team contributes to delivering on our purpose of training the next generation of combat leaders by living our values of Service, Integrity, Excellence, and Together every day!

Join our team!

Position Summary

The Human Resources Business Partner serves as the lead HR partner for the France program and Netherlands Heavy Maintenance center. They are the primary Human Resources contact for local leaders, managers, and employees. The role provides strategic and hands-on HR support across the full employee lifecycle, oversees standard HR administration, and ensures local practices comply with French and Dutch labour requirements and company standards. The HRBP works in close collaboration with Headquarters to implement corporate HR processes and policies and to support annual programs including performance reviews, talent reviews, and salary reviews, compensation planning, and employee engagement initiatives.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Serve as a trusted advisor to France and Netherlands based leaders and managers on workforce planning, organizational effectiveness, employee relations, performance management, talent development, engagement, and change management.
• Oversee and administer standard HR operations across the employee lifecycle, including recruitment coordination, onboarding, employment changes, promotions, transfers, leaves, employee documentation, and offboarding.
• Provide practical guidance on French and Dutch employment requirements, company policies, performance concerns, workplace investigations, disciplinary matters, and sensitive employee issues, engaging approved legal counsel when appropriate.
• Prepare, review, and maintain employment contracts, amendments, employee correspondence, personnel records, HR files, and required documentation using approved company templates and controls.
• Coordinate payroll inputs and employee changes and work with payroll, Finance, benefits providers, and external advisors to support accurate and compliant administration.
• Administer benefits, leaves, vacation processes, employee inquiries, and local HR programs in accordance with French and Dutch requirements and company standards.
• Support the annual budget process and quarterly reviews of manpower planning and forecasting.
• Support recruitment for France and Netherlands based roles in partnership with hiring managers and the Talent Acquisition team, including workforce planning, role definition, selection, offers, and onboarding.
• Maintain HR reporting, workforce data, compliance records, and key metrics to support operational reviews and business decisions.
• Promote a positive employee experience and demonstrate the company values of Service, Integrity, Excellence, and Together.

Headquarters Collaboration and Annual HR Processes

The HRBP will collaborate closely with Headquarters to ensure consistent governance, timely execution, and appropriate localization of corporate HR programs, including:

• Implementing corporate HR policies, procedures, systems, templates, and programs, with appropriate adaptation for legal and operational requirements.
• Support the annual performance review cycle, providing manager guidance, completion tracking, calibration support, and follow-up actions.
• Supporting succession planning, workforce planning, employee engagement surveys, and related action planning.
• Support the annual merit and salary review process, including employee data validation, manager support, recommendation review, approvals, employee communications, and payroll implementation.
• Supporting annual incentive, recognition, compensation, and benefits processes in accordance with corporate governance and approved local practices.
• Partnering with Headquarters on HRIS administration, reporting, data integrity, policy interpretation, and the rollout of process improvements or new HR initiatives.
• Providing country specific input to corporate policies and processes and escalating local compliance, employee relations, or implementation risks.

France HR Stand-Up Responsibilities

In addition to ongoing HR business partnership and administration, the HRBP will lead or coordinate the establishment of the HR infrastructure required to support France operations, including:

• Establishing a practical France HR implementation plan, compliance calendar, and register of statutory, recurring, and program-specific obligations.
• Coordinating compliant employment contract templates, pre-employment declarations, right-to-work verification, personnel files, onboarding documentation, and document-retention practices.
• Supporting the governance of payroll processes and controls, including payroll inputs, taxable benefits, statutory contributions, and employee changes.
• Implementing and administering mandatory and company-sponsored benefits, insurance, supplemental health coverage, and retirement arrangements, in partnership with Headquarters and approved providers.
• Reviewing, localizing, and implementing HR policies, employee handbook content, employee notices, onboarding materials, and HR procedures.
• Coordinating occupational health enrolment, required medical visits, workplace postings, and required employee communications.
• Monitoring workforce thresholds and supporting employee representation, consultation, social dialogue, collective agreement, and related obligations when applicable.
• Collaborate with HR team to adapt recruitment, onboarding, payroll, performance management, compensation, and employee lifecycle workflows for local requirements while maintaining alignment with company governance.
• Maintaining audit-ready evidence that required registrations, policies, processes, employee documents, and recurring actions are current and complete.

Education and/or Work Experience Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Industrial Relations, Labour Relations, Business Administration, Law, or a related discipline; equivalent experience may be considered.
• Minimum of 7 to 10 years of progressive HR experience, including senior HR business partnering and hands-on operational HR responsibility.
• Strong working knowledge of French labour law, employment practices, employee relations, payroll coordination, statutory benefits, and HR compliance requirements.
• Strong working knowledge of Dutch and other European labour law, employment practices, employee relations, payroll coordination, statutory benefits, and HR compliance requirements.
• Demonstrated experience administering performance management, merit or salary reviews, compensation, benefits, policies, employee handbooks, and employee lifecycle processes.
• Experience establishing HR operations for a new, growing, or rapidly evolving operation is strongly preferred.
• Experience in aviation, aerospace, defence, government contracting, engineering, manufacturing, or another regulated environment is an asset.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office; experience with HRIS, ATS, payroll, learning, and reporting systems is an asset.
• Experience working in an international or matrix organization is an asset.
• Fluent French and English, written and spoken, are required.

Working Conditions

• Hybrid role with regular on-site presence at operational locations in France as required.
• Occasional travel within France, Europe, Canada, or other company locations may be required.

Occupational Health and Safety Responsibilities

• Work in compliance with applicable occupational health and safety requirements and company procedures.
• Promote safe work practices, report hazards or unsafe situations, and support corrective actions.
• Assist local management with legally required health and safety processes, documentation, training, and employee communications.

Security Clearance Requirements

• Local clearance in accordance with program and customer requirements may be required.
• The role may require compliance with applicable security, export-control, confidentiality, and data-protection requirements.

By joining Top Aces, you will find:

• A work environment in which service, integrity, excellence and teamwork are highly valued;
• Opportunities for development and growth;
• Multidisciplinary and multicultural collaboration at a local and global level;
• A flexible schedule;
• Attractive benefit plan.

Come share your passion with us! Here, you’ll be encouraged, empowered, and challenged to be your best self.

Equal Employment Opportunity

At Top Aces, all employees are welcome regardless of race, nationality, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, disability or age. The masculine form may be used in this job description solely for ease of reading but refers to men, women and gender diversity.

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