Thomas Just

Innovative Total Rewards Strategist | HR Vision & Transformation | Payroll Execution | Financial Leadership | HR Technology Deployment | Senior Leadership | Operations Optimization

Zurich, Switzerland

About

With over 15 years of experience in HR and finance, I have a proven track record of leading and executing innovative and strategic initiatives across total rewards, payroll, and financial analysis. I have successfully delivered scalable and sustainable programs that align with the business goals and the employee experience, while ensuring compliance and efficiency. In my previous role as a Total Rewards Director at Dow, I was accountable for formulating and implementing robust total reward strategies for a global workforce. I enabled expertise teams in four hub locations to manage operations globally, and achieved targeted business objectives by transitioning to a new delivery model for benefits. I also set priorities and expectations for a worldwide team of 50 benefits specialists, and implemented enterprise programs such as global total rewards evaluation. Additionally, I have extensive experience in leading payroll and finance functions across multiple regions and countries, driving business growth, restructuring legal and tax entities, and supervising and mentoring cross-functional teams. I am passionate about leveraging my HR and finance expertise to support business transformation and growth, and to create a positive and inclusive work culture. I am always eager to learn new skills and technologies, and to collaborate with diverse and talented stakeholders. I am looking for opportunities to apply my knowledge and experience to help organizations achieve their vision and mission.

Experience

  • Compensation & Benefit Leader Europe at GE Vernova
    Aug 2024 - Present · 1 yr 11 mos

  • Dow (On-site)
    • Total Rewards Director - Benefits
      Jan 2019 - Nov 2022 · 3 yrs 11 mos

      I was accountable for formulating and implementing robust total reward strategies. I encourage teams and attain desired business outcomes through initiation of market competitive, economically sustainable, inclusive, and innovative benefit programmes. I successfully accomplish targeted business objectives by transitioning to new delivery model for benefits, enabling expertise teams in four hub locations to manage operations globally. I set priorities to achieve business and HR objectives while delivering against design, delivery, and improvement expectations for worldwide team of 50 benefits specialists. Furthermore, I implement enterprise programmes such as global total rewards evaluation, roll-out of wellbeing programme with mobile-enabled portal for all employees, workplace flexibility, adoption of new international standard for parental leave, and other inclusive DEI benefits programs. The achievements from this role have included the following: • Led strategy, design, implementation, and management of 500+ benefit programs with total spend of $1.3BM across 62 countries for 37.000 employees. • Succeeded in consistently driving global efficiencies through deployment of HR technology and process optimisation. • Oversaw global portfolio of metrics and acting based on key performance indicators to ensure efficiencies while providing desired employee experience. • Directed portfolio of 300 vendors, adding value through collaboration and design of affordable outsourced solutions, generating higher profit margins while upholding ideal risk management and internal control.

    • Head of Payroll Europe, Middle East, Africa & India
      Mar 2013 - Dec 2018 · 5 yrs 10 mos

      At Dow Chemical Company, I conceptualised robust payroll strategy to ensure productive, efficient, and complaint delivery of all payroll and time/absence related activities for 14,000 employees across 40 countries throughout Europe. I built a service centre for payroll and reorganised the EMEAI structure by centralising payroll activities for 30 countries. I increased operational efficiency through standardised processes, improved work quality, and business continuity. Moreover, I enhanced overall business procedures for calculating and paying all income taxes, social security, and payroll for expatriates with five years of clean statutory audits. A small selection of the highlights of this role includes: • Strengthened Sarbanes Oxley (SOX) internal control framework across HR organisation to ensure regulatory compliance and risk management. • Increased employee engagement by 15% and maintained attrition below company average by leading EMEAI payroll organisation with team responsibilities of 40+ members. • Implemented pan-European payroll platforms supported by two payroll providers as part of multiyear payroll IT transformation, removing 30 payroll vendors and realising annual cost synergies of $6MM.

    • Finance & Statutory Director Nordic Region
      May 2010 - Feb 2013 · 2 yrs 10 mos

      My tenure as a Finance & Statutory Director enabled me to maintain tax compliance, involving transfer pricing documentation, income tax filling, and tax restructuring. I supervised and encouraged six financial controllers to meet assigned goals. I drove business growth by successfully transitioning Danish business operations to multiple locations in DOW and closed Danish office within time and budgetary constraints. I restructured legal entities, tax structure and harmonised holding structure between DOW and Rohm & Haas. The values delivered during this role included the following: • Achieved shared vision and goals by heading all activities of FP&A, USGAAP and statutory reporting across 35 legal entities along with FY sales of $1.5BM. • Reduced statutory cycle time spent by 10% through enhancement of statutory reporting process via redesigning process and creating new consolidation model. • Built new six-person financial team, established finance centre in Switzerland, and integrated all financial reporting capabilities and business processes; succeeded in 100% operationalising company in six months.

  • Finance Manager/office manager at Rohm and Haas
    Nov 2005 - Apr 2010 · 4 yrs 6 mos

  • Internal controller at Maersk Air
    2003 - 2005 · 2 yrs