Christian Kleiner - Self-employed Human Resources Interim Manager & Consultant

Q: Where is Christian based?

Christian is based in Hatten, Germany .

Q: What languages does Christian speak?

Christian speaks the following languages: German (Native), English (Intermediate) .

Q: How many years of experience does Christian have?

Christian has at least 37 years of experience. During this time, Christian has worked in at least 14 different roles and for 14 different companies . The average length of individual experience is 2 years . Note that Christian may not have shared all experience and actually has more experience.

Q: What is Christian's latest experience?

Christian's most recent position is Self-employed Human Resources Interim Manager & Consultant at KNDS Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG .

Q: What companies has Christian worked for in recent years?

In recent years, Christian has worked for KNDS Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG , Alstom Transportation Deutschland GmbH , Rügenwalder Mühle Carl Müller GmbH & Co. KG , SAACKE GmbH , and Robert Bosch Aftermarket Solutions GmbH .

Q: Which industries is Christian most experienced in?

Christian is most experienced in industries like Food and Beverage , Manufacturing , and Energy . Christian also has some experience in Automotive , Professional Services , and Information Technology .

Q: Which business areas is Christian most experienced in?

Christian is most experienced in business areas like Human Resources , Operations , and Information Technology . Christian also has some experience in Project Management , Legal , and Accounting .

Q: Which industries has Christian worked in recently?

Christian has recently worked in industries like Manufacturing , Automotive , and Food and Beverage .

Q: Which business areas has Christian worked in recently?

Christian has recently worked in business areas like Human Resources , Information Technology , and Legal .

Recommended expert

Hatten, Germany

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Experience

Oct 2025 - Mar 2026

6 months

Görlitz, Germany

Self-employed Human Resources Interim Manager & Consultant

KNDS Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG

Support with establishing and setting up the new site and the new organizational structure
Close coordination with the HR project manager at KNDS
Advice on transferring former Alstom employees via a transfer company
Preparation of the direct transfer of the training department
Coordination with the transfer company
Support for the new local management team

Mar 2024 - Mar 2026

2 years 1 month

Görlitz, Germany

Self-employed Human Resources Interim Manager

Alstom Transportation Deutschland GmbH

Duties of the Site HR Director for approx. 700 employees
Preparation of the site closure
Transfer of approx. 200 employees to a neighboring site after social selection
Preparation of mass layoff notifications
Transition of employees into a transfer company
Preparation of the site takeover by the successor company
Negotiation of termination agreements; issuing dismissals
Representation of the company in labor court cases
Advising the General Manager and the management team
Negotiation and constructive cooperation with the works council(s)

Aug 2022 - Dec 2023

1 year 5 months

Head of HR

Rügenwalder Mühle Carl Müller GmbH & Co. KG

Building, leading, and developing the HR team with 3 team leaders and 13 employees
Creating legally compliant employment contract templates
Decision on the use and development of HR software, including data security
Designing and building basic HR structures and processes
Designing and building HR reporting / KPI system
Setting up regular meetings with employee representatives
Designing and negotiating various company agreements (mobile working, time tracking, working hours in administration and shift operations, short-time work, variable compensation, use of various IT software solutions)
Taking over and leading the pandemic team
Recruiting managers together with the management
Launch of an employer branding campaign
Designing and negotiating various company agreements (working hours in administration, working hours in shift operations, smoke-free company, mobile working, variable compensation, qualification matrix, employee referral program)

Jan 2022 - Jul 2022

7 months

Bremen, Germany

Global Director Human Resources / Authorized Signatory

SAACKE GmbH

Leading and developing the HR team with 6 employees
Revising the ERA pay system
Negotiations with the works council and trade union
Implementation of legally compliant employment contracts at all hierarchical levels
Designing and introducing salary bands in the non-tariff area
Designing and negotiating a work policy
Revising the budgeting basis
Leading and coaching 5 HR team members and 6 trainers
Building a reporting system based on KPI
Recruiting specialists and managers
Designing, negotiating, and introducing an employee development program
Designing, negotiating, and implementing various company agreements

Jun 2020 - Dec 2021

1 year 7 months

Göttingen, Germany

Site Head of HR

Robert Bosch Aftermarket Solutions GmbH

Performing the duties of the site HR manager in Göttingen with approx. 320 employees
Dealing with ERA, electrical and metal collective agreements
Leading and developing the HR team with 4 employees
Leading the two training managers
Preparation of a carve-out
Recruiting specialists and managers
Negotiations with the local works council
Reorganization of HR processes

Jan 2020 - May 2020

5 months

Independent application coach for career starters and experienced professionals

Jan 2020 - May 2020

5 months

Independent HR interim manager

Dec 2017 - Nov 2019

2 years

Herzebrock-Clarholz, Germany

Senior Director HR / authorized signatory

HOMAG Bohrsysteme GMBH

Taking on the duties of the HR manager at the Herzebrock-Clarholz site with approx. 760 employees and at the Lemgo site with approx. 250 employees
Working with ERA, electrical and metal collective bargaining agreements
Building, improving, leading and developing the HR teams with 8 employees
Managing commercial and technical training with 3 trainers and 74 trainees
Negotiations with the works councils at the sites / union
Negotiation and conclusion of works agreements, e.g. working hours, time recording, smoking rules, works rules
Preparing and conducting manager training sessions for the ERA performance review
Modifying the works agreement and the period for the ERA performance review
Revising and evaluating ERA job descriptions
Preparing and conducting meetings of the parity commission
Process optimization and harmonization between sites and transfer of best practices to the group
Standardizing contract formats
Personnel and budget planning, investment planning
Advising the Senior Vice President and his direct reports
Designing labor law training sessions

Dec 2017 - Nov 2019

2 years

Lemgo, Germany

Senior Director HR / authorized signatory

HOMAG Kantentechnik GmbH

Jun 2017 - Nov 2017

6 months

HR interim HR manager

HOMAG Bohrsysteme GmbH

Taking on the duties of the HR manager at the Herzebrock-Clarholz site with approx. 760 employees
Working with ERA and the metal collective bargaining agreement
Restructuring the HR department with 4 employees
Managing commercial and technical training with 3 trainers and 74 trainees
Negotiations with the works councils at the site
Preparing and conducting manager training sessions for the ERA performance review 2017
Preparing and conducting the ERA performance review
Revising and evaluating ERA job descriptions
Preparing and conducting meetings of the parity commission for dealing with objections to the ERA performance review 2016
Process optimization and harmonization at the site
Standardizing contract formats
Personnel and budget planning, investment planning
Advising the Senior Vice President and his direct reports

Feb 2017 - Apr 2017

3 months

Frankfurt an der Oder, Germany

HR Interim Manager

D+S communication center Frankfurt / Oder GmbH

Took on the duties of the HR manager at the Frankfurt / Oder site with approx. 460 employees
Led the HR team with 3 employees
Recruited specialists and managers
Designed and conducted assessment centers
Negotiations with the local works council
Representation of the company in labor law matters
Advising the managing director and his direct reports

Dec 2011 - Sep 2016

4 years 10 months

Herten, Germany

Head of HR / Authorized Signatory

Coca-Cola Erfrischungsgetränke AG

Jul 2007 - Nov 2011

4 years 5 months

Deizisau, Germany

Head of HR / Authorized Signatory

Coca-Cola Erfrischungsgetränke AG

Responsibility for up to 11 locations (4 production plants, 7 sales sites), approx. 2,200 employees, 11 works council bodies
Led the HR team with up to 13 employees at up to 4 locations, 6 in direct line management
Simultaneous closure of 5 locations: 2 production units and 3 sales sites.
Compiled all data for the economic committee
Ensured all severance calculations
Assembled, briefed, scheduled, and supported the HR restructuring team
Assigned the management team to communicate at the 5 affected sites
Contacted affiliated companies in the nearby area to negotiate accommodation for our affected employees
Contacted chambers of industry and commerce to find alternative training companies for affected apprentices
Took part in negotiations on a reconciliation of interests
Held one-on-one talks with affected employees and advised them on available options (severance pay, release from duty, transfer)
Prepared proposals for severance packages for especially hard-hit employees, e.g. those with spouses in need of care
Restructured the entire finance area with around 60 employees, moving activities to headquarters in Berlin
Restructured sales, warehousing, and service technology through outsourcing, resulting in socially responsible separation from around 60 employees
Prepared and operationally managed business transfers under BGB Section 613a for the vending business. The starting point was that we were able, one after another, to win several production sites of a globally known car manufacturer as customers. In each case, we depended on taking over at least most of the employees already working there for the former vending operator, because with up to 600 cold and hot drink, snack, and catering machines to be taken over, we urgently needed their know-how.
Contacted the HR department of the predecessor organization to ideally obtain personnel files of affected employees and agree on time slots in which we could talk to and get to know the affected employees
Contacted the works council of the predecessor organization to involve them in the process in a transparent way
Contacted the internal receiving works council to actively involve them in the employee transfer
Contacted the vending customer to inform them in advance about our arrival
Contacted the local vending team leader to arrange time slots for personal talks with the affected employees as part of the planning process
Organized an employee meeting for the staff affected at the site of the former vending operator and presented the Coca-Cola vending organization
Held one-on-one talks with the affected employees, collected relevant employee data, and created photos for site IDs
Handed over the relevant documentation on the business transfer and the election form (the employee may object to the business transfer or must give explicit consent. In case of objection, the existing contractual terms are frozen). Explained the meaning of a business transfer
Discussed existing contractual arrangements with employees (working time, break time, salary, benefits, etc.) and future arrangements under a Coca-Cola contract
Administered the onboarding of the affected employees and handed over the corresponding contract documents
Integration tasks such as introducing and optimizing company-wide systems and processes. Due to the repurchase of bottling concessions in Germany from dozens of individual concessionaires, all HR IT systems had to be standardized, all HR processes harmonized, and almost all works agreements adapted or renegotiated.
Worked on various national / international HR projects with the aim of creating a uniform and optimal SAP-based user interface for the German sites. For example, I was a project member in the HR team that adapted the recruiting tool already implemented at Coke in Australia to German processes and labor law requirements. Since the project lead was Australian, all discussions and coordination were conducted in English.
Independently negotiated and concluded works agreements at up to 11 different sites. The main topics were working time agreements, break, on-call, and smoking rules, mobile phone ban, and use of temporary workers
Mediated between management and works councils. The situation at Coke in Baden-Württemberg was that, due to the insistence on positions on both the employee and employer sides, constructive and trusting cooperation was not possible. In addition, the chair of the group works council came from the main site in Baden-Württemberg, so every opportunity was used to cite, place, and address topics directly at headquarters in Berlin.
Supported up to 11 managers regarding training and development agreements. Based on the development agreements defined together with the line manager, corresponding training was selected from the national training curriculum or alternative providers were searched for individual or group training. It was explicitly defined within what time frame the development measures should start or be completed and what the purpose and goal of each measure should be.
Independently negotiated and concluded works agreements at up to 11 different sites. The main topics were working time agreements, break, on-call, and smoking rules, mobile phone ban, and use of temporary workers

Mar 2007 - Sep 2007

7 months

Berlin, Germany

HR Interim Manager

Coca-Cola Erfrischungsgetränke AG

Supported and managed the HR processes of a national restructuring project in the IT area. As part of this project, around 120 IT employees at 45 locations were moved into a new customer-optimized structure, which also included the conversion and support of a SAP IT landscape
Recruitment task for 20 IT positions (SAP specialists)
Full HR service for the CIO, 5 IT managers, and approx. 140 employees
Led an HR officer

Oct 2006 - Feb 2007

5 months

Heide, Germany

HR Manager

VISHAY

Responsibility for the production sites in Heide and Itzehoe with approx. 650 employees
Led 6 employees in 2 HR teams
Advised department managers, divisional heads, and the divisional director on all HR and labor law topics
Negotiated the collective pay framework agreement

Aug 1998 - Sep 2006

8 years 2 months

HR Manager

KRAFT FOODS Germany

Responsibility for the production sites in Bremen and Berlin with around 470 employees
Setup and management of 4 employees in 2 HR teams
Reduction and restructuring of production staff
Negotiation of an in-house collective agreement for the Berlin plant
Negotiation of KF's first "works agreement on employee appraisal" with the union and works councils
Participation in national / international HR projects
"Training & Development" for 4 plants with around 700 employees
Responsibility for "Social Services" and "Plant Security"

Apr 1991 - Jul 1998

7 years 4 months

Visbek, Germany

HR Officer

REHAU AG & Co.

Responsibility for a production plant with 350 employees
Introduction of IT systems in the HR department
Management of all HR processes
Staffing adjustments based on needs
Recruitment and management of all trainees
Responsibility for cash desk and inventory preparation

Aug 1988 - Mar 1991

2 years 8 months

Barnstorf, Germany

Apprenticeship as industrial clerk / employment in accounts payable review

Wintershall AG

Industry Experience

See where this freelancer has spent most of their professional time.

Experienced in Food and Beverage, Manufacturing, Energy, Automotive, Aerospace and Defense, and Professional Services.

Food and Beverage

Manufacturing

Energy

Automotive

Aerospace and Defense

Professional Services

Business Area Experience

See which departments and functions this freelancer has contributed to most.

Experienced in Human Resources, Operations, Information Technology, Project Management, Legal, and Accounting.

Human Resources

Operations

Information Technology

Project Management

Legal

Accounting

Summary

HR professional with a broad generalist background and 30 years of experience in the FMCG sector
Very good knowledge of labor law, works constitution law, and collective bargaining law
Experienced manager with a cooperative leadership style
Strong communication, negotiation, and assertiveness skills
Leading projects on core HR topics

Skills

Ms Office Package
Ms Outlook
Lotus Notes
Sap R3 Hr Module
Successfactors
Ases
Internet
Html
Volunteer Judge At The Detmold Social Court
Volunteer Judge At The Labor Courts In Stuttgart, Herne, And Bremen
Very Good Knowledge Of German Labor Law

Languages

German

Native

English

Intermediate

Education

Feb 1992 - Sep 1995

Distance learning

State-certified business administrator · Human resources and training management

Aug 1988 - Mar 1991

Wintershall AG

Training as industrial clerk · Industrial clerk · Barnstorf, Germany

Certifications & licenses

Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English

Statistics

Experience

Total positions 18

Experience in Food and Beverage 19 y

Avg length 2 y 2 m

Longest experience 8 y 1 m

Global Experience

Countries worked in 1 (Germany)

Primary country Germany

Expertise

Recent roles Self-employed Human Resources Interim Manager & Consultant, Self-employed Human Resources Interim Manager, Head of HR

Main industries Food and Beverage, Manufacturing, Energy

Main business areas Human Resources, Operations, Information Technology

Qualifications

Highest degree Bachelor

Certifications earned 1

Profile

Created

August 2026

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Frequently asked questions

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Christian is based in Hatten, Germany.

Christian speaks the following languages: German (Native), English (Intermediate).

Christian has at least 37 years of experience. During this time, Christian has worked in at least 14 different roles and for 14 different companies. The average length of individual experience is 2 years. Note that Christian may not have shared all experience and actually has more experience.

Based on recent experience, Christian would be well-suited for roles such as: Self-employed Human Resources Interim Manager & Consultant, Self-employed Human Resources Interim Manager, Head of HR.

Christian's most recent position is Self-employed Human Resources Interim Manager & Consultant at KNDS Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG.

In recent years, Christian has worked for KNDS Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, Alstom Transportation Deutschland GmbH, Rügenwalder Mühle Carl Müller GmbH & Co. KG, SAACKE GmbH, and Robert Bosch Aftermarket Solutions GmbH.

Christian is most experienced in industries like Food and Beverage, Manufacturing, and Energy. Christian also has some experience in Automotive, Professional Services, and Information Technology.

Christian is most experienced in business areas like Human Resources, Operations, and Information Technology. Christian also has some experience in Project Management, Legal, and Accounting.

Christian has recently worked in industries like Manufacturing, Automotive, and Food and Beverage.

Christian has recently worked in business areas like Human Resources, Information Technology, and Legal.

Christian holds a Bachelor in Human resources and training management from Distance learning.

Christian has 1 certificate: Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English.

Christian will be available full-time from September 2026.

Christian's rate depends on the specific project requirements. Please use the Meet button on the profile to schedule a meeting and discuss the details.

To hire Christian, click the Meet button on the profile to request a meeting and discuss your project needs.

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Actual rates may vary depending on seniority level, experience, skill specialization, project complexity, and engagement length.

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Daily rate avg. 874 €

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Median rate 880 €

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Actual rates may vary depending on seniority level, experience, skill specialization, project complexity, and engagement length.