Senior HR Business Partner (maternity Cover)
Diva-e Sofia
01.2025 - Current
Hi, I’m
Gergana Zheleva
HR Professional
Sofia
Summary
Professional with 360° expertise at the intersection of strategic and operational HR. Advocate of lifelong learning, sports enthusiast, and aspiring sustainable gardener.
Work History
Diva-e Sofia
Senior HR Business Partner (maternity Cover)
01.2025 - Current
Job overview
- Streamline HR processes at the Sofia location, ensuring alignment with diva-e standards in close collaboration with the German HR team.
- Act as a consultant and trusted partner for employees, managers, and leadership—balancing employee needs with company objectives to achieve optimal outcomes.
- Partner with management to drive employee engagement and satisfaction at the highest level.
- Facilitate performance appraisals, manage conflict resolution, and conduct exit interviews; serve as the primary point of contact for all labor law-related inquiries.
- Oversee the entire employee lifecycle, from onboarding and administrative processes to ongoing HR support, ensuring a smooth and positive experience for all employees.
- Ensure legal compliance and represent the company in interactions with governmental authorities.
- Act as a strategic partner in compensation planning, workforce planning, and organizational restructuring.
- Support work mobility and migration initiatives to secure the right talent for business needs.
- Manage HRSM workflows and Jira ticketing system to ensure efficient handling of HR requests and process improvements.
- Lead and develop a team of two direct reports, fostering growth and accountability.
DHL Express Bulgaria
Compensation and Benefits Manager, HR Operations (maternity Cover)
01.2024 - 8 2024
Job overview
- Design and implementation of rewards strategy to ensure marketing competitiveness and internal equity.
- Analysis of legislative and market changes.
- Participation in compensation and benefits surveys (for +550 headcount) to identify consistency with market standards.
- Participating in regional projects to enhance the pay mix and remuneration transparency and understanding. Transformed the structure of remuneration of +550 headcount to align with market trends.
- Delivering job analysis, evaluation, and C&B cycles: annual merit reviews, short-term and long-term incentives; and off-cycle salary adjustments; administering the Performance review process through HRIS.
- Managing labor and employment relations, payroll, and HR-related administration, monthly and ad-hoc reporting as per corporate standards and legislative framework.
Benefit Systems Bulgaria/ Multisport
HR Business Partner
09.2017 - 08.2023
Job overview
- Collaborated with senior management to align HR contribution for organizational goals
- Managed full cycle of recruiting, hiring, onboarding and offboarding of employees. Increased the headcount by 100% in 1.5 year.
- HR Policies: from scratch design of People Agenda and strategy, Policies, and Procedures to build the HR function.
- Talents: Performance and Talent Management; Training needs analysis; and Learning and Development Programs execution.
- Compensation and Benefits: Designing of C&B Policy, annual reviews, and alignment of Compensation Plans (benefits, long- and short-term incentives, perks), structuring the Salary Review Process; building and improving the compensation proposal.
- HR administration and Payroll: maintaining employees' records and managing end-to-end payroll process (external vendor); representing the company in the annual internal and external audits, and before state institutions.
- Engagement Surveys - annual gauging of Employees' Engagement; aligning management's and associates' efforts to create a thriving workplace and enhance retention and overall satisfaction.
- Partnered throughout the organization to define the pillars of the company's culture - the Mission, Vision, and Values, Employer Value Proposition, and Code of conduct.
- Developing and implementing Wellness calendar and events, boosting team spirit.
- Headcount Planning and Budgeting; data reporting and analysis to discover insights and trends.
- Consulting and Coaching Managers on Employment Legislation, Goal setting, and Feedback giving, Performance Review, and Employee Relations.
- Internal communications lead voice.
- Partnered with legal counsel to ensure compliance with employment regulations, reducing potential liability risks for the organization.
- Streamlined change management efforts during company restructures, minimizing disruption to employees and maintaining morale during transitions.
Avon Bulgaria
HR Lead Bulgaria, Albania, and Macedonia
03.2015 - 03.2017
Job overview
- Planning and budgeting the HR annual calendar; budget controlling and vendor management; participation in headcount planning; execution and quarterly control of headcount plans.
- Talent: Recruitment and sourcing strategy; Talent Review facilitation and data preparation; succession planning; support in development plans creation. Managing the performance review process and delivering trainings to managers.
- Compensation&Benefits: implementing global C&B policies. Running/supporting the job evaluation process of positions. Monitoring local market trends to ensure employer's competitiveness.
- Engagement: conducting of Associates Engagement Survey; reviewing and analyzing survey results and facilitating the design of action plans to address weaknesses and leverage strengths.
- Project Participation: leads local HR initiatives and projects, and partners with the Balkans Management Team to cascade EMEA project implementation.
- Leading a team of 5 administrative and HR professionals.
Avon Bulgaria
HR Generalist Bulgaria, Albania, and Macedonia
04.2014 - 03.2015
Job overview
- Recruitment; Employee Orientation, Development, and Trainings.
- HR Administration, maintaining Employees' records and Global HR Management System (Workday); End-to-end Payroll process.
- Coordination of the main People Processes - Performance Management, Talent Review, Salary Reviews (Merit/ Off-cycle/ After Probation).
- Engagement Surveys and Execution of plans to promote Employees' Engagement and Retention; Reporting HR KPIs; Internal Communications and Events.
Self Employed
HR Consultant
01.2012 - 03.2014
Job overview
- Providing extensive support on the implementation of various HR policies; Implementation of core processes such as Performance and Rewards Management, People Planning and Talent Management; Employment Legislation and Organizational Design.
Star Foods Bulgaria, PepsiCo Company
HR Generalist
01.2009 - 12.2012
Job overview
- Building HR calendar, supporting people cost budgeting; preparing monthly HR scorecards (headcount and turnover), HR KPI's reporting.
- Coordinating recruitment and selection process; taking part in Organization Health Surveys, pipelining internal communications.
- Delivering corporate trainings and on-boarding; supporting Performance Management Process;
- Processing payroll related data; submission of salary surveys data.
Star Foods Bulgaria, PepsiCo Company
Executive Assistant
01.2008 - 12.2008
Job overview
- Handling the daily agenda of the GM and providing overall administrative support to Management team.
- Managing trips and meetings; preparing expense reports; organizing top management meetings, minutes taking and follow-up on action plans.
- Organizing company events; executing suppliers evaluations; translating and rolling out global initiatives.
SofStok Ltd, Sofia
Brand Manager Assistant
08.2006 - 12.2007
Job overview
- Preparing forecasts, submitting orders, checking goods in stock; coordinating the preparation of marketing materials and brochures; maintaining relationships with advertising agencies and media; weekly and monthly reports on sales and marketing activities.
- Supervising the execution of BTL activities.
Education
Academy of EconomicsSvishtov
Master of Arts from International Business Management
04.2001
Sofia University Sofia
Bachelor of Arts from European Ethnology
04.2001
Skills
Organizational Effectiveness / Business Acumen
Total Rewards Management / HR Compliance
Learning and Development / Payroll and Labor Law
Employer Branding / MS Office
HR Strategy / HRM System (Workday)
Organizational Effectiveness / Business Acumen
Timeline
Compensation and Benefits Manager, HR Operations (maternity Cover)
DHL Express Bulgaria
01.2024 - 8 2024
HR Business Partner
Benefit Systems Bulgaria/ Multisport
09.2017 - 08.2023
HR Lead Bulgaria, Albania, and Macedonia
Avon Bulgaria
03.2015 - 03.2017
HR Generalist Bulgaria, Albania, and Macedonia
Avon Bulgaria
04.2014 - 03.2015
HR Consultant
Self Employed
01.2012 - 03.2014
HR Generalist
Star Foods Bulgaria, PepsiCo Company
01.2009 - 12.2012
Executive Assistant
Star Foods Bulgaria, PepsiCo Company
01.2008 - 12.2008
Brand Manager Assistant
SofStok Ltd, Sofia
08.2006 - 12.2007
Academy of Economics
Master of Arts from International Business Management
04.2001
Sofia University
Bachelor of Arts from European Ethnology
04.2001
Languages
English
Advanced
C1
French
Intermediate
B1
Bulgarian
Proficient
C2
Trainings and certificates
- Strategic Business Management, In Your Hands, 2020
- Management Skills for Leaders, Avon's Development Center, 2016
- Coaching Sessions, New Minds Executives, 2021
- Train the Trainer, Groupa Set, Poland, 2015
- The Value of People - DISC/TEAMS/VALUES Certification, Institute for Motivational Living, 2015
- Organizational Analysis, Stanford University, online certification through Coursera.org, 2013
Projects
- B-corp certification, Project Lead of the Local Business Unit, 2022
- GDPR compliance preparation, Project Lead, 2017
- AVON CEE Fast Track Development Programme for Top Talents, Project Member, 2016
Trainings and certificates
- Change Management, Actee, Berlin 2025
- Strategic Business Management, In Your Hands, 2020
- Management Skills for Leaders, Avon's Development Center, 2016
- Coaching Sessions, New Minds Executives, 2021
- Train the Trainer, Groupa Set, Poland, 2015
- The Value of People - DISC/TEAMS/VALUES Certification, Institute for Motivational Living, 2015
Overview
19
years of professional experience