HR Generalist
Turner & Townsend is a global consultancy with more than 22,000 employees across over 60 countries.
Working alongside our clients in the real estate, infrastructure, energy, and natural resources sectors, we transform projects to deliver outcomes that improve people’s lives. Our collaborative approach enables us to deliver the world’s most ambitious projects and programs, turning challenges into opportunities and complexity into success.
Our areas of expertise include program and project management, cost and commercial management, performance and oversight, procurement and supply chain, net zero transition, as well as digital solutions.
We are majority-owned by CBRE Group, Inc., the world’s largest provider of commercial real estate services and investment management, while our partners retain a significant minority stake. Turner & Townsend and CBRE work together to provide clients with the best experience in program, project, and cost management across global markets.
For more information, visit our website: www.turnerandtownsend.com
In 2024, CBRE and Turner & Townsend combined their project management business. This has already been completed in some geographies, with Portugal to follow in August 2026.
Turner and Townsend in Iberia are now expanding their HR team and are seeking an experienced HR Generalist to own, drive and convert local HR operations for and in Portugal. In this stand-alone, generalist and hands-on role, you will report into the Iberia HR Lead (located in Spain), drive regional HR excellence within a diverse and growing entity. The role contains the full scope of HR operations, encompassing the entire employee lifecycle, from onboarding to performance management and talent development.
Place of work is Lisbon, Portugal. Preferred start date: 1 September 2026.
Key Responsibilities
- Onboarding: Lead the onboarding process and deliver engaging new-hire orientations to ensure a great new starter experience and successful integration of the transferred CBRE team to the Turner & Townsend environment.
- Employee Relations: Act as the go-to HR contact for employees, collaborating with the Iberia and/or Europe HR team when needed to resolve questions and concerns.
- Compensation & Benefits: Implement benefits programs (supported by the regional Comp&Ben Lead), ensure compliance with Portuguese regulations, and support annual rewards cycles.
- Payroll: Own and drive the monthly payroll process for the Portuguese entity; prepare monthly information for the external payroll provider.
- Policies & Compliance: Ensure full compliance with Portuguese labor law and local employment regulations. Create required policies and keep them updated; issue and manage employment contracts, work time recording obligations, H&S requirements, and termination processes.
- Training & Development: Support the coordination of learning initiatives, training sessions, and career development activities.
- Performance Management: Help run performance review cycles, track progress, and ensure timely completion in line with global guidelines.
- HR Data & Reporting: Maintain accurate HR records, update databases, and communicate changes promptly to the external payroll provider.
- Health & Safety: Support H&S compliance, wellness initiatives, and coordination of occupational health activities.
- Employee Engagement: Assist the Country Lead with events, engagement programs, surveys, and follow-up actions.
- HR Administration: Prepare employment documents, manage contracts, support immigration processes, and handle HR correspondence.
- HRIS: Ensure full data accuracy and act as the first point of contact for the local management team for any HRIS related queries.
- HR Projects: Contribute to HR projects by providing local insights and supporting implementation.
- Talent acquisition: Support our regional Talent Acquisition team with local recruitment tasks if and where required.
- >5 years of experience in a similar HR role in Portugal within an international, complex and dynamic work environment and with exposure to multiple HR areas.
- Mergers & Acquisition and change management experience preferred
- Strong knowledge of Portuguese labor law and local employment regulations.
- Excellent communication skills and ability to build strong relationships.
- High level of confidentiality, professionalism, and personal integrity.
- Hands-on, proactive solution-oriented approach
- Strong prioritization and organizational skills.
- Experience with HRIS Workday preferred.
- Fluent Portuguese and English (spoken and written).
- Valid Portuguese work and residence permit.
- Bachelor’s degree in HR, Business Administration, or any related field.
Additional Information
Our inspired people share our vision and mission. We provide a great place to work, where each person has the opportunity and voice to affect change.
We want our people to succeed both in work and life. To support this we promote a healthy, productive and flexible working environment that respects work-life balance.
Turner & Townsend is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees and actively encourage applications from all sectors of the community.
Please find out more about us at www.turnerandtownsend.com/
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It is strictly against Turner & Townsend policy for candidates to pay any fee in relation to our recruitment process. No recruitment agency working with Turner & Townsend will ask candidates to pay a fee at any time.
Any unsolicited resumes/CVs submitted through our website or to Turner & Townsend personal e-mail accounts, are considered property of Turner & Townsend and are not subject to payment of agency fees. In order to be an authorised Recruitment Agency/Search Firm for Turner & Townsend, there must be a formal written agreement in place and the agency must be invited, by the Recruitment Team, to submit candidates for review.
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It is strictly against Turner & Townsend policy for candidates to pay any fee in relation to our recruitment process. No recruitment agency working with Turner & Townsend will ask candidates to pay a fee at any time.
Any unsolicited resumes/CVs submitted through our website or to Turner & Townsend personal e-mail accounts, are considered property of Turner & Townsend and are not subject to payment of agency fees. In order to be an authorised Recruitment Agency/Search Firm for Turner & Townsend, there must be a formal written agreement in place and the agency must be invited, by the Recruitment Team, to submit candidates for review.