Chief People Officer (CPO)

Why this role, why now

At TCC, our people have always made the difference. After 35 years, we still operate with the energy of a start-up – entrepreneurial, fast-paced, and fiercely competitive. We are evolving our organisation to empower our people more than ever, investing in them, enabling them to thrive, and strengthening leadership at all levels.

We may work across 70 countries, but we are One TCC. Our colleagues feel a shared sense of purpose and belonging, and we want to make that culture even stronger. This is a unique moment in our journey, and we’re looking for a Chief People Officer who is hands-on, pragmatic, and ready to help us scale with purpose.

The role

The CPO will be a trusted partner to our CEO, Rick Swinkels, and the Executive Committee – helping to grow leaders, build teams, and shape the culture that powers our global success. This is not just about HR – it’s about unleashing talent, driving performance, and making TCC the place where people love to belong and grow.

What you’ll do

• Be a partner-in-crime to the CEO & ExCom: strengthen leadership, build trust, and help shape the future direction of the business.

• Elevate our people strategy: design and deliver a bold, forward-looking agenda that empowers our people and accelerates business growth.

• Support cultural evolution: help reinforce our collaborative, inclusive, and performance-driven culture – without leading a cultural transformation.

• Develop talent: focus on nurturing and supporting leadership at all levels, with clear succession and development paths

• Unite One TCC: foster belonging across 70 countries, creating a connected and collaborative global culture.

• Modernise HR: Evolve systems, processes, and policies to deliver agility, impact, and best-in-class service.

• Enhance our employer brand: Position TCC as an exciting, inspiring place to work – and ensure our employee experience reflects that promise.

• Drive DE&I: increase representation, champion inclusion, and create equal opportunities for talent to thrive.

• Engage with governance: Collaborate with the Board and senior leadership on people-related governance and strategic matters.

Who you are

• A proven CPO with end-responsibility in a mid-sized company (EUR 250–750 million revenue and/or headcount), or a senior HR leader with comparable experience.

• Experienced in global HR leadership, ideally in project-based organisations.

• Commercially sharp, pragmatic, and resilient – able to balance strategy with execution.

• Globally minded, with deep expertise in HR, leadership, and organisational design.

• Hands-on and action-oriented – comfortable switching between board-level strategy and day-to-day execution.

• A strong communicator and trusted advisor – able to influence senior stakeholders and inspire teams.

• Above all: kind, warm, social, and fun. Someone who builds trust and energises others.

What success looks like (12–18 months)

• TCC has a modern, future-ready people function.

• Leadership is stronger at every level, with clear succession and development paths.

• Our culture is even more connected, inclusive, and energising.

• People feel more empowered, engaged, and proud to belong to One TCC.

The set-up

• Location: London, Amsterdam, Milan

• Reporting to: CEO, Rick Swinkels

• Team: Global HR leaders (5–6 direct reports)

• Partnership: Board and global leadership team