Your company is growing
Hiring and onboarding are increasing. You want to organise priorities, responsibilities and employee integration.
Iter Advisors · HR management
HR director support for SMEs and startups
Structure your teams, support managers and organise HR priorities.
For SMEs and startups that need HR management without hiring full-time. Recruitment, organisation and HR coordination: we agree with you the issues to address and the providers needed.
When should you use an external HR director?
The business leader handles HR matters
Pay decisions, team requests and provider coordination take time. You need a contact to structure follow-up.
Your managers need guidance
Job descriptions, interviews, roles and management practices need clarification to support teams.
For an SME
Clarify the allocation of tasks between the business leader, managers, personnel administration and providers. Prioritise matters requiring HR management and those suited to specialist services.
For a startup
Connect hiring plans to onboarding capacity and budget. Gradually formalise useful roles and practices without introducing processes before they are needed.
In practice: situations supported by Borith
The most frequent question in his discussions with business leaders concerns compliance within their organisation and employment contracts. Borith reviews the consistency between actual duties, collective-agreement classifications and remuneration, as well as the treatment of remote-working allowances. Legal matters are validated with qualified professionals.
CSE elections in two small businesses
In a French business with 14 employees, Borith organised a partial election for the CSE employee representative body. In another business with fewer than 20 employees, he supported the establishment of its first CSE: communications, the pre-election agreement, correspondence with trade unions and public authorities, and publication of the results. For the second engagement, he also selected and coordinated a postal-voting provider, including tests and support through both rounds.
Review of employment contracts and HR processes
For three businesses, two of which had entities in Spain, Borith reviewed HR processes and employment contracts, then supported updates to HR policies and the alignment of contracts with collective-agreement requirements. The work also covered mandatory notices, prevention and the selection of specialist providers.
Anonymised examples described by Borith Biv. They illustrate work performed, without claiming undocumented numerical outcomes.
Four areas to structure your HR function
The engagement starts with your practical needs. Work is agreed with the business leader, managers and relevant providers.
01
Compliance and employee relations
Organise the HR calendar, identify documents to review and prepare employee-representation matters, including the French CSE where relevant. Legal decisions and validation are agreed with qualified professionals.
Example deliverable: A calendar of deadlines, open issues and owners.
Compliance and employee relations02
Recruitment and onboarding
Clarify roles, selection criteria and budget before hiring. Plan arrival steps, contacts and follow-up so managers know how to integrate a new colleague.
Example deliverable: A job description, selection process and onboarding plan.
Recruitment and onboarding03
Pay and incentives
Connect salary, variable pay and benefits decisions to budget and responsibilities. Equity arrangements are prepared with finance leadership and validated by the appropriate advisers.
Example deliverable: A pay framework and documented decision options.
Coordinate HR and finance leadership04
Management routines
Set up reviews, team meetings and clear responsibilities suited to your organisation. Identify training needs and follow up on actions agreed with managers.
Example deliverable: Review templates, a follow-up calendar and a training plan.
Training and developmentIn-house HR director, external HR director, lawyer or payroll provider?
These professionals are complementary. Choose according to the work, availability and responsibilities required.
| Professional | Scope | When to choose | Cost reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| In-house HR director | Integrated HR leadership and daily presence. | A lasting need that justifies a full-time position. | €90,000 to €140,000 gross annual salary in France, excluding employer contributions. |
| Iter external HR director | HR leadership, organisation and coordination within the agreed scope. | Recurring priorities, with an agreed schedule and internal contacts. | By quotation, based on scope, schedule and availability required. |
| Employment lawyer | Specialist legal advice and support for sensitive situations. | A legal question or matter requiring legal counsel. | Fees set out in an agreement with your lawyer. |
| Payroll professional or provider | Payroll production and filings according to the contract. | Payroll production to organise or assign to a specialist. | Quote based on payslips, establishments and services. |
The gross salary is an indicative reference supplied by Iter for a role in France, not total employment cost. It depends on the position and context. Part-time engagement fees do not cover the same availability as a full-time employee; this comparison does not establish a percentage saving.
Understand how lawyer fees are agreedFrom an HR diagnostic to practical team resources
The catalogue separates recurring support from specialist projects. The quote selects useful work based on headcount, countries, internal resources and priorities. It does not automatically include every service.
HR administration and payroll coordination
Possible work: Review employee records, plan the HR calendar, collect payroll inputs and check them with the payroll provider.
Expected resources: Document checklist, payroll input collection process and control calendar.
Recruitment and onboarding
Possible work: Define the role with the manager, source candidates, structure interviews and prepare their arrival.
Expected resources: Job description, interview scorecard, shortlist and onboarding follow-up at 30, 60 and 90 days.
Compensation and organisation
Possible work: Clarify roles, pay levels, variable compensation and benefits with finance leadership.
Expected resources: Organisation chart, responsibilities and pay framework to discuss with management.
Development and management
Possible work: Organise reviews, identify training needs and prepare discussions with managers.
Expected resources: Review templates, training plan and action tracker.
Compliance and employee relations
Possible work: Organise document review and discussions with qualified advisers, taking account of the country and the company’s circumstances.
Expected resources: Review calendar, document checklist and action tracker with named owners.
HR systems and indicators
Possible work: Define requirements before selecting or implementing software and organise access and data.
Expected resources: Requirements document, access matrix and turnover, absence or recruitment indicators as needed.
Projects scoped separately
Targeted HR review, employment due diligence, HR work for a funding round, temporary HR director replacement or training for an internal HR team. Recruitment and a major HR system implementation may require a separate engagement.
Payroll coordination does not automatically include payroll production. Sensitive legal matters involve qualified advisers. Local obligations and documents are adapted to the relevant country; the French CSE is not a Spanish employee representation arrangement.
Deliverables to move HR matters forward
Materials are defined according to the engagement. They may include:
- A roadmap with priorities, owners and upcoming decisions.
- A hiring plan, job descriptions and an onboarding framework.
- An HR calendar and allocation of roles between the team and providers.
- Explained monitoring indicators and regular meetings with managers.
- A record of work and documents to transfer at the end of the engagement.
These examples describe possible work. Their selection and delivery arrangements are set out in the proposal.
A deliverable, an owner, a decision
Examples to select during scoping. The proposal specifies deliverables, required inputs and approvals.
| Working document | What Iter prepares | What your team validates |
|---|---|---|
| HR roadmap | Priorities, schedule and coordination of contributors. | Employer decisions and required resources. |
| Hiring and onboarding | Job descriptions, steps and agreed tracking documents. | Candidate selection, contracts and managers’ responsibilities. |
| Payroll oversight | Schedule, collection of variable data and provider coordination. | Submitted inputs and payslip approval by the authorised owner. |
Accounting, legal or payroll production belongs to the parties designated in the contract.
An HR engagement scoped with the business leader
1. Understand
Review your teams, internal HR resources, open matters and decisions to prepare.
2. Prioritise
Define scope, deliverables, contacts and schedule. Identify the specialists needed.
3. Implement
Work with managers and providers, track actions and document decisions.
4. Review
Review work, adjust priorities and prepare next steps or handover.
Indicative fees for Iter external HR leadership
The schedule gives an initial reference. Deliverables, contacts and expected availability determine the quote.
1 to 2 days per month
By quotation
Targeted follow-up of HR priorities with internal contacts in your team.
Define my HR budget3 to 4 days per month
€3,200 to €4,800
excluding VAT / month
Regular work with the leader and managers across several topics.
Define my HR budgetOne-off engagement
By quotation
A defined need such as recruitment, organisation or an HR diagnostic.
Define my HR budgetIndicative monthly amounts in euros excluding VAT. Fees depend on scope, schedule and agreed arrangements; preparation, travel and additional requests are specified in the quote.
The quotation specifies deliverables, intervention schedule, budget, duration, notice period and adjustment arrangements. Finance offer terms do not automatically apply to an HR engagement.
Questions to ask before choosing
- Which decisions and deliverables do we expect?
- Who intervenes, with which role and skills?
- What schedule is planned and how are requests between interventions handled?
- Who produces payroll and who handles legal questions?
- What total budget, duration, notice period and handover?
Answers should appear in the proposal. Ask for work examples relevant to your situation. A financial testimonial about the firm does not demonstrate an HR engagement. Scoping may lead to reducing or redirecting the need.
Distinct roles and useful coordination
The HR director supports the organisation and teams. The CFO informs the budget, payroll costs and financial trade-offs. An HR engagement can be defined independently of our fractional finance leadership.
Employment-law, payroll and compliance matters requiring specialist expertise are coordinated with the relevant professionals. Each person's scope must be explicit.
To clarify responsibilities, see the external HR director definition.
France and Spain: coordinate HR between Paris and Barcelona
Teams across two countries require clarity on the employer, payroll production and local compliance. Scoping considers entities, languages and available professionals.
Local contracts and responsibilities
Identify the employer, necessary documents and the professionals validating the applicable framework in each country.
Payroll and mobility
Organise information and exchanges with local providers. HR leadership does not replace payroll production or specialist cross-border tax advice.
Relocation and individual circumstances
Coordinate mobility matters with tax advisers where needed. Eligibility for a regime such as Spain’s Beckham Law is assessed individually.
Choose HR software after defining the processes
Software should serve your organisation. Examine modules, permissions, interfaces and exports with your payroll provider. Listing a tool does not imply partnership or certification.
PayFit
Payroll and input collection.
Lucca
HR data, absences and payroll inputs.
Factorial
HR data and process organisation.
Silae
Payroll production with your provider.
France and Spain: Borith’s practical experience
His first concern is copying employee benefits from one country to another without examining their local framework, taxation and cost. He cites health coverage and flexible remuneration in Spain as matters to assess according to the business’s circumstances.
He also recommends checking the applicable collective agreement when establishing an entity. He supported a business whose choice of convenio raised questions about its consistency with its activity. Working hours, classifications and remuneration conditions should be reviewed within that framework.
Finally, he recommends building a complete budget rather than assuming that a Spanish team will always cost less: required roles, location, benefits, offices and employee departure conditions all belong in the analysis.
HR systems and payroll: Borith’s perspective
These views reflect his personal experience and the limits of what he has tested. The choice depends on headcount, processes and the skills available to manage payroll.
- PayFit: his choice for combined payroll and HR management
- For an organisation with up to approximately 100 employees, Borith favours PayFit when looking for combined payroll and HR management. Initially sceptical, he changed his view after using it. He remains cautious about the depth of payroll consulting support.
- Silae: plan for payroll expertise
- Borith emphasises the need for an internal or external payroll specialist. The positive feedback he reports comes from payroll manager contacts; it is not based on his own personal test.
- Factorial: reservations based on his use
- His experience has left him cautious about the usefulness of the basic package, configuration options and support quality. He recommends testing the required features and support arrangements before committing.
- Lucca: not yet personally tested
- Borith has received positive feedback but has not yet tested Lucca. He therefore offers no recommendation based on direct use.
Practical resources for managers and employees
Borith has implemented onboarding and offboarding guides and annual review documents. He also helps prepare sensitive employee departure files, identify risks and coordinate with lawyers to support the business leader’s decisions.
In two businesses with 14 and 40 employees, he also renegotiated health and protection insurance contracts to seek better coverage at a lower or comparable cost. He assessed additional benefits, including flexible remuneration in Spain, according to the local context.
Practical feedback provided by Borith Biv, Human Capital Partner at Iter Advisors.
Explore your HR needs
Recruitment and onboarding ↗
Define roles, organise selection and prepare employee arrivals.
Payroll and coordination ↗
Organise inputs, checks and exchanges with the payroll provider.
Compliance and employee relations ↗
Identify matters to address and coordinate qualified specialists.
Training and development ↗
Structure team needs, actions and follow-up with managers.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between external and part-time HR management?
External HR management means an HR function led by an outside professional. Part-time support is a recurring arrangement: a schedule is agreed to support the business leader and managers over time. A one-off engagement can address a defined need.
What budget and commitment should we plan?
For an indicative schedule of 3 to 4 days per month, the range is €3,200 to €4,800 per month excluding VAT. The 1 to 2 day monthly format is quoted individually. One-off work is quoted separately. Scope, availability, deliverables and any additional expenses are specified in the proposal.
Does the HR director produce payslips?
HR coordination, checking inputs and producing payslips must be distinguished. The proposal identifies the provider responsible for payroll production, each person's responsibilities and covered countries. HR management does not automatically include payroll production.
Do we also need an Iter CFO?
No. The HR engagement can be defined separately. When budget, payroll costs or hiring plans require coordination, the HR director works with your internal or external finance team.
When is a part-time HR director unsuitable?
A sustained need for daily presence may justify internal hiring. For an isolated specialist task, a payroll provider, recruiter or legal adviser may be more suitable. Scoping helps choose the right organisation.
Where and how does the engagement take place?
Locations, travel, remote work, languages and required skills are agreed with you according to available professionals. Local obligations are handled with qualified professionals in the country concerned.
Updated on · Your HR contact: Borith Biv
Which HR priorities do you need to address?
Describe your teams, open issues and deadlines. The initial conversation clarifies useful work, responsibilities and the schedule.
Discuss your HR needs