Sara Mendes Caeiro

Head of People & Talent @ KLx

About

Chief Human Resources Officer / Head of People & Talent with over 20 years of progressive HR leadership across multinational, consulting, and high-growth technology environments. Proven track record in HR strategy, organizational design, workforce planning, performance & reward frameworks, and talent transformation, aligning people strategy with business growth and operational excellence.Experienced in leading end-to-end HR functions, managing complex labor and compliance environments, scaling HR operations, and partnering with executive leadership and Boards to drive sustainable organizational performance. Strong background in data-driven HR decision-making, payroll and total rewards governance, and change management.

Country

Portugal

City

Barreiro

Industry

Computer Software

Skill

Executive Stakeholder Management, Gestão de mudanças, HR Governance, Total Rewards / Compensation & Benefits, Succession & Talent Development, Workforce Planing, Design organizacional, Planejamento estratégico de RH, Human Resources, Payroll, Recursos humanos, Recrutamento, HR Consulting, Performance Management, Gestão de desempenho, Employee Relations, Deferred Compensation, Team Management, Performance Appraisal, Personnel Management

Experience

Head of People & Talent

KLx

2020-10 - Present · 6 yrs

Lisbon, Portugal

Defined and executed the HR strategy aligned with business growth in a competitive IT environment, covering organizational design, talent management, performance, reward, and employee engagement. Led the end-to-end HR transformation, structuring processes, policies, and governance frameworks to support scalability, compliance, and operational efficiency. Designed and implemented performance management and career framework models, strengthening accountability, internal mobility, and retention of critical talent. Oversaw workforce planning and talent acquisition strategy, ensuring timely staffing of technical and strategic roles while promoting diversity and inclusion. Partnered closely with executive leadership and Managers on organizational change, succession topics, and people decisions, acting as a strategic HR advisor. Strengthened employee engagement and culture initiatives, supporting a values-driven, inclusive, and high-performance work environment. Ensured robust HR operations and compliance, including compensation & benefits governance, labor relations, and adherence to employment and data protection regulations.

Payroll Senior Associate

PwC

2015-8 - 2020-10 · 5 yrs 3 mos

Lisboa

Managed complex multi-entity payroll operations for resident and non-resident clients, ensuring full compliance with labor and tax regulations. Led and supervised payroll teams, contributing to service quality, process standardization, and risk mitigation in a highly regulated environment. Acted as a trusted point of contact for clients on payroll, labor contracts, and statutory obligations.

Accountant / Payroll

PwC Portugal

2014-6 - 2015-7 · 1 yr 2 mos

Lisboa

Reviewing Monthly payroll to residents and nonresidents companies. Validation of the monthly taxes. Labour contracts management. Management of the Accidents at Work insurances. Management of the Compensation Funds.

Senior Payroll Specialist

Grupo Conceito

2014-1 - 2014-6 · 6 mos

Lisbon Area, Portugal

Monthly payroll to residents and nonresidents companies. Validation and submission of the monthly taxes. Labour contracts management. Management of the Accidents at Work insurances. Management of the Compensation Funds.

Supervisor of the Payroll Department

Auxadi

2009-2 - 2013-8 · 4 yrs 7 mos

Lisboa

Supervised payroll operations for ~700 employees per month, across resident and non-resident entities. Led recruitment and training of payroll team members, reinforcing operational continuity and expertise. Ensured accuracy, compliance, and deadlines in payroll delivery within a high-volume environment.