Senior People and Culture Manager

About the Role

Build and run the people function for a fast-growing AI and machine learning startup. This senior individual contributor role spans recruiting, people operations, culture, and employer branding, supporting a Berlin-based team through a period of rapid growth.

What You'll Do

• Own recruiting operations and hiring strategy, including pipeline management, sourcing, screening, and hiring process design.
• Design and deliver onboarding programs that help new hires succeed in a fast-paced environment.
• Build people processes, policies, and frameworks to support a growing team.
• Develop employer branding and recruitment marketing to attract talent in a competitive market.
• Steward company culture and support engagement and retention.
• Manage HR administration and support compliance with German employment regulations.

What We're Looking For

• At least 5 years of experience in people or HR roles, including 3 or more years building or leading a people function at an early-stage startup or in a comparable high-growth environment.
• Experience independently owning a broad people function as a senior individual contributor, without direct reports.
• End-to-end recruiting operations expertise, including sourcing, screening, pipeline management, and hiring process design.
• Experience designing onboarding and people processes, and building employer branding or recruitment marketing programs.
• Knowledge of German labor law and employment practices, or willingness to rapidly develop that expertise with legal support.
• Familiarity with HRIS, ATS, and HR administration tools, plus experience supporting culture and people operations in a fast-paced tech startup.
• Comfort operating in an intense, high-performance environment with ambiguity and changing priorities.

Compensation & Benefits

Base salary: €60,000 to €70,000 annually. Visa sponsorship is not available.

Location

Hybrid role based in Berlin, Germany, with at least four days per week in the office.