Head of People

About the Role

This is a founding People leadership role at a fast-growing AI/ML startup, where you'll build the entire people function from the ground up. Sitting at the heart of the business, you'll own everything from recruiting and onboarding to culture, employer branding, and HR operations as the team scales aggressively.

What You'll Do

• Own end-to-end recruiting operations, including pipeline management, sourcing, screening, and hiring process design to support rapid headcount growth.

• Design and execute onboarding programs that set new hires up for success in a high-intensity environment.

• Build core people processes, policies, and frameworks that scale with the business.

• Cultivate and steward a high-performance company culture aligned with the team's values and work intensity.

• Develop employer branding and recruitment marketing strategies to attract top talent in a competitive market.

• Manage HR administration and ensure compliance with German labor law and Berlin employment regulations.

What We're Looking For

• 5–10+ years of HR/People experience, with at least 3 years building or leading a people function at an early-stage, high-growth startup (Series A/B stage or equivalent).

• Proven track record owning end-to-end recruiting operations at scale during rapid growth phases.

• Demonstrated expertise in German labor law and employment regulations, or a strong willingness to upskill quickly with legal support.

• Experience designing onboarding programs and people processes during fast-paced scaling.

• Strong employer branding and culture-building mindset suited to intense, demanding startup environments.

• Proficiency with HRIS, ATS, and HR admin tooling.

• Experience with talent assessment methodologies and maintaining a high hiring bar during scaling.

• Familiarity with tech startup ecosystems and venture-backed company dynamics is a plus.

• Experience managing international or multi-location teams and related compliance is a plus.

Location

On-site in Berlin, Germany . No visa sponsorship is available.