Founding People Operations Lead

ABOUT THE ROLE As the first dedicated People and Recruiting hire at an early-stage AI procurement software company, you will build the hiring and people operations foundations as the team grows. You will own the candidate experience from first outreach through onboarding, while helping establish practical, people-first processes. WHAT YOU'LL DO - Own recruiting end to end, including sourcing, pipeline management, candidate experience, offers, and closing. - Manage onboarding, employment contracts, compensation, benefits, and HR compliance. - Help build a high-performing team through responsive, thoughtful people support. - Run day-to-day office operations and welcome new team members and visitors. - Set up AI agents and workflows to support sourcing, screening, and recurring tasks. WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR - At least 2 years of experience in recruiting, people operations, or related generalist operations. - Experience at an early-stage startup, ideally through a zero-to-one phase. - Hands-on experience managing full-cycle hiring, including sourcing, offers, and closing. - Experience with onboarding, employment contracts, or HR compliance. - Fluency in both German and English. - An organized, discreet, reliable, and people-first approach, with enthusiasm for building AI-supported workflows. COMPENSATION & BENEFITS Competitive salary and meaningful equity. Visa sponsorship is not available. LOCATION On-site in Berlin, Germany.