Head of People & Culture

Role overview

We are supporting the confidential search for a Head of People & Culture for an innovative, fast-scaling company operating across Germany. This position is designed for a senior people leader who views culture, organization, and employee experience as core drivers of business success.

In this key leadership role, you will work closely with the managing directors to shape the people agenda for the next phase of growth. Your remit will include building modern leadership structures, creating processes that can scale with the business, and ensuring that company culture is not only defined but consistently embedded in day-to-day work.

The role goes beyond traditional HR responsibilities. You will act as a trusted advisor to senior leadership, a catalyst for change, and a contributor to building a future-ready organization.

People strategy and leadership

• Take end-to-end ownership of the people and culture strategy, including its design, rollout, and continuous improvement.
• Serve as a direct partner to the executive team on strategic people and organizational matters.
• Lead, develop, and empower the people team.
• Manage the function using meaningful KPIs and modern goal-setting frameworks such as OKRs.

Culture and organizational development

• Advance a values-based culture that supports the company’s long-term competitive strength.
• Guide change, transformation, and growth initiatives in a structured and effective way.
• Design modern organizational structures, responsibilities, and leadership models.
• Build scalable people processes across the full employee lifecycle.
• Ensure clear and effective internal communication across all levels of the organization.

Leadership development

• Create a sustainable leadership culture that supports long-term growth.
• Coach and challenge managers and senior leaders as a sparring partner.
• Develop and implement contemporary learning and development programs.
• Strengthen leadership capabilities to enable scalable and sustainable business expansion.

Talent and growth

• Further develop the strategic talent acquisition function.
• Ensure the organization can attract talent sustainably to support continued growth.
• Build modern employer branding and talent management approaches.
• Develop a high-performing, future-oriented people organization.

Profile

We are looking for an experienced people leader with a strong background in HR, culture, or organizational development, ideally gained in fast-growing or transformation-oriented environments. You should bring a track record of shaping culture, leadership, and organizational structures at scale, along with confidence in leading teams and ideally developing other leaders.

A strategic mindset, strong execution capability, and comfort working with KPIs and target systems are essential. You should be confident in discussions with executive leadership, have solid knowledge of German employment law, and communicate fluently in both German and English.

What to expect

• A strategic leadership position with direct influence on the company’s future direction.
• Close collaboration with senior management and short decision-making paths.
• A high level of ownership and exceptional scope to shape the role.
• The opportunity to leave a lasting mark on culture, leadership, and organizational design.
• A modern, agile environment with innovative operating models.
• Hybrid working with regular on-site presence at one of the company’s German locations and travel within Germany.
• An annual base salary between EUR 80,000 and EUR 110,000.
• 30 days of leave plus additional days off.
• Company pension provision.
• Business bike.
• Shopping discounts through corporate benefits.
• Additional attractive benefits.

Additional information

This is a permanent, full-time position based in Mannheim, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, with a hybrid setup and regular presence required on site. The role is intended for a senior professional with substantial leadership experience and is being filled through a confidential direct search.