People Operations Partner

Allow us to introduce ourselves

Hello there We're Appinio, a global market research company that combines an AI-powered insights platform with expert consultancy. On a mission to make the world a little more fact-based, we help companies understand how consumers think and make smarter decisions.

We started out in Hamburg back in 2014, but we're now humbled to call the world our playground, with over 260 employees spread across 13 countries (we're remote-first), 2600+ international clients, delivering research from +190 markets, globally.

Want to be a part of the Appinio movement?

Here at Appinio, we value transparency in our recruitment process, and we've created a blog to share what to expect during each step of our journey together:here

Your mission as a People Operations Partner

We are looking for an experienced and passionate People Operations Partner to join our People Team and create unique employee journeys at Appinio that reflect our special culture while enabling international growth.

As a People Operations Partner, you will be the key driver to ensure our employee life is hassle-free from the day-to-day world by turning the typical "HR Services" work into what feels like a "prime" experience, surpassing conventional HR expectations. You will challenge the status quo and prioritise real talent issues, setting global foundational processes and frameworks that our internal customers love. You will take ownership from day 1 and have a tangible impact on the business.

A few words about the team:

Our People Team operates with a product mindset. We value transparency, collaboration, and true partnership with our stakeholders. Rather than ticking off task lists, we focus on understanding customer needs, driving adoption, and delivering meaningful outcomes.

We are trusted partners to the business, advocates for our employees, and pragmatic, business-savvy solution builders - always aiming to improve how people experience Appinio.

What you'll be doing

• Own and drive the full employee experience across Europe (from contract management and onboarding to offboarding, and day-to-day employee requests) while delivering an outstanding employee experience
• Manage our payroll processes in Germany and Austria in close collaboration with external tax offices
• Partner with our EOR provider (Remote) to ensure smooth onboarding, compliant contracts, and accurate processes across countries
• Support audits and ensure accurate, compliant employee data within our HRIS
• Identify opportunities to automate, streamline, and simplify processes, including the use of AI tools
• Take ownership of broader People Operations topics such as policy updates, tool rollouts and process documentation
• Work closely with IT, Finance, and Legal to ensure seamless cross-functional processes, compliance, and a smooth employee lifecycle
• If you are based in Hamburg, you will support with office-related topics

You will thrive in this role if

• You hold a degree in Business Administration, Economics, HR Management, or related fields
• You bring 3+ years of experience in a People Operations or HR role within a fast-paced, international environment
• You are proficient in German & English (additional language skills are a plus)
• You have experience with HRIS systems (ideally Personio or HiBob) for managing employee data and HR processes
• You have strong expertise - and genuine passion - for the operational side of People, while actively challenging traditional "HR admin" approaches (e.g. onboarding, offboarding, and employee lifecycle management)
• You have hands-on payroll experience in Germany (experience with Austria, France, Spain, or the UK is a plus)
• You have experience working with ticketing systems, managing SLAs, and handling employee requests in a structured, people-oriented way
• You live ownership: You proactively identify improvement areas and explore scalable, smart solutions
• You combine empathy with excellent organisational skills and a pragmatic, solution-oriented mindset
• You communicate clearly and confidently, and enjoy making processes more efficient and impactful

What's in it for you?

• Flexibility Policy - Our flexibility policy means there is no hard cap on the number of vacation days you can take
• Temporary work from abroad - If you're based in the EU, you can work outside your country of residence for up to 180 days per year
• All the hardware you need and your own MacBook
• If you are located in Hamburg or Berlin, you'll get a Deutschland ticket or access to a mobility budget with the NAVIT app to get you to and from the office space
• If you are located in Germany or Spain, you will have access to a Subsidised Urban Sports Club membership
• In case you're located in one of the cities where most of our fellow Appinioneers are (Hamburg, Berlin, Munich, London, Madrid, Barcelona, or New York), you can get access to our Co-working spaces

Kind reminder: Please ensure that your application is submitted in English.

This post not only outlines our ideal candidate but also serves as an inspiration for what this role can evolve into. Even if you consider yourself an 80% fit but have a genuine passion for this position, we encourage you to apply. We're eager to hear from individuals who share our enthusiasm.

Appinio is an equal-opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, or disability status.

Please read our privacy policy here.

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