People & Culture Manager

akeno

People & Culture Manager owning HR infrastructure, recruiting, and employee culture at akeno. Partnering directly with founders in a flexible hybrid Hamburg role.

Posted 9/4/2026part-timeHamburg • 🇩🇪 GermanyMid-LevelSeniorWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates expertise in HR infrastructure management, including compliance with German labor law and effective recruiting practices. Proficient in automating processes and enhancing employer branding through strategic communication and engagement.

Highest-signal resume keywords

HR Infrastructure ManagementGerman Labor Law ComplianceRecruiting Lifecycle ManagementStakeholder CommunicationProcess Automation

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

HR ComplianceRecruitingTalent SourcingContract ManagementProcess OwnershipGDPR Understanding

Soft Skills

Strong CommunicationDecision-MakingCultural Shaping

Tools & Technologies

PersonioWorkablePayroll Management Tools

Industry Keywords

People OperationsEmployer BrandingOnboardingOffboardingInternal Communication

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Own the HR infrastructure end to end, including Personio, policies, contracts, handbook, and employment law compliance
Run onboarding and offboarding cycles and act as the main internal contact for people topics
Own hiring needs with leadership and support the full recruiting lifecycle from job description to signed contract
Keep recruiting pipelines active and the Workable ATS clean
Source, screen, and engage candidates through owned channels
Own employment law topics, including contract templates, working time, and documentation duties, escalating to external counsel when needed
Manage payroll-relevant data and ensure HR information reaches payroll and the tax advisor correctly and on time
Build the akeno employer brand by shaping company messaging, maintaining internal rituals, and developing external presence with marketing
Refine processes where needed and automate repetitive work
Work directly with the founders in a hands-on part-time role

Requirements

What you’ll need

3+ years of professional experience combining operational execution with process ownership, for example in people operations, recruiting, consulting, or a founder-adjacent startup role
Track record of taking over existing processes and running them reliably, including under time pressure and with incomplete handover
Solid working knowledge of HR compliance and German labor law
Experience shaping culture deliberately, including building or running rituals, feedback cycles, or internal communication that people engaged with
Experience in recruiting or talent sourcing, ideally for technical roles
Comfortable reading contracts and knowing when to escalate to external counsel
Confident with HR and recruiting tooling, such as Personio and Workable, and quick to automate repetitive work
Strong stakeholder communication and confidence to make decisions independently, including saying no
Comfortable owning both long-term structure and tedious daily tasks
Basic understanding of GDPR as it applies to employee data
Fluent German and English
Nice-to-have: Experience owning people & culture in a company of similar size and stage
Nice-to-have: Experience hiring engineers or other technical profiles
Nice-to-have: Experience working with payroll providers or tax advisors on HR-side reporting
Nice-to-have: Experience working with marketing on employer branding, or writing and publishing content in the company’s own voice

Benefits

Comp & perks

Generous Annual Compensation
30 Hours Working Week – Supporting work-life balance without compromising impact
Relocation Package – Full support, including relocation assistance and accommodation guidance
Visa Sponsorship – Comprehensive support throughout the process
Wellpass Gym Membership – Access to hundreds of fitness and wellness options for just €10/month
Job Ticket – Subsidized public transport to keep your commute affordable and stress-free
German Language Courses – Learn or improve your German with our supported language program
Snacks, Drinks & Great Coffee – Always available to keep you fuelled and focused
Modern Office with a View – Work from our beautiful Hamburg office with panoramic city views
Supportive & International Team – Join a warm, open-minded group of colleagues from around the world
Real Ownership – You'll have space to take initiative and make a tangible impact
Flexible Working Hours – Because we understand that life and studies don’t always fit a 9–5
Regular Team Events – From lunches to offsites—we celebrate the wins (big and small) together