Founding People Operations Lead

Clera

Berlin, Germany

On-site

Who this role is best for

Candidates with startup experience and AI tooling familiarity will find this people operations role at an early-stage AI procurement software company in Berlin.

Best fit for

Candidates with early-stage startup experience who have helped scale teams from zero to one
— “Early-stage startup experience, ideally contributing during a zero-to-one phase.”
Professionals comfortable with AI agents and automating HR workflows
— “Comfort using AI agents to automate recruiting or recurring people operations workflows.”

Things to consider

On-site presence in Berlin is required despite possible remote flexibility
— “On-site in Berlin, Germany.”
No visa sponsorship is available, which may limit international applicants
— “Visa sponsorship is not available.”

How to stand out

Highlight experience building HR systems from scratch in startup environments
— “This is the first dedicated People and Recruiting role at an early-stage AI procurement software company.”
Showcase AI implementation skills in recruitment or operations, not just theoretical interest
— “Set up AI agents to support sourcing, screening, and recurring people workflows, while providing hands-on direction.”
Emphasize fluency in both English and German with examples of cross-cultural collaboration
— “Fluent English and German, with strong organization, discretion, reliability, and a warm, people-first approach.”

Pace · Fast PacedCollaboration · HighAutonomy · HighDecision Impact · Company

Derived from job-description analysis by Serendipath's career intelligence engine.

What success looks like

Built the hiring engine
Set up core people operations
Provided a welcoming experience for new employees

Typical background

Bachelor's degree in Human Resources or related fieldExperience in recruiting and people operations

Skills & requirements

Required

Full-cycle RecruitingOnboardingEmployment ContractsCompensationBenefitsHR ComplianceTeam DevelopmentOffice OperationsAI Agent SetupRecruiting Process AutomationPeople Operations Setup

Preferred

Startup ExperienceAI Agent Experience

Stack & domain

RecruitingOnboardingContract ManagementBenefits CoordinationHr ComplianceAi Agent SetupPeople OperationsHr

About the role

Original posting from Clera via Ashby

ABOUT THE ROLE
This is the first dedicated People and Recruiting role at an early-stage AI procurement software company. You will build the hiring engine and core people operations, helping the team grow while creating a thoughtful experience for candidates and employees.
WHAT YOU'LL DO
Own full-cycle recruiting, including sourcing, pipeline management, candidate experience, offers, and closing.
Manage onboarding, employment contracts, compensation, benefits, and HR compliance.
Support the development of high-performing teams and provide a welcoming experience for new employees and visitors.
Set up AI agents to support sourcing, screening, and recurring people workflows, while providing hands-on direction.
Coordinate daily office operations and help keep the workplace running smoothly.
WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR
At least 2 years of experience in recruiting, people operations, or generalist operations.
Experience owning hiring from sourcing through offers and closing.
Experience with onboarding, employment contracts, or HR compliance.
Early-stage startup experience, ideally contributing during a zero-to-one phase.
Comfort using AI agents to automate recruiting or recurring people operations workflows.
Fluent English and German, with strong organization, discretion, reliability, and a warm, people-first approach.
COMPENSATION & BENEFITS
Competitive salary and meaningful equity. Visa sponsorship is not available.
LOCATION
On-site in Berlin, Germany.

Source: Clera careers (Ashby)