People & Culture Manager

INNOCEAN Europe; Berlin; On-site; EUR 42,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

INNOCEAN Europe is looking for a People & Culture Manager to serve as a trusted HR partner across the full employee lifecycle in our Berlin and Frankfurt offices. You will own onboarding, performance processes, payroll data coordination, and documentation, while ensuring compliance with German labor laws and data privacy standards.

The role emphasizes hands-on HRIS usage, stakeholder coordination, and delivering a positive employee experience in a fast-paced international environment.

Qualifications

• Degree in HR, Business Administration, Psychology, Law, or HR-focused qualification.
• 2–3 years of HR experience or similar.
• Strong understanding of German labor law fundamentals and payroll processes.
• Hands-on experience with HRIS and MS Office applications.

Responsibilities

• Be the go-to People & Culture contact for employees, managers, and team leads on day-to-day HR topics.
• Manage end-to-end HR processes including onboarding, employee relations, performance review administration, offboarding, time and attendance.
• Maintain accurate employee data, HR documentation and contract management, personnel files, and HR system records.
• Support employees and managers through key moments of the employee journey, from onboarding to career development and exits.
• Prepare payroll-relevant data such as employee changes, absences, and related documentation with internal/external stakeholders.
• Ensure compliance with German labor law fundamentals, data protection requirements, and internal People & Culture standards.
• Drive continuous improvement of HR processes, systems, and employee experience initiatives.

Skills

HR Operations

Employee lifecycle

Stakeholder coordination

Confidentiality & compliance

Excellent communication (DE/EN)

Education

HR/Business Admin/Law/Psychology degree or HR-focused training

Tools

HRIS

MS Office

Job description

Job Description

People are at the heart of everything we do. As our People & Culture Manager, you'll be a trusted partner for employees and managers, ensuring smooth HR operations across the entire employee lifecycle. From onboarding to offboarding, you'll combine people-centric support with operational excellence, helping create a positive employee experience while ensuring compliant and efficient HR processes across our Frankfurt and Berlin offices.

What You'll Do

• Be the go-to People & Culture contact for employees, managers, and team leads on day-to-day HR topics and employee lifecycle matters.
• Manage end-to-end HR processes including onboarding, employee relation, performance review administration, offboarding, time and attendance.
• Maintain accurate employee data, HR documentation and contract management, personnel files, and HR system records.
• Support employees and managers throughout key moments of the employee journey, from onboarding to career development and exits.
• Prepare and coordinate payroll-relevant data such as employee changes, absences, and related documentation with internal and external stakeholders and authorities.
• Ensure compliance with German labor law fundamentals, data protection requirements, and internal People & Culture standards.
• Drive continuous improvement of HR processes, systems, and employee experience initiatives while supporting engagement and culture programs.

What You'll Bring

• Degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Psychology, Law, or a comparable qualification; alternatively, relevant commercial training with an HR focus.
• 2-3 years of experience in HR, People & Culture, HR Operations, HR Generalist, Employee Lifecycle Management, or a similar role.
• Solid understanding of German labor law fundamentals, payroll-related processes, HR administration, and employee lifecycle management.
• Hands-on experience with HRIS, reporting tools, and MS Office applications.
• Ability to independently manage HR processes, maintain high-quality documentation, and coordinate multiple stakeholders.
• Strong sense of ownership, attention to detail, and commitment to confidentiality, accuracy, and service excellence.
• Empathetic and trustworthy communication to build positive relationships while providing clear and professional guidance.
• Fluent German and English communication skills, both written and spoken.

What We Offer

• A place to grow your People & Culture career by taking ownership of a broad range of HR topics across the full employee lifecycle in a role with real responsibility.
• Take on meaningful work from day one, with the autonomy to drive initiatives, improve processes, and influence how People & Culture supports the business
• Visibility and influence – Work closely with senior stakeholders and leadership, contributing to key business priorities and helping steer the direction of the organization.
• A collaborative, high-performing international environment – Join a team that values curiosity, open dialogue, and shared success, where your perspective is genuinely heard and respected.
• Meaningful work culture -We prioritize trust, flexibility, and sustainable ways of working that enable you to perform at your best - professionally and personally.
• All-round health focused benefits package – Food vouchers, Gym subsidy, Bicycle-leasing, mental health platforms and other benefits to provide you with a solid basis to perform well both on and off work.