People & Culture Manager (m/f/d)

Kaiko Systems; Berlin; On-site; EUR 60,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Central Berlin office (Münzstraße)

Competitive salary

Room to grow the role

Regular team events

International group + startup speed

Job summary

Kaiko Systems is a Berlin-based maritime technology company seeking a People & Culture Manager to be the heartbeat of our Berlin team. You will keep our culture strong, ensure processes run smoothly, and help our people grow.

You will report to the founders and leadership, handling HR operations, onboarding, performance reviews, and alignment with the UniSea Group as we scale.

Qualifications

• 2-5 years of experience in People Operations, HR, or a similar generalist role, ideally in a startup or scale-up environment.
• Genuine interest in people: you are empathetic, approachable, and people naturally open up to you.
• Strong organizational skills and reliability: things you own get done, on time, without reminders.
• Hands-on mentality: you are comfortable switching between strategic culture work and practical admin tasks in the same day.
• Discretion and good judgment when handling confidential matters.
• Fluent German and English.
• Based in Berlin or willing to relocate; this is an on-site/hybrid role since presence in the office is part of the job.

Responsibilities

• Own and develop our company culture: team events, onboarding experiences, rituals, and initiatives that make Kaiko a place people love working at
• Run regular check-ins with team members across departments, acting as a trusted, approachable point of contact and surfacing feedback to leadership early
• Ensure our performance review cycles happen on time and well: coordinate the process, support managers with preparation, and track follow-ups
• Manage the day-to-day people operations: contracts, onboarding/offboarding, HR documentation, and coordination with payroll and external providers
• Keep our Berlin office running smoothly: supplies, vendors, equipment, and a workspace people enjoy coming to
• Support hiring when we recruit: coordinating interviews, candidate communication, and a great candidate experience
• Continuously improve our people processes and tools as we grow within the UniSea Group

Skills

Empathy

Organization

Hands-on

Discretion

Bilingual (German/English)

Job description

Kaiko Systems is a Berlin-based maritime technology company making global shipping safer and smarter. Our AI-powered platform helps shipping companies digitalize vessel inspections, compliance, and fleet health, and is trusted by 40+ customers worldwide. In 2026 we joined forces with UniSea, a leading Norwegian maritime software provider, combining startup pace with the strength of an international group.

We are now looking for a People & Culture Manager to be the heartbeat of our Berlin team: someone who keeps our culture strong, our processes running, and our people growing. You will be the go-to person for everything people-related, working directly with the founders and leadership team.

Tasks

• Own and develop our company culture: team events, onboarding experiences, rituals, and initiatives that make Kaiko a place people love working at

• Run regular check-ins with team members across departments, acting as a trusted, approachable point of contact and surfacing feedback to leadership early

• Ensure our performance review cycles happen on time and well: coordinate the process, support managers with preparation, and track follow-ups

• Manage the day-to-day people operations: contracts, onboarding/offboarding, HR documentation, and coordination with payroll and external providers

• Keep our Berlin office running smoothly: supplies, vendors, equipment, and a workspace people enjoy coming to

• Support hiring when we recruit: coordinating interviews, candidate communication, and a great candidate experience

• Continuously improve our people processes and tools as we grow within the UniSea Group

Requirements

• 2-5 years of experience in People Operations, HR, or a similar generalist role, ideally in a startup or scale-up environment

• Genuine interest in people: you are empathetic, approachable, and people naturally open up to you

• Strong organizational skills and reliability: things you own get done, on time, without reminders

• Hands-on mentality: you are comfortable switching between strategic culture work and practical admin tasks in the same day

• Discretion and good judgment when handling confidential matters

• Fluent German and English

• Based in Berlin or willing to relocate; this is an on-site/hybrid role since presence in the office is part of the job

Benefits

• High-impact role with direct access to founders and leadership, your work shapes how 40+ people experience their workplace every day

• The stability of an international group (UniSea) combined with the speed and ownership of a startup

• A diverse, international team of maritime experts, engineers, and commercial talent

• Central Berlin office at Münzstraße (Mitte)

• Competitive salary, modern equipment, and room to grow the role as we grow

• Regular team events, offsites, and a culture that takes itself seriously without being stiff