Senior Manager, People Operations

Planetlabs; Berlin; Hybrid; EUR 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Planet is seeking a Senior People Operations Manager to oversee HR operations across Europe, MENA, and APAC. The role reports to the US-based Director, People Operations and collaborates with Talent Acquisition, People Business Partners, and Legal to drive regional strategy and compliance.

You will lead the Europe-based People Operations team from our Berlin, Haarlem, or London offices (hybrid, 3 days on-site) and drive global expansion and HRIS optimization while maintaining strong governance

Qualifications

• 6+ years of HR/People Operations experience across international regions.
• 4+ years of supervisory/people leadership experience.
• Knowledge of employment law, HR operations, and compliance standards across EMEA and APAC.
• Experience establishing operational objectives, procedures, and entity setups in new international markets.
• Experience utilizing HRIS platforms (e.g., HiBob) and data spreadsheet tools for workforce analytics.
• Ability to persuade and align internal stakeholders in complex or sensitive situations.
• Experience managing departmental budgets, vendor contracts, and external partner relationships.
• Fluency in English and German.

Responsibilities

• Spearheads and manages the Europe-based People Operations team, setting operational standards and overseeing hire-to-retire processes.
• Serves as the primary subject matter expert and escalation point for regional HR operations, complex legal compliance, and employment policies in Europe, MENA, and APAC.
• Partners with cross-functional leadership—including Talent Acquisition, People Business Partners, and Legal—to align regional practices with global business goals.
• Establishes and maintains strategic vendor relationships, including external legal counsel and Employers of Record (EORs).
• Drives continuous process improvements by designing scalable workflows, SOPs, and integrating AI tools across team workstreams.
• Leads departmental initiatives supporting global expansion, HRIS optimization, and workforce data reporting.

Skills

English fluency

German fluency

People operations

HR leadership

HRIS

Analytics

Budget management

Vendor management

AI in ops

Tools

HiBob

Job description

Welcome to Planet. We believe in using space to help life on Earth. Planet designs, builds, and operates the largest constellation of imaging satellites in history. This constellation delivers an unprecedented dataset of empirical information via a revolutionary cloud-based platform to authoritative figures in commercial, environmental, and humanitarian sectors. We are both a space company and data company all rolled into one. Customers and users across the globe use Planet's data to develop new technologies, drive revenue, power research, and solve our world's toughest obstacles. As we control every component of hardware design, manufacturing, data processing, and software engineering, our office is a truly inspiring mix of experts from a variety of domains. We have a people-centric approach toward culture and community and we strive to iterate in a way that puts our team members first and prepares our company for growth. Join Planet and be a part of our mission to change the way people see the world.

Planet is a global company with employees working remotely worldwide and joining us from offices in San Francisco, Washington DC, Germany, Austria, Slovenia, and The Netherlands.

About the Role:

Planet's People Operations team manages a wide variety of operational functions, including compliance, HRIS and hire-to-retire transactions, immigration, global mobility, people data and analytics, and payroll. We are seeking an experienced Senior People Operations Manager to oversee people operations across Europe, MENA, and APAC while ensuring alignment with global frameworks and strategic objectives. This role will drive regional strategy, oversee operational compliance, and lead key strategic initiatives such as global expansion and HRIS optimization. Ideal candidates are adaptable, collaborative leaders with a background in scaling regional HR operations.

This role will report to the US-based Director, People Operations and will partner closely with roles across the global People Team and beyond, particularly on the Talent Acquisition, People Business Partnership, and Legal teams.

This is a full-time, hybrid role which will require you to work from our Berlin, Haarlem, or London office 3 days per week.

Impact You'll Own:

• Spearheads and manages the Europe-based People Operations team, setting operational standards and overseeing hire-to-retire processes.
• Serves as the primary subject matter expert and escalation point for regional HR operations, complex legal compliance, and employment policies in Europe, MENA, and APAC.
• Partners with cross-functional leadership-including Talent Acquisition, People Business Partners, and Legal-to align regional practices with global business goals.
• Establishes and maintains strategic vendor relationships, including external legal counsel and Employers of Record (EORs).
• Drives continuous process improvements by designing scalable workflows, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and integrating AI tools across team workstreams.
• Leads departmental initiatives supporting global expansion, HRIS optimization, and workforce data reporting.

What You Bring:

• 6+ years of relevant HR/People Operations experience across international regions
• 4+ years of supervisory/people leadership experience
• Knowledge of employment law, HR operations, and compliance standards across EMEA and APAC regions
• Experience establishing operational objectives, procedures, and entity setups in new international markets
• Experience utilizing HRIS platforms (e.g., HiBob) and data spreadsheet tools for workforce analytics
• Ability to persuade and align internal stakeholders in complex or sensitive situations while preserving positive working relationships
• Experience managing departmental budgets, vendor contracts, and external partner relationships
• Fluency in English and German

What Makes You Stand Out:

• Experience with AI tools (e.g., Gemini) and integrating AI into operational workflows
• Experience in additional HR disciplines such as employee relations or HR business partnership
• Experience working within US-headquartered, publicly traded organizations subject to au