People Operations Executive (FTC)

carwow; City of Westminster; Hybrid; GBP 42,000 - 62,000; Full time

Job summary

carwow is seeking a People Operations Executive for Germany to own the end-to-end monthly German payroll and the employee lifecycle. You will serve as the trusted first point of contact for payroll questions in German and English, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and smooth lifecycle processing in a fast-paced environment.

You will use AI and smart tooling to improve efficiency, while collaborating with the broader People Operations team for growth and autonomy in the role.

Qualifications

• 2+ years experience in People Operations/HR admin/payroll.
• Hands-on German payroll processing experience and knowledge of German payroll regulations.
• Fluent in German and English (written & spoken).
• Excellent attention to detail and high organisational standards.
• Ability to work with AI tools to streamline admin tasks.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end monthly German payroll processing on time and accurately.
• Be the primary contact for the German payroll provider and resolve queries.
• Ensure payroll compliance with German regulations and regulatory updates.
• Maintain payroll records and support year-end reporting for Germany.

Skills

Payroll processing

German payroll knowledge

Fluent German & English

Attention to detail

Highly organised

AI tools usage

Strong communication

Spreadsheets

Payroll compliance

Tools

Hibob

Excel

Job description

OUR MISSION

To become the car-changing destination of choice. By combining technology, media and deep automotive expertise, we've turned how people buy, sell, advertise and lease cars on its head.

What started as a simple reviews site is now one of the largest online car-changing destinations in Europe. Last year alone we grew over 50% with nearly £3bn worth of cars bought on site, while £1.8bn of cars were listed for sale through our Sell My Car service.

In 2024 we went big and acquired Autovia - creators of AutoExpress and Evo magazines - doubling our audience overnight. Together we now have one of the biggest YouTube channels in the world with almost 10m subscribers and over 1.1 billion annual views, while we sell 1.2 million print copies of our magazines and have an annual web content reach over 350million.

And we’re a long way from done!

YOUR MISSION

Our people are at the heart of everything we do, and the People Operations team is the engine that keeps their experience running smoothly. We’re looking for a support in an upcoming German project for the next 6-12 monts. As our People Operations Executive for Germany, you'll own the accurate, on-time running of our monthly German payroll and be the trusted first point of contact for our German employees' questions on pay, benefits, and everything across the employee lifecycle.

This is a hands-on, detail-driven role for someone who takes real pride in getting things right, thrives in a fast-moving environment, and genuinely enjoys making colleagues feel looked after. You're fluent in German and English, bring hands-on experience of German payroll and employment regulations, and are comfortable handling administrative tasks as part of your responsibilities. You'll be the person who turns it into something reliable, organised, and even better than you found it, using AI and smart tooling to work faster and smarter.

This is a great opportunity to build your career in People Operations: you'll take ownership of the day-to-day running of German payroll and the employee lifecycle for Germany, with support and guidance from the wider People Operations team as you grow into a more senior, more autonomous role.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Payroll:

• Own the end-to-end processing of our monthly German payroll accurately and on time, from gathering inputs (new starters, leavers, changes, bonuses/commission, absence) through to submission and reconciliation.

• Act as the point of contact for our German payroll provider, resolving queries and making sure everything ties out each cycle.

• Ensure payroll compliance with German payroll and employment legislation (income tax, social security contributions, and other statutory requirements) and keep on top of regulatory changes.

• Maintain meticulous payroll records and support year-end processes and statutory reporting requirements for Germany.

Employee queries & support:

• Be the friendly, reliable first responder for questions from our German employees on payroll, benefits, and lifecycle matters, resolving them promptly and clearly in German and English so everyone feels supported.

• Advise employees on people policies and processes, escalating the genuinely complex or sensitive with good judgement and discretion.

• Spot recurring questions and turn them into self-serve answers, FAQs, and clearer documentation.

Benefits:

• Administer our benefits programmes for German employees day to day, including enrolments, changes, leavers, and provider liaison.

• Help employees understand and make the most of what's on offer.

• Support benefits renewals and improvements, keeping records accurate throughout.

Employee lifecycle:

• Process joiners, leavers, and employee changes within Germany, and deliver a smooth, engaging experience across the full lifecycle, including onboarding, contractual changes, family leave, and offboarding.

• Prepare accurate documentation (contracts, letters, changes to terms) in line with German employment regulations, and keep our HRIS (Hibob) clean and up to date at all times.

• Make sure every touchpoint feels considered, so people have a great experience from day one to their last day.

Data, systems & admin:

• Keep our people data accurate, consistent, and audit-ready. You'll treat data quality as non-negotiable.

• Produce clear, reliable reports and pull basic insights to support decision-making.

• Use AI tools and automation to reduce manual effort, speed up admin, and improve accuracy.

Continuous improvement:

• Take ownership of your processes and proactively look for ways to make them simpler, faster, and more reliable.

• Suggest and implement improvements to workflows and documentation, leaving things better than you found them.

KEY REQUIREMENTS

• 2+ years' experience in a People Operations / HR administration/payroll role, ideally within a scale-up or high-growth, fast-paced, high-pressure environment.

• Hands-on experience processing German payroll and a solid working knowledge of German payroll and employment regulations. Fluent in German and English (written and spoken).

• Exceptional attention to detail. Accuracy is the thing you're known for, and you double-check by instinct.

• Not put off by admin. You find satisfaction in doing high-volume, detailed work well and consistently.

• Highly organised. You juggle multiple priorities and deadlines calmly and never let things slip.

• Solution-oriented. You take problems off people's plates, research answers independently, and come up with fixes, not just flags.

• Comfortable with AI. You actively use AI tools to work more efficiently and are keen to find new ways to apply them.

• Strong communicator. Warm, clear, and helpful, with the discretion to handle sensitive and confidential information.

• Confident with people systems and spreadsheets, and quick to pick up new tools.

BONUS POINTS

• Experience supporting benefits administration and renewals.

• Experience with Hibob and Remote payroll

• Exposure to multi-country / international People Operations.

INTERVIEW PROCESS

• Introductory call with our Talent team

• Online interview with the Hiring Manager

• Coffee chat with German team