Head Of People and Talent

We are working with a venture build up in Germany to hire a Head of People & Talent to build and lead the talent strategy for a dynamic venture-building organisation operating across venture creation, corporate partnerships and venture investment.

This is a unique opportunity to build a talent engine from the ground up, identifying, attracting and securing exceptional founders, operators and investors while establishing the people foundations needed to scale a high-performing organisation.
This is not a traditional HR leadership role. It combines strategic talent acquisition, proactive sourcing, relationship building and hands-on people operations.
Key Responsibilities

• Talent Strategy: Own and develop the end-to-end talent strategy, building access to leading founder, operator and investor networks.
• Proactive Sourcing: Identify, engage and secure exceptional entrepreneurial talent, including individuals who may not be actively seeking new opportunities.
• Founder & Leadership Hiring: Partner with senior stakeholders to assess talent, support hiring decisions and identify future founders capable of building high-growth ventures.
• Talent Community: Develop long-term relationships with high-calibre individuals and establish a strong reputation as a destination for entrepreneurial talent.
• Employer Branding: Shape and represent the organisation’s employer brand to attract outstanding people.
• People Operations: Own the employee lifecycle, including onboarding, employee development, HR processes, contracts, policies and payroll coordination.
• Scalable Infrastructure: Build efficient hiring processes, HR systems and people infrastructure to support organisational growth.

Essential Experience:

• Proven experience in proactive talent sourcing and securing high-calibre candidates.
• Strong understanding of what distinguishes exceptional founders, operators and high-performing teams.
• Ability to assess potential, entrepreneurial mindset and capability beyond a traditional CV or established track record.
• An established network across relevant founder, startup, investor or operator communities.
• A combination of strategic thinking and hands-on execution.
• Entrepreneurial, commercially minded and comfortable working in a fast-paced, ambiguous environment.
• Experience building talent strategies, communities or hiring processes from the ground up.
• A strong sense of ownership and a genuine interest in building an environment where exceptional talent can thrive.
• Fluent in both English and German.

Desirable: Experience in startups, venture capital or venture building; familiarity with HR systems, German employment legislation and scaling organisations; and confidence using AI and emerging tools to improve talent acquisition and people processes.

Email cathrine@candcsearch.co.uk for more information