Head of HR - Fintech start-up

About the role: As our first Head of HR, you will be the visionary and strategic partner responsible for building a world-class organization poised for explosive growth across Europe. You will drive the HR end-to-end, being a go-to partner for all things people, from talent acquisition and onboarding, performance management, engagement, and HR operations, ensuring our people and processes scale in step with our ambitious business goals. If you're strategically analytical, impact-focused, and energized by designing cutting-edge HR systems that scale, this is your opportunity to leave your signature on organizational excellence. Up for the challenge? Let's get in touch! Join us remotely - you can be located anywhere within the CET time zone, as our work is 100% remote. This is a full‑time position.

What you will work on:

• HR strategy: Develop and execute an HR strategy that aligns with our business objectives and establishes our company as an employer of choice. Act as a strategic advisor to the CEO and leadership team on organizational development, culture, and high-impact people decisions.
• Scaling talent: Design and implement initiatives to support hyper-growth scaling while maintaining our culture and values. Champion a remote-first culture, ensuring distributed team members remain engaged and connected.
• HR operations & compliance: Build HR operations from the ground up – implement efficient HR processes, policies, and People Ops tools (HRIS, ATS, payroll, etc.) to support a growing international team. Ensure all HR procedures comply with legal and regulatory requirements in multiple countries, keeping us compliant across borders.
• Talent Acquisition & Employer Branding: Oversee end-to-end recruitment strategy to attract top talent. Partner with hiring managers on workforce planning and leadership hiring for key roles. Drive employer branding efforts to position us as an attractive workplace in the fintech space.
• Process design and implementation: Establish scalable policies, processes and frameworks to drive high performance and growth. Design compensation and benefits structures suited for a startup.
• People analytics: Use HR data and analytics to inform decisions and provide insights to leadership. Track key people metrics and use these to continuously improve our People strategy.
• Cross-functional collaboration: Work closely with all departments (Operations, Finance, Compliance, etc.) as a trusted partner. Support managers in org design, team structuring, and change management as we evolve. Ensure the People function is tightly integrated with business operations to drive overall success.

What we expect from you:

• 10 years of experience in HR roles, with significant exposure to high-growth environments. You have led HR teams through periods of rapid expansion (scaling from startup size to 500+ employees or more). You know how to build processes that can scale quickly without breaking, and how to hire and retain talent in a competitive market under tight timelines.
• Experience managing HR for international, multi-entity setups. You understand the complexity of operating in multiple countries and have worked with solutions like EOR or PEO to hire or manage compliance abroad.
• Startup & tech savvy. You have background working with tech startups, with fintech or financial services exposure a strong plus. You understand the demands of a fast-paced startup culture.
• PeopleOps tools. You’re familiar with modern HR tools and systems. You have implemented or managed HRIS, ATS, payroll and performance management systems to streamline HR processes.
• Stakeholder management & collaboration. You’re excellent at building strong, collaborative relationships with leaders and stakeholders across the organization. You can influence senior executives, work with a diverse group of functional heads, and instil trust as a people advisor.
• Communication. You’re a clear, confident communicator who can engage effectively across teams and cultures. Fluency in English is required; additional European languages are a bonus.
• Structured problem-solving: You present pragmatic and analytical mindset – you’re able to break down complex HR challenges and craft simple, scalable solutions.
• Data-driven decision making: You leverage people metrics and evidence to make decisions and to persuade others. Experience with HR analytics or using data to inform talent strategies will be key to success in this role.
• Adaptability & drive: You are flexible, proactive, and hands-on. Not afraid to “roll up your sleeves,” you can switch from strategic thinking to handling operational details when needed. You thrive in ambiguity and can set priorities in a fast-changing environment.

Nice to have:

• Prior experience in fintech, ideally in the early stages
• Experience leading employer branding programs
• Hands-on involvement in creating and rolling out an employee equity program

About ICEO: We are a venture builder that has been creating innovative startups for the past 10 years. We’re on a mission to accelerate growth, enhance operational capabilities and secure investments for our portfolio companies. With a team of more than 150 people from 25 countries, we leverage repeatable company-building processes and best practices to derisk scaling and increase the probability of success. Our multiple exits so far stand as a testament to that. Join us to build the future together!

Why work at ICEO:

• Remote-first company - we enable you to work from anywhere in the world
• Flexible working hours
• 38 days PTO - you have 38 days of paid time off per year, such that you can recharge and relax.

Assessment process:

• Initial interview with Hiring Manager
• Case Study, you have 5 days to complete
• Case Study panel presentation - panel comprised of Hiring Manager, VP of Growth, Head of Finance
• Final interview with CEO and Group Head of People