People Operations Lead

Join Fastned at the forefront of Europe’s electric vehicle and charging infrastructure revolution! As we rapidly expand our charging network across Europe, the opportunity to attract and serve more EV drivers is growing fast. To accelerate this growth, we are looking for a People Operations Lead to champion our scaling efforts, optimize our HR infrastructure, and empower the talented team at the heart of our organization. Together with 400+ colleagues from over 45 nationalities, spread across 10 countries, we drive change in the energy transition. What sets us apart is our focus on reliability, sustainability and clean energy. We have been awarded “Best Charging Network” in the UK, France, Switzerland and the Netherlands, further establishing Fastned as a leading player in the field. The Role We are looking for a People Operations Lead to build and strengthen the operational backbone of our People team. Fastned is growing fast across Europe, and we need someone who genuinely loves the craft of People Ops architecture. You understand that great HR isn’t just about policies, it’s felt by every single employee, in every country, every single month, from a warm onboarding welcome to a flawless payday. You will lead a bright, experienced team consisting of three People Ops Specialists and our EV Fleet Manager. Your job? It's to clear the tracks, set the direction, and to empower your team with autonomy and confidence to own their work. That said, you’re not a "from-a-distance" leader. When the pressure is on, whether it's a complex employee case, or a tight deadline, you are right there in the trenches with your team, leading by example. This role reports directly to our People Director and sits right at the center of our People Leadership team, alongside the Head of Talent Acquisition and the Lead HRBP. What you'll be doing: People Operations • Make sure everyone has a smooth journey, drive the governance and strategic oversight of our end-to-end employee lifecycle across all EU markets, empowering the team to deliver a seamless, impact-driven employee experience. • Ensure our HR processes are consistent, compliant, and ready to scale as fast as our charging network into new countries. • Optimize our HRIS architecture ( HiBob ) to ensure bulletproof data integrity, strict compliance, and actionable reporting that helps the wider business move forward. • Drive a culture of continuous improvement, always asking, "How can we do this better, faster, and with less manual clicking?" Payroll • Partner closely with the Payroll Lead ensuring continuity, compliance, and quality across all end-to-end People and Payroll processes. • Act as the designated deputy for Payroll Operations, providing seamless operational coverage and decision-making support during leadership absences. • Review and authorize final payroll output data to guarantee accurate execution, serving as the final control gate for People Ops inputs. Team Leadership • Empower, lead, coach, and develop a dedicated team, offering autonomy to experienced members while staying close enough to support when it matters most. • Be the kind of manager whose team feels both challenged to grow and completely backed up. • Foster a team sub-culture built on precision, mutual care, psychological safety, and continuous learning.