Head of People Operations

Hi! I’m Jeranne, VP of People at WeTravel, based in Amsterdam.

At WeTravel, we don’t see People Operations as a back-office function—we see it as a strategic product team. We’re building scalable, compliant, and people-centered systems that enable our global workforce of 270+ remote and hybrid employees (and contractors) to thrive.

I’m hiring a People Operations Manager to architect and lead this function. This is an operational leadership role with broad cross-functional impact. You’ll work at the intersection of HR, product, and strategy—shaping the infrastructure that enables us to scale, operate efficiently, and deliver a best-in-class employee experience.

As People Operations Manager, you’ll play a key role not just in running smooth people processes, but in acting as a true partner to the business. You’ll work closely with leaders across teams—coaching, advising, and helping them grow their teams thoughtfully and effectively.

You’ll also collaborate directly with our VP of People on high-impact, cross-functional projects that shape our culture and employee experience at scale. This could be:

• Redesigning and rolling out our performance management approach

• Driving our compensation project globally

• Launching initiatives to enhance employee experience and engagement

• Developing programs to retain top talent as we grow

WeTravel is scaling quickly, and while we use tools like HiBob and Deel, we’re always looking for ways to streamline, automate, and improve. You’ll work closely with Talent Acquisition, Finance, and leadership to ensure we have a solid infrastructure that supports both our team and our business goals.

This role is ideal for someone who brings strategic thinking, operational rigor, and a passion for creating people-first systems in a fast-growing, global environment.

You should apply if you:

• Have 8–10 years of experience in People Operations / People Business Partnering, with expertise in compensation, benefits, and global compliance.

• Have led or built HR infrastructure (people ops) in startups or scale-up environments.

• Can lead compensation reviews, design benefits strategies, and manage equity and total rewards.

• Communicate with clarity and empathy while partnering with leadership. You act as a true people business partner—understanding business priorities and aligning people strategies to support them.

• Understand the nuances of international labor laws, visas, and regulatory frameworks across the US and EMEA.

• Love developing and coaching a small team of People Operations professionals in EMEA and the US.

• Are proactive, people-focused, practical (!) and driven to build world-class HR function.

• Highly preferred: Has People Ops / HRBP experience in the US (where we have employees in 22 states!) and EMEA markets.

You might not be the right fit if you:

• Haven’t led People Ops in a global, scale-up environment.

• Struggle with ambiguity or working in a fast-paced, high-growth setting.

• Don’t enjoy building new processes or working cross-functionally.

• If you’re only interested in staying at the strategic level —we’re looking for someone who’s equally excited to roll up their sleeves and execute & supporting the team and our leaders.

• Lack hands-on experience with compensation frameworks etc.

• Leading and mentoring the People Operations team with a focus on ownership and innovation.

• Building and optimizing workflows across the entire employee lifecycle.

• Leading global compensation and benefits strategy, including stock options programs.

• Coaching People Ops Partners and advising business leaders on people matters.

• Supporting high-impact strategic initiatives and projects with the VP of People (eg. Performance Management etc).

• Designing new scalable policies to improve structure and employee experience.

• Lead the 2025 global compensation project: comp philosophy, salary banding, pay equity, promo cycles and year-end reviews.

• Build and standardize foundational HR processes and further optimise the people function to support global scale.

• Support in other strategic projects: eg. launching a Leadership Development Program to invest in our manager layer and redesign our Performance Management plans. There is a lot we still have to set up!

• Competitive compensation.

• Generous "Time to Recharge" policy — enjoy unlimited paid time off to rest, recharge, and show up as your best self.

• Work remotely for a maximum of 4 weeks per calendar year.

• 2-week cross-functional onboarding program.

• Annual team off-site (often somewhere sunny ).

• Cycle-to-work scheme (Swapfiets subscription) or commuting reimbursement.

• Tuesday team lunches and after-work social events.

• Beautiful office in central Amsterdam – rooftop garden and right by Rokin metro.

• Extensive paid family leave.

• Three paid volunteer days per year — take time to give back to causes you care about, on us.

• Cutting-edge equipment and tools to set you up for success.

• Join an international, travel-loving team with a passion for adventure and innovation.

Please note: For this role, we can only consider candidates who have the full legal right to work in the Netherlands/EU (citizenship or residency). Unfortunately, WeTravel is not able to offer visa sponsorship or relocation assistance at this time.

Founded in 2016, WeTravel aims to be the Operating System of any multi-day and group tour operator.

Travel gives people new experiences and brings them together, sometimes in life-changing ways. That’s especially the case for group travel and multi-day travel where the trip participants (travellers) get to really immerse themselves. Passionate travel organizers make this magic happen and WeTravel is here to support those travel companies. We help them publish their trip offerings, generate leads and follow through to convert them to bookings, process payments around the world, pay suppliers/vendors, and digitise their operations. This helps multi-day travel organizers get more bookings, save time, and save money.

We are a global, diverse, fun team with high ambitions but no ego. Our team is driven to continuously improve our technology; ensuring that our clients always have the best possible solutions at their fingertips. We have offices in San Francisco, Amsterdam, Boston, Sydney, and Baku.

WeTravel is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. If you're excited about this opportunity and believe you're a good fit, we encourage you to apply and join us in transforming the travel industry!

Apply to this Job