Head of People Operations

About WeTravel

ABOUT WETRAVEL

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 participants get to really immerse themselves. Passionate travel organizers make this magic happen and WeTravel is here to support those travel organizers. We help them publish their trip offerings, take bookings, process payments, pay suppliers/vendors, and digitize their operations. This helps travel organizers get more bookings, save time, and save money.

OUR VALUES

This position presents the opportunity to work in a business-critical role in a rapidly growing company. You will also uphold our four core values:

• Be the solution - take ownership, drive collaboration
• Be resourceful - strive for new wins every day
• Be honest - default to transparency
• Be respectful - treat others like you want to be treated

We encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds and underrepresented groups and would invite you to apply. A diverse workforce is a highly productive one, so why not take a chance, send us your application even if you don't meet all our requirements, we may surprise you!

“Culture add” is so much better than "culture fit" and welcome applications from all groups, irrespective of your, age, disability, gender reassignment, gender, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, veteran status and sexual orientation.

OUR WORK ETHIC

At WeTravel, we are building a High Performance Culture where we reward top performers, expect a work environment at WeTravel that is fast-paced, demanding and deeply committed to putting our customers first. Our global footprint spans 30 countries, requiring your flexibility, agility, and dedication to our team. Our high-performing team members' commitment to excellence and their ability to tackle challenges head-on position us at the forefront of our industry.

Joining WeTravel means stepping into a dynamic, demanding environment where your contribution makes a real difference. It’s a place for those ready to dive into their work, push beyond comfort zones, and achieve collective goals through hard work and perseverance.

Here, ambition isn’t just welcomed; it’s essential for those fully committed to our mission of leading the market in the fintech SaaS space.

Role and Responsibilities

At WeTravel, we view People Operations as a strategic driver of business success—focused on delivering innovative, scalable HR solutions. The Head of People Operations will lead the vision, strategy, and execution for global People Operations, overseeing the team responsible for supporting a dynamic workforce of nearly 250 remote employees and contractors across the globe. Reporting to the VP of People, this senior leader will architect operational excellence, shape a best-in-class employee experience, and ensure compliance with international standards. This is a pivotal leadership role in shaping the employee lifecycle, from compensation and benefits strategy to HR technology and compliance, ensuring WeTravel is positioned for growth while maintaining an exceptional employee experience.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership:

• Define and execute the long-term People Operations strategy, aligning it with organizational goals to support WeTravel’s global workforce.
• Lead and mentor the People Operations team, empowering them to deliver scalable, employee-centric solutions.
• Partner with the VP of People and senior leadership to shape the overall HR vision, providing thought leadership on compensation, benefits, and operational excellence.

Compensation & Benefits:

• Own the global compensation and rewards strategy, including the design and implementation of a comprehensive compensation philosophy.
• Build and refine frameworks for compensation reviews, promotions, and equity programs to ensure alignment with market trends, equity, and business priorities.
• Ensure compliance with tax and regulatory requirements across regions, including complex multi-jurisdictional matters.

Operational Excellence:

• Drive automation and optimization of HR processes through innovative use of HRIS platforms like HiBob, Deel, and Justworks.
• Develop and oversee seamless onboarding, offboarding, and employee lifecycle workflows, ensuring efficiency and employee satisfaction.
• Establish and enforce global standards for employment documentation, contracts, and lifecycle management.

Compliance, Policies and Reporting

• Ensure full compliance with global employment laws, including GDPR, labor laws, and visa regulations, across all regions.
• Develop and maintain scalable global HR policies and handbooks, ensuring alignment with international laws and cultural nuances.
• Design and implement advanced reporting capabilities for payroll, benefits, and workforce analytics, providing actionable insights for business leaders.

HR Business Partnering:

• Act as a strategic advisor to senior leadership, providing insights and solutions on people operations, workforce planning, and organizational design.
• Collaborate with the VP of People to lead strategic HR projects, including talent reviews, DEI initiatives, and career development frameworks.

Key Initiatives (Next 12 Months):

1. Global People Ops Transformation: Architect and implement a scalable, future-ready People Operations model that supports organizational growth.
2. Compensation Philosophy & Salary Review: Lead the 2025 annual salary and benefits review, leveraging market data to align with business priorities and drive pay equity.
3. Workflow Automation: Enhance and automate key HR processes, focusing on onboarding, offboarding, and employee lifecycle management.
4. Policy Modernization: Revamp global HR policies and employment guidelines, to reflect best practices and scalability.

Skills Knowledge and Expertise

• Extensive Leadership Experience: Proven track record of leading global People Operations teams in complex, fast-paced environments (ideally xp with scale-up phase), preferably at a senior level.
• Global Expertise: Deep knowledge of international labor laws, compliance requirements (e.g., GDPR), and multi-region payroll/benefits management.
• Strategic Thinker: Demonstrated ability to align HR operations with broader business goals, driving both efficiency and a positive employee experience.
• Innovative HR Technologist: Skilled in leveraging modern HR platforms (HiBob, Deel, Justworks) to automate and optimize workflows.
• Compensation & Benefits Expertise: Strong background in designing and managing global compensation, benefits, and equity programs.
• Change Agent: Proven ability to lead organizational transformation and scale HR operations for high-growth companies.

Personality Traits

• Visionary Leader: Thinks strategically and builds for the future while ensuring operational excellence.
• Data-Driven Decision Maker: Balances analytical rigor with people-centric approaches.
• Inspirational Mentor: Coaches and empowers team members to achieve excellence.
• Collaborative Partner: Fosters alignment across departments and serves as a trusted advisor to senior leadership.
• Culturally Intelligent: Adapts HR practices to meet the diverse needs of a global workforce.

Benefits

• Attractive compensation
• Unlimited Paid Time Off!
• 2 week cross-functional onboarding training program for all new colleagues.
• Annual team off site.
• Cycle to work Scheme
• Tuesday team lunches & after work social events.
• Amazing offices in the heart of Amsterdam - rooftop garden, right next to the Metro stop in ROKIN
• Hybrid working model - 3 days in the office and Work From Home for the remainder
• As a travel-related company, we have fantastic team retreats, two of our founders love surfing, so it's normally beside a great beach - it was Colombia for 2022
• The latest tech you need to be successful.

About WeTravel

Founded in 2016, WeTravel provides a complete booking and payments platform for multi-day and group travel companies of all sizes. We give your clients an easy booking experience while also helping you manage financials, payments to partners or your bank, registration information, and client communication all in one place.

Headquartered in San Francisco, with our secondary hub in Amsterdam, our team is driven to continuously improve our technology; ensuring that our clients always have the best possible solutions at their fingertips.