People Operations Lead
SmallpdfJobsCloseBy Editorial Insights
Smallpdf is seeking a People Operations Lead to own cross entity HR operations across Switzerland and Europe, ensuring payroll, onboarding, compliance, and HRIS governance while partnering with the VP People to align hiring, performance, and engagement. The role demands 6+ years in People/HR Ops, Swiss labor law expertise, ability to manage sensitive cases, and experience leading a small team, with fluency in English and German a plus. You’ll work onsite in Zürich and use BambooHR, CultureAmp, and OysterHR among others. To apply, submit CV in English PDF preferred via the form; tailor your resume with concrete examples of scalable processes, cross-border compliance, and your impact on employee experience. Important notes Swiss residency requirements, no visa support.
About us
Smallpdf was founded in 2013 with one simple belief: working with documents shouldn’t be complicated. Today, we’re an industry leader in digital document solutions, trusted by millions of users across 195+ countries. We build intuitive, powerful tools that help individuals and businesses work smarter with their documents. From compressing and converting files to editing and e-signing, our platform makes complex document workflows simple, secure, and accessible.
As a product-led company headquartered in Switzerland and powered by a diverse, global team of 110+ people (across the group), we combine product excellence with a strong focus on user experience, data-driven decision-making and continuous innovation. We operate at the intersection of simplicity and performance, building scalable solutions that power everyday productivity for individuals and businesses alike. Our team is driven by ownership, experimentation and a shared commitment to delivering meaningful impact at scale.
About the role
We are seeking for a People Operations Lead to ensure that our people systems run reliably, compliantly, and consistently across two group entities and multiple European markets. You translate People & Culture strategy into clear, scalable processes that work across borders, while providing practical support so managers can lead effectively and make sound people decisions in an international environment.
You work closely with the VP People and Talent Acquisition to ensure alignment across hiring, performance, and engagement — balancing local compliance requirements with a cohesive, company-wide employee experience.
Success means seamless, cross-entity employment operations, smooth and well-aligned performance and engagement cycles, and a People function that feels responsive, structured, and genuinely enabling — making Smallpdf and PDFtools a great place to work across all locations.
Responsibilities
Lead People operations
Own and continuously improve the operational backbone of the People function.
Own onboarding, offboarding, payroll, and HR administration
Govern HRIS structure, data integrity, and workflows
Standardize and simplify processes across both entities
Reduce operational noise through automation and clear documentation
Take end-to-end ownership of operational excellence, partnering closely with the People Ops Specialist to ensure consistent execution
Ensure compliance and risk control
Maintain strong governance while enabling business agility.
Ensure Swiss labor law compliance and international employment standards
Act as escalation point for complex employment matters, coordinating with external advisors when needed
Handle sensitive cases and maintain audit-ready HR controls
Enable managers and performance
Drive clarity, fairness, and consistency in how performance is managed.
Own the design and execution of the performance cycle across both entities
Provide structured, practical guidance on feedback, development, and people decisions
Support complex performance situations as a pragmatic sparring partner
Strengthen culture and employee experience
Help create a consistent, high-quality employee experience.
Ensure engagement cycles and follow-up mechanisms run effectively
Operationalize culture initiatives in partnership with the VP People
Shape company-wide gatherings and events to strengthen alignment and connection
Oversee workplace experience
Provide direction and oversight to local Office Manager (CH)
Set guardrails and priorities for office operations and local initiatives
Ensure alignment between workplace experience and broader engagement goals
Serve as escalation point for complex workplace topics while empowering Office Managers to run day-to-day logistics
We use the latest technologies:
BambooHR (HRIS)
CultureAmp (performance & engagement)
OysterHR (EOR)
Google Workspace
Slack
Notion
About you
6+ years in People/HR Operations
Experience owning a People function or leading a small team
Strong Swiss labor law expertise
Confident handling sensitive and complex cases independently
Strong service orientation with a genuine interest in creating a high-quality employee experience
Structured, pragmatic, and detail-oriented
Trusted advisor to managers and leadership
Comfortable translating strategy into practical execution
Bias for action and strong ownership mindset
Experience running HRIS systems and performance cycles independently
Comfortable navigating complexity across multiple legal entities
Fluent knowledge of English (verbal/written), German skills are a big plus.
Nice to have's:
Experience in a People Partner role
EOR/vendor management experience
ISO or audit exposure
HRIS optimization or implementation experience
(Tech/SaaS) Startup or scale-up background
Important note: we are looking to hire someone who will be located and registered in Switzerland. The company does not offer visa support for this particular position.
Join Smallpdf - Where innovation meets impact!
Becoming part of our team means more than just taking a job—it’s joining a dynamic, collaborative environment where your voice matters, your growth is championed, and your work truly makes a difference.
Here, we don’t just talk about a growth mindset—we live it. You’ll thrive in a culture that balances professional ambition with personal well-being, where flexibility, creativity, and purpose come together. Whether you're shaping the future through groundbreaking projects or leveling up your skills, your journey here will be one of impact, innovation, and continuous learning. This reflects in our company values.
Our Benefits
🌍 You get to impact the way over 60 million people get work done every month.
🚀 Push boundaries and dare to fail—that’s how we learn!
💻 Enjoy the flexibility of a hybrid work environment, and meet your team occasionally to work together and strengthen the team bond.
🏝️ 30 vacation days—yep, you read that right—that you can take whenever you need them.
🧳 Need a long break? We offer sabbatical leave to employees who’ve been with us for over 2 years.
👶 16 weeks parental leave—100% of your salary—for all new parents
🥧 Phantom stock Option plan (Conditions apply.)
🐶 Don’t leave your four-legged friends at home, our offices are pet-friendly
📚 A personal development budget of up to 2,000 CHF every year, plus days off for courses or training.
🤓 Internal knowledge sharing and external coaching options during your working hours to boost both your hard and soft skills.
👩💻 Hack days to challenge you and your team, plus build amazing things.
🍻 BBQs, game nights, meetups in the Swiss Alps, or in kayaks on Lake Zurich—we’re serious about great coffee, karaoke, and Mario Kart, too!
How to Apply
Please apply using the form below and upload your CV - in English, as it’s the standard working language at Smallpdf. A PDF format is preferred.
Compensation philosophy
At Smallpdf, we believe compensation should be fair, transparent and thoughtfully aligned with the value each person brings to our team. Our approach balances several key factors - current market trends, role expectations, seniority, experience, and geographic location - to ensure every offer is both competitive and equitable.
We review our salary ranges regularly to stay in step with the evolving market, and we make decisions based on skills, impact, and responsibility rather than negotiation strength. Our goal is simple: to recognize and reward great work, support long-term growth and create a compensation structure that feels fair, consistent and grounded in integrity.
We want everyone at Smallpdf to feel valued, supported and empowered to do their best work - and our compensation philosophy is designed to reflect exactly that.
Hiring policy
Smallpdf is an equal-opportunity employer, and we believe our strength comes from a team that reflects a wide range of backgrounds, identities, perspectives, and lived experiences. We welcome applicants of all genders, ethnicities, ages, abilities, orientations, and life paths. You’ll also have the option to share your pronouns and answer an anonymous demographic questionnaire when you apply. This information is completely voluntary, but it helps us stay accountable in building an inclusive and equitable hiring process.
We use AI thoughtfully in our day-to-day work, but we value human curiosity, creativity, and integrity above all. We’re excited to meet candidates who bring genuine expertise, real stories, and authentic experience to the table.