People & Culture Manager

We, Beyond Fossil Fuels (BFF), are an alliance of passionate civil society groups committed to transforming the European energy sector. We strive for a just transition to a fossil-free, fully renewables-based energy system that protects people, nature, and our planet. As an independent campaign, we are driven by a fierce dedication to ending our reliance on coal by 2030 and fossil gas by 2035 with a focus on the power sector. With your help, we can create a brighter, cleaner, and more equitable future for all. This campaign is supported by a BFF secretariat, consisting of 30 people and spread across Europe. 

The People & Culture Manager is the person responsible in the BFF secretariat for developing and implementing HR initiatives, policies and processes, providing HR support to team members, and actively involved in recruiting new staff by managing the hiring process. They take the lead in efforts to maintain and improve the good team culture, and will play an important role in transitioning all our staff contracts to a new independent organisation that is being founded in Germany. This position is not managing anybody right now.

If you are passionate about the difference civil society can make in the energy transition, and are an experienced HR manager, we want to hear from you.

• Position: People and Culture Manager
• Preferable start date: November 2024 (or earlier)
• Employment type: full-time, permanent with probation period, staff contract
• Location: Anywhere in Germany, or from our office in Berlin
• Please note that we do not have the resources to relocate candidates to Europe from outside the continent.

Your responsibilities

People Operations Management

• Help draft, agree and amend staff and freelance contracts for colleagues across Europe;
• Liaise with the employer of record and payroll services for administering the employment of staff in Germany, France, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Denmark, Poland, Belgium;
• Remain up to date and comply with relevant HR legislation in Germany;
• Manage the electronic vacation planning and overtime management in Personio, ensure team members take the necessary time off and do not delay taking “compensation” days for overtime;
• Support with payroll, provide relevant employee information (e.g. leaves of absence, sick days and work schedules);
• Organise and maintain personnel records in Personio and on our employer of record platforms;
• Answer employee queries about HR issues;
• Ensure compliance with legal labour requirements;
• Act as back-up to other Operations team members / the Managing Director.

Recruitment and Onboarding

• Keep the team’s recruitment policy up to date, share it with staff members;
• Organise and manage the recruitment process for filling existing and new positions;
• Advertise and promote job ads;
• Screen and shortlist candidates. Set and help prepare job interviews. Follow up with references provided by candidates as part of the job offer process;
• Help agree the employment details and contract;
• Advise staff members on work-related equipment;
• Once a new staff member is hired, organise their induction and onboarding, coordinating with other relevant team members.

Development, Retention and Cultural Initiatives

• Keep the team objective-setting materials up to date, and support their use;
• Oversee and support employee appraisals by line managers;
• Together with the Managing Director and Head of Operations, develop and oversee HR policies, including on salary scales, salary development, benefits, trainings etc;
• Oversee and encourage trainings to support staff members’ identified needs;
• Organise the ending of contracts, handover and exit interviews for departing staff;
• Coordinate the internal policy for resolving conflicts and taking disciplinary action;
• Help define and align the team with BFF’s mission and values;
• Develop tools and initiatives to evaluate and strive to improve the team’s culture;
• Identify team issues and propose ways to address them;
• Organise informal check-ins and team building activities, online and in person;
• Take initiatives to increase job satisfaction.

Required skills & experience

• Excellent spoken and written English and German;
• At least five years experience in human resource management;
• Relevant education, training or professional qualifications;
• Demonstrable experience with developing rules and processes related to human resource policies;
• Knowledge and at least three years experience with German employment legislation;
• Ability to communicate clearly and concisely, especially when responding to queries by colleagues;
• Proficiency in using google productivity tools (docs, slides, calendar, etc.) and excel;
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity and inclusion through continuous development, and proactively managing bias;
• Strong interpersonal skills, and ability to build common cause and reach agreements;
• Highly organised and capable of balancing multiple priorities;
• Confident working remotely with a broad range of people from different countries, cultures, and backgrounds;
• Strong attention to detail;
• Passion for research and understanding complex issues;
• Passionate about promoting a healthy, environmentally friendly, and fair society.

Desirable skills & experience

• Understanding of civil society organisations and the non-profit sector;
• At least two years experience in line management or as a task giver;
• Knowledge of employment legislation of any or many of the following countries: Greece, Spain, France, Belgium, Poland, Portugal;
• Experience with Personio and with working with Employees of Record.;
• Knowledge of other European languages;
• Understanding of energy and climate campaigning;
• Legal or accounting experience is a plus.