Head of People & Culture

About the role

CDDS is seeking a Head of People & Culture to partner directly with the CEO and senior leadership. You will shape the people strategy, build world‑class recruiting processes, and nurture a high‑performance culture as the company scales its cutting‑edge drone interception technology.

Key responsibilities

• Partner with the CEO on organization design and hiring strategy.
• Build and scale recruiting processes for engineering, robotics, autonomy, operations, and commercial functions.
• Identify and engage exceptional candidates across Europe and beyond.
• Design interview systems that raise the talent bar.
• Create onboarding experiences that accelerate new‑hire productivity.
• Develop performance management, feedback, and career development frameworks.
• Build leadership capabilities across the organisation.
• Shape and protect company culture during rapid growth.
• Design compensation, retention, and talent development strategies.
• Support managers with hiring, team building, performance, and organisational challenges.
• Establish scalable people operations without unnecessary bureaucracy.

Required profile

• 2+ years of experience in talent acquisition, people leadership, organisational development, executive search, or related fields.
• Fluent in English and German.
• Proven track record of hiring exceptional talent in high‑performance environments.
• Strong ability to assess talent, potential, and cultural fit.
• Experience partnering closely with founders, executives, or senior leadership teams.
• Excellent communication and relationship‑building skills.
• High ownership, hands‑on mindset, and independent judgment.
• Comfortable working in a fast‑moving startup where priorities evolve rapidly.

Required skills