People Operations Lead
Navan
People & HR, Operations
Berlin, Germany
Navan is looking for a People Operations Lead to drive operational excellence and scale our global employee experience. In this pivotal role, you will transition beyond tactical execution to contribute to the architecture and optimisation of our HR processes. You will be the primary owner of our EMEA People operations strategy, ensuring data integrity within Workday, managing high-volume service delivery via JIRA, and safeguarding compliance across international jurisdictions. This is a high-impact role that requires a blend of hands-on expertise and strategic foresight. You will act as a consultant to global stakeholders, manage complex organisational changes (including M&A integrations).
What you’ll do:
- Design and optimize global HR processes to ensure secure, compliant data management and seamless, scalable workflows.
- Oversee the EMEA knowledge base and lead the development of regional People policies.
- Serve as a subject matter expert, providing high-level guidance on HR procedures and compliance to employees and executive stakeholders.
- Own the execution of complex regional People projects, including large-scale change management initiatives and cross-border compliance audits.
- Collaborate with Finance, Legal, and IT to identify systemic improvements and ensure cross-departmental alignment.
- Leverage People analytics to deliver actionable insights that inform leadership decisions and drive continuous operational improvement.
- Proactively monitor and refine People processes to ensure regulatory compliance and alignment with evolving company objectives.
- Independently navigate and resolve complex, high-stakes People Ops challenges with minimal supervision.
What We're Looking For:
- 5+ years of progressive experience in People Operations
- Hands-on experience with Workday
- Advanced experience with HR case management tools (e.g., JIRA, Zendesk, or ServiceNow) and a "tech-first" approach to problem-solving.
- Proven experience managing company acquisitions and the full-cycle integration of employees into existing operational frameworks.
- Exceptional organisational skills with a demonstrated ability to lead multi-quarter global projects from conception to completion.
- Strong understanding of regional employment laws and data privacy regulations.
- Elite verbal and written communication skills with a strong "customer-first" mentality.
- A proactive, self-starting mindset with the ability to prioritise high-impact initiatives
- Fluency in English and German
About Navan
Navan (Nasdaq: NAVN) is the leading all-in-one business travel, payments, and expense management platform that makes travel easy for frequent travelers. From finding flights and hotels to automating expense reconciliation, with 24/7 support along the way, Navan delivers an intuitive experience travelers love and finance teams rely on. See how Navan customers benefit and learn more at navan.com.
Culture of Excellence
Our team is our competitive edge — a high-performance group of smart, driven people committed to winning together. This dedication to excellence is why we’ve been recognized as a Best Place to Work by Built In (2023–2026), a G2 Best Global Software Company (2025-2026), a CNBC Disruptor 50 (2022-2025), and a Forbes Fintech 50 (2022-2025). At Navan, we provide an environment where top talent excels, offering the autonomy and fast-paced trajectory needed to build a defining career and do the best work of your life.
Our Benefits
Navan offers a comprehensive benefits program designed to support your well-being, financial security, and life outside of work. Our benefits, thoughtfully tailored by country to meet local needs, include healthcare coverage, insurance offerings, and wellness resources for you and your family.
We support long-term financial growth through retirement savings programs and opportunities to participate in our equity plans, so you can share in Navan’s success. To promote balance, we offer flexible time off, country-specific holidays, and paid parental leave for all new parents. Additional benefits include connectivity and commuting support, mental health resources, and exclusive travel-related perks. Wherever you’re based, our benefits evolve with you.
Workplace Policy
Navan believes in the value of in-person connections, whether that’s sitting down to have lunch with one another, taking a walking 1:1, or collaborating in a room together. The connections forged through face-to-face interactions improve company culture and drive business results. Navan invests in global office spaces — in the U.S., Europe, and Asia, among others — that feel welcoming. In-office perks such as company-provided lunches and happy hours create a strong team environment to help you do your best work. Our employees work from the office four days a week. Please expect this policy for all roles that are tied to an office.
Equal Opportunity
Navan is an equal opportunity employer. We make all employment decisions based solely on merit. We provide equal employment opportunity to all applicants and employees without discrimination on the bases of race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. We prohibit any such discrimination or harassment. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including hiring.
Accommodations
Navan complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), as amended by the ADA Amendments Act, and all applicable state or local law. Navan will reasonably accommodate qualified individuals with a disability in connection with applications for employment as required by law.
If you need any assistance or accommodations due to a disability, you are welcome to email us at talent-accommodations@navan.com.
Candidate Privacy Notice
Please review Navan's Candidate Privacy Notice here.
Job Search Best Practices
We have been made aware of recruitment scams involving fraudulent attempts to lure job seekers into sending money or personal information in return for fake job offers or coerce them into purchasing equipment by electronic funds transfer (Zelle, Venmo, etc.) Legitimate Navan recruiters will never ask for money in any recruitment or onboarding activities. All available job openings at Navan will be posted on Navan’s website and all Navan recruiters will be reachable through an email address ending in “@navan.com” or “@navan.tech” or "@talent.navan.com".