Head of Talent Acquisition (m/w/d) Defence Tech

We are looking for an experienced developer for a VC-backed Defence-Tech-Startup (60 MA) to fill the position of Head of Talent Acquisition (m/w/d). In 2026, the company will be facing a massive growth phase – with strong investors from the industry and a multiple founder who is extremely well networked.

As Head of Talent Acquisition, you will build a scalable recruiting system and be responsible for hiring end-to-end: processes, team, tools, data, and performance, directly at the interface to founders and leadership.

Aufgaben

1) You build a recruiting system that scales

You develop a robust end-to-end hiring setup – initially for Germany, with a perspective on international expansion:

• clear standards, processes, role logics, and decision frameworks
• structured interview processes including scorecards and clean evaluation systems
• a candidate journey with clear SLAs, high speed, and consistent quality assurance

2) You lead the recruiting team with tempo and clarity

You establish a performance-oriented recruiting operating model that really delivers:

• goals, KPIs, weekly hiring rhythm, pipeline reviews, and clear prioritization
• coaching, quality control, and genuine accountability in the team
• building and further development of a team that brings measurable performance

3) You sharpen our employer story in the Defence context

You build an employer brand that attracts the right people – Tech Engineers, operator mindsets, and mission-oriented talents:

• development of a clear narrative around mission, technology, and impact
• translation into consistent external impact through all channels (e.g. LinkedIn, job ads, events)
• positioning that Defence does not explain, but triggers the right people

4) You are a strategic sparring partner for founders & leadership

You connect hiring with company goals and translate demand into scalable structures:

• headcount planning, forecasting, and workforce models
• role architectures, team design, and hiring logic per growth phase
• clear hiring prioritization along business & delivery goals

5) You make data & AI the standard

You steer recruiting through data – and use AI to increase speed and quality:

• funnel analyses, forecasting, quality signals, and clean reporting
• use of modern tools (e.g. Gem, ChatGPT)
• clear improvement logic: time-to-hire down, quality-of-hire up

6) You anchor performance culture & compliance

You make output visible and ensure fairness & legal certainty:

• clear recruiting KPIs, rituals, and incentive logics
• structured selection processes & bias-reduced interviews
• compliance-ready processes that remain stable even in rapid growth

Qualifikation

• Mind. 5 years of experience in Talent Acquisition
  (ideal: Defence-Tech, dynamic scale-ups, challenging roles)
• Numerical evidence of success in scaling teams (e.g. 100 → 200+) with measurable results in:
• speed (time-to-hire)
• quality (hiring manager satisfaction / quality-of-hire)
• retention / fit
• Strong sourcing background (hands-on) + very familiar with ATS and tool stack
• Ai & automation are your standard
• Data-driven work: dashboards, funnels, forecasts, KPI steering
• Experience in international hiring and close cooperation with founders/C-level
• Very good English and German
• You see presence in the office as a genuine performance lever (mind. 3-4 days/week)

Benefits

• Maximum impact: you don't just build processes, you build the system
• Direct responsibility + proximity to founders (serial / second-time founders)
• Environment with high standards, clear direction, and genuine momentum
• Attractive package: fixed salary + bonus model
• The chance to establish recruiting as a real growth function in the Defence sector

Not everything is a must-have. If you find yourself in this role, apply – we're looking for ownership, tempo, and genuine interest in the mission.

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