VP of People and Operations

Head of People & Operations (m/f/d)

Munich | Reports directly to the CEO | Start as soon as possible

Deep Piction is a Munich-based biotechnology company developing in vivo cellular and molecular therapies for inflammatory diseases, infection and cancer.

Our LipiGO targeted lipid nanoparticle platform is designed to deliver therapeutic cargo, including CAR mRNA, to selected cells and generate CAR-T cells directly in vivo. Our Precision Platform combines whole-body cellular imaging, spatial biology, molecular profiling and AI to measure delivery, efficacy and safety across the organism.

We are currently a lean team of approximately 10 people and expect to grow to around 15–16 employees over the coming months. With several funded development programs underway and a Series A planned for Q2 2027, we are looking for an experienced Head of People & Operations to build the organizational and operational systems required for the next stage of the company.

This is a senior, hands-on role reporting directly to the CEO. You will take ownership of People, company operations and Series A readiness. You will turn decisions into accountable execution, identify and remove operational blockers, and progressively take over the day-to-day People and operational responsibilities currently managed by the CEO.

Your responsibilitiesPeople and organization

• Translate company strategy, development programs and funding into a practical workforce and recruitment plan.
• Run recruitment from job posting, candidate screening and interview coordination through references, offers and employment contracts.
• Build a structured and effective onboarding process for new employees.
• Establish clear role descriptions, reporting lines, responsibilities, objectives, feedback processes and development paths.
• Support managers with performance, team development, difficult conversations and conflict resolution.
• Coordinate compensation, benefits, leave, payroll inputs, employment documents, visas and relocation.
• Maintain confidential personnel records and proportionate HR policies that comply with German employment practices.
• Help build a culture of ownership, transparency, scientific ambition and accountability.

Company operations and execution

• Establish a lean operating cadence linked to the company’s scientific programs, funded commitments and Series A plan.
• Structure leadership meetings around decisions, risks, dependencies, resource conflicts, accountable owners and deadlines.
• Maintain a CEO dashboard covering scientific milestones, hiring, finances, grants, partnerships and operational risks.
• Introduce proportionate project-management and reporting systems without creating unnecessary bureaucracy.
• Clarify decision rights and ownership across the company.
• Identify ownership gaps, follow up on missed commitments, remove operational blockers and escalate unresolved risks.
• Coordinate facilities and infrastructure, including our operations at the Life Science Factory in Munich.
• Oversee purchasing, vendors, contracts, equipment, IT services and other operational providers.
• Maintain company calendars for contracts, insurance, policies, renewals, reporting deadlines and compliance obligations.
• Coordinate legal and governance workflows, signatures, document retention and follow-up.
• Support laboratory, IT and data-infrastructure planning together with the accountable scientific and technical leads.

Finance, grants and Series A readiness

• Coordinate operational budgeting, regular cash reviews and headcount planning with the CEO and finance support.
• Establish grant-finance and reporting calendars for the EIC Accelerator, KMU-innovativ and other funded programs, with clear owners, timelines and documentation requirements.
• Coordinate CRO, consultant and scientific-vendor contracting after the relevant scientific leaders have selected the provider and defined the scientific scope.
• Build and maintain a company-wide data-room architecture with clear permissions, version control, document owners and review cycles.
• Coordinate the completeness and consistency of the data room while functional and scientific leaders remain responsible for the accuracy of specialist content.
• Support board materials, investor diligence and information requests in preparation for the planned Series A.

Your initial six-month mandate

During the first six months, you will establish the core People and operating systems needed to support the company’s planned growth from approximately 10 to 15–16 employees.

You will implement the company’s operating cadence and CEO dashboard, professionalize recruitment and onboarding, assign ownership for recurring operational and grant obligations, establish the Series A data-room structure, and take over the routine People and operational work currently held by the CEO.

The goal is to allow the CEO and scientific leadership to spend substantially more time on company strategy, fundraising, partnerships, therapeutic development and scientific decisions, while maintaining clear accountability across the company.

Role boundaries

The CEO retains company strategy, fundraising, capital allocation, board and investor relationships, major partnerships and final executive decisions.

The VP Drug Discovery & Development owns portfolio strategy, development plans, candidate-progression decisions and scientific leadership.

Program and function leads own their scientific content and execution.

The Head of People & Operations owns the company operating system, tracks commitments, removes operational blockers and escalates risks. Scientific decisions remain with the accountable scientific leaders.

This position is therefore broader than a conventional HR role but is not currently structured as a full COO position.

What we are looking for

• Substantial experience across People, HR and company operations.
• Evidence that you have built processes in an early-stage or rapidly growing organization rather than only operating established corporate systems.
• Hands-on experience with recruitment, onboarding, performance processes and employment administration.
• Strong knowledge of German employment practices, payroll coordination and personnel documentation.
• Experience establishing company-wide operating, project-management or reporting systems.
• Experience working closely with a founder, CEO or senior scientific leadership team.
• Excellent English and strong working German.
• Regular availability to work with the team in Munich.

Strong advantages include:

• Experience founding or scaling a People or Operations function.
• Experience in biotechnology, pharma, medtech, deep tech or another research-intensive environment.
• Scientific or technical training that allows you to work effectively with research and development teams.
• Experience with Series A preparation, board and investor diligence, or data-room management.
• Experience in grant-funded or regulated environments.
• Experience coordinating external legal, payroll, finance, compliance and operational providers.

What we offer

• Direct responsibility for building the People and Operations function at Deep Piction.
• A direct reporting line to the CEO.
• Immediate influence on recruitment, company operations and Series A preparation.
• The opportunity to work with an interdisciplinary Munich team spanning therapeutic development, drug delivery, CAR-T, whole-body imaging, spatial biology and AI.
• Competitive compensation.
• A flexible start date.

How to apply

Please submit one single PDF containing:

• Your CV.
• A cover letter explaining why you are a strong fit for this role.
• A description of an organization, team or function that you personally helped build or scale.
• Examples of People or Operations systems that you personally designed and implemented.
• One concrete example of how your work enabled a founder, CEO or scientific team to execute more effectively.
• Your earliest possible starting date or availability.

Please do not attach certificates, reference letters, recommendation letters or other supporting documents at this stage.

Send your application to:

hr@deeppiction.com

Use the exact email subject:

• Head of People & Operations (DP-PO-2026-01)