Senior People Generalist

Job description

ROLE HIGHLIGHTS: - Senior People Generalist - Location: Portugal, Lisbon - Department: Local subsidiary - Reports to: CEO, ICEYE Portugal & indirect line to Global Head of People Operations - Employment type: Permanent, full-time - Workplace model: hybrid (office-first) Employment is subject to applicable security screening (incl. SUPO, where required) WHY THIS ROLE MATTERS:   You are the face of People Operations for ICEYE in Portugal and the first line of defence for all country-specific people matters. ICEYE's Global HR Operations team (the second line) designs the global frameworks, tools and data standards; you own their local tailoring and practical execution — while ICEYE Portugal builds two very different organisations at once: a Lisbon Center of Excellence hiring software, AI and space engineers, and a satellite production facility ramping manufacturing, integration and test teams through 2027. Your mission: ICEYErs in Portugal are engaged and supported so they can deliver better business results.   WHO WE ARE ICEYE is the world leader in sovereign intelligence from space. We deliver persistent monitoring capabilities to detect and respond to changes in any location on Earth.   ICEYE owns the world's largest and most advanced SAR (synthetic aperture radar) satellite constellation. To our customers we provide intelligence with unmatched quality, latency and revisit times, in any weather, day or night. To governments who choose to operate their own constellation we provide this proven capability as a sovereign system.   ICEYE-built constellations serve customers in defence and intelligence, environmental monitoring, insurance and emergency management. We enable fast decisions that contribute to a safer future.   Founded and headquartered in Finland, ICEYE operates globally with over 1000 employees across Europe, North America, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific. YOUR DAY-TO-DAY RESPONSIBILITIES Employee experience & local HR operations - Serve as the primary point of contact for local employees on benefits, policies and employee lifecycle events, providing timely and accurate responses in line with global standards. - Handle individual cases for relocation and onboarding, including preparation of local employment contracts and country-specific documentation. - Manage local third-party HR providers (payroll vendor, benefit brokers) and the local practicalities of off-boarding, meeting all legal requirements and exit procedures. - Act as the first point of contact for standard employee relations cases, handling practicalities locally and consulting Global HR Operations on complex issues. Payroll, data & compliance - Audit payroll data in the HRIS and ensure accurate local processing in collaboration with the in-house team and the local payroll vendor. - Maintain accurate employee records in the HRIS and related systems: data integrity, confidentiality and compliance with local and global data privacy regulations. - Stay on top of Portuguese employment law — including the specifics of an industrial site (shifts, safety-adjacent policies, collective frameworks where applicable) — and keep all HR activity compliant, with clear documentation of local processes and policies. - Coordinate the personnel security clearance process with the local security officer for roles that require it. Global alignment & people programmes - Act as the go-to person for the CEO on HR matters, escalating complex issues to the Global HR team when necessary. - Tailor and execute global frameworks locally — levels, salary bands, performance management, wellbeing, L&D — so they work for both the Center of Excellence and the factory population. - Identify opportunities to automate local HR tasks with Global HR Operations, adapting global ways of working to local legal standards while preserving ICEYE's culture. - Assist managers and leads as the organisation adds its first layers of management. Talent Attraction - Act as the bridge between the global Talent Attraction team and local hiring needs in Portugal: oversee local TA processes, keep hiring moving at the right speed and step in with hands-on support when needed. - Support local employer brand building and the channels that feed it, including university partnerships and the local tech and industrial talent networks.   WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR Must haves: - 8+ years of progressive HR experience covering both talent acquisition and HR generalist/business partner work. - Strong working knowledge of Portuguese labour law, local benefits and market HR practice, with a track record of creating compliant HR policy documentation. - A hands-on approach with high attention to detail in contract management, local onboarding and the management of local third-party providers. - Track record hiring technical/engineering profiles and industrial or manufacturing profiles; you personally source and close candidates. - Strong analytical skills and high emotional intelligence to handle sensitive individual employee relations cases, with the wisdom to escalate complex issues. - Comfort with HRIS (e.g., HiBob) and ticketing systems, using data to audit payroll and maintain source-of-truth records. - Exceptional communication in Portuguese and English, able to bridge global ICEYE standards with local needs and influence both local leadership and the global team. - A proactive, service-oriented mindset that stays effective in a fast-scaling environment, adapting global policies to local contexts without losing speed.   Nice to haves: - Experience taking a site from roughly 20 to 100+ people. - HR experience in manufacturing, aerospace, defence or another clearance-relevant industry. - Experience introducing or running HRIS and ATS tooling in a growing company. - AI-native sourcing, screening and HR-automation practices. - Experience in a subsidiary of an international group, balancing local ownership with global frameworks.   APPLICATION PROCESS - TA Screening - HR interview - CEO interview (on-site) WORKING AT ICEYE At ICEYE, you’ll join a diverse and highly engaged team united by the ambition to make the impossible possible. As a global scale-up, we combine speed and ambition with the opportunity to take real ownership from day one. Your growth, wellbeing, and success are a priority, with continuous professional development, training opportunities, and a culture where collaboration is how we win. HOW WE WORK (OUR VALUES) Make the impossible possible: We set ambitious goals and stay calm under pressure. We bring grit, optimism, and ownership when things get hard, and we keep moving until we find a way. - Be curious: Go deep, ask questions, listen carefully, and think critically. Understand the “why” behind decisions. - See the big picture: Stay close to what’s happening across the company so you can make better decisions. Consider how your work affects others. - Drive effective teamwork: Create psychological safety, invite different perspectives, and build inclusive teams. There are no bad questions. - Act as one team: We win together. We match tasks to the right owner and stay agile as priorities shift. - Have fun: What we do matters—and it should be enjoyable. Celebrate progress, take pride in results, and share the wins. BENEFITS Our benefits are designed to support your health and wellbeing, at work and beyond. We keep improving them based on employee feedback, and offerings vary by location. Talent Acquisition will confirm what applies for this role and location during the process.   OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION We want ICEYE to be a place where people can be themselves and do great work. Different backgrounds and perspectives make us stronger, which is why we work to create an environment where people feel included, respected, and able to speak up. Whatever your background, we want you to bring your authentic self to the table. We’re committed to fair, inclusive hiring and equal opportunity. Everyone is welcome to apply. If you need any adjustments or support during the recruitment process, tell us—we’ll do our best to help. Apply now to start your ICEYE journey, and help us continue to make the impossible possible together. Read more about ICEYE and working with us at iceye.com http://iceye.com.