People Operations

Join Proton and build a better internet where privacy is the default

At Proton, we believe that privacy is a fundamental human right and the cornerstone of democracy. Since our inception in 2014, founded by a team of scientists from CERN, we have dedicated ourselves to providing free and open-source technology to millions worldwide, ensuring access to privacy, security, and freedom online.

Our journey began with Proton Mail, the largest secure email service globally, and has since expanded to include Proton VPN, Proton Calendar, Proton Drive, and Proton Pass. These tools empower individuals and organizations to take control of their personal data, break away from Big Tech’s invasive practices, and defeat censorship. Our work impacts hundreds of millions of lives, from activists on the front lines defending freedom to leaders in governments protecting sensitive information. In some cases, Proton’s services have even been instrumental in saving lives by enabling secure and private communications in high-risk situations.

Proton today supports over 100 million user accounts with a growing team of over 500 people from over 50 different countries, from the world's top companies and universities. We value intelligence, learning potential, and ambition in our hiring process. Adaptability is key as we navigate uncharted territories and redefine how business is conducted online. We believe smaller teams of exceptional talent will always prevail over larger teams with lower talent density. Proton has become profitable and reached scale without relying upon VC funding, largely due to superior talent that allows us to do things faster, more creatively, and more efficiently.

We have a global mindset and big ambitions but remain a start-up at heart. We value empowerment and flexibility and keep our structure flat to keep moving fast and avoid unnecessary politics. Tired of blending into the crowd? Join us and do work you can truly be proud of.Check oursocial media pagesto learn more about us:Twitter,Reddit,Instagram.

The Team

At Proton we are more than 550 team members, based in 10 different offices (Switzerland, Taiwan, Macedonia, Spain, UK mostly) , or engaged remotely in many other countries worldwide.

Reporting to the "People Experience Lead", you will lead a team of 3 great partners located in different locations (Geneva, Skopje, Taipei, Paris). You will get assisted by an HR automation and digitalization senior partner.

Your mission? Stand for people’s day to day experiences, in order to facilitate their life and positively influence their productivity and engagement.

Current Projects:

• Designing our next generation HRIS, fully integrated with its ecosystems, to gain simplification and automation in our processes.
• Streamlining and improving the collaboration with Global Payroll Provider just recently implemented, to gain efficiently at scale.
• Drive new approaches for the team to gain visibility and proximity with our team members.

Tech Stack and Tools:

• Hibob used as HRIS
• Innovative payroll approach through one single Global Payroll Provider fully integrated with HRIS and Finance systems
• Automated contractual management through Luminance

Impact and future Opportunities:

• Your engagement and due diligence will directly impact the retention of our talents, while you will contribute to the echoing reputation and success of Proton by ensuring compliance and integrity in all our people processes.
• We are a growing company, with a certain level of business maturity without the burden of corporate processes. Agility and velocity are experienced daily at Proton, making this role a unique opportunity to innovate and create your own ways to lead the people operations and payroll team.

Role Overview

Position:People Operations and Payroll Lead

Department:People & Culture

What you will do:

• Lead, mentor and develop a team of 3 People Operations & Payroll Partners, ensuring engagement and providing guidance on day to day responsibilities.
• Oversee the HRIS (Hibob) and ensure data accuracy and integrity.
• Drive an exceptional experience throughout the entire team members lifecycle from onboarding to offboarding.
• Oversee and coordinate payroll systems, providers and processes.
• Ensure compliance with local employment laws and regulations.
• Ensure effective controls and people policies that align with Proton's goals are in place to meet auditable processes as required
• Manage HR projects and initiatives as defined.

We need you to have:

• 5+ years of experience in HR operations or business partnering field including an experience in people management (3+ subordinates), with a portfolio including payroll responsibilities, ideally in an multinational fast-paced tech environments
• Good knowledge of payroll practices with a multi-country scope of responsibility
• At ease with numbers, statistics, excellent analytical skills, and, important for the role, detail-oriented
• A proven experience with Microsoft Excel (pivot tables, lookups, Ifs at minimum)
• Conflict resolution and negotiation skills to manage employee relations issues
• A strong sense of confidentiality
• English is a must, a second language (French, Spanish, German) is a plus.
• Willingness to learn, roll up your sleeves, raise your hand, help to deliver and strive for excellence

Even if you don’t meet all the requirements listed above, but feel you could still be a great fit, please still apply.

What We Offer

• Office First:Collaboration is easier and more effective in person, which is why we have offices in Geneva, Zurich, Prague, Barcelona, Paris, London, Vilnius, Skopje, and Taipei. You can also enjoy working from home up to 30% of the time, while enjoying great company during our three core days in the office. Depending on the role, fully remote positions may also be available.
• Technology:We provide all the devices and software you need to excel in your role, ensuring you have the best tools at your disposal to achieve your goals.
• Food:Lunch and snacks are provided by Proton every day at our offices.
• Transport:We will always support our employees with transport costs through subsidizing public transport, bike allowances, or parking spaces based on your office location.
• Stock Options:At Proton, we are all owners of the company and you get stock options when you join us.
• Flexible Working:You can define your own working hours as long as it works with team meetings.
• Learning and Development:We are committed to your professional growth. Proton offers various learning opportunities, including training programs, conferences and events, and continual learning.
• Employee Benefits:Comprehensive health insurance plans, competitive retirement savings options, generous vacation and leave policies, and wellness programs.
• Work that Matters:Proton is a community-first organization, started with the support of a crowdfunding campaign and built with community input. To this day, Proton’s only source of revenue is user subscriptions. Over 100 million people trust and support Proton, and we put our users and community first in everything we do. Read more about our impacthere.

Check our social media to learn more about Proton:

LinkedIn,Reddit,X,YouTube

Our Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

At Proton, we believe diversity drives innovation and strengthens our mission to provide privacy as a default for all. We are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where all individuals, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, physical ability, or socio-economic background, feel valued and empowered. We strive to create equal opportunities, promote open dialogue, and support continuous learning to ensure every voice is heard and respected.

If you need any extra support or reasonable adjustments during the hiring process, please let your talent partner know.

Candidate Privacy Notice

When you apply for a position, refer a candidate, or are considered for a role at Proton Technologies AG (Proton, we, us, or our), your information is stored in Greenhouse, in accordance with theirService Privacy Policy.This information is used to evaluate your suitability for the posted position. We also retain this information for consideration for future roles that you may apply for or that we believe may align with your background and skills.

If we no longer have a legitimate business need to process your information, we will either delete or anonymize it. Should you have any inquiries about how we use or manage your information, or if you wish to access, correct, or delete your data, please contact our privacy team at careers@proton.ch.

Proton does not accept unsolicited resumes from any sources other than directly from candidates. We will not pay a fee for any placement resulting from an unsolicited offer, even if the candidate is subsequently hired by Proton.

To learn more about our privacy policy, please visitour privacy policy page.