Talent Acquisition Manager

About the Role We are a fast-growing, angel-backed European AI SaaS startup building intelligent automation tools for business communication. With a lean team and strong early traction, we are now hiring our first dedicated Talent Acquisition Manager to build and own our end-to-end recruiting function from the ground up. You will work directly with the Recruiting Lead and C-level, operating with high autonomy and fast decision-making authority. This is a foundational people role — equal parts strategy and execution — for someone who thrives in a startup environment and takes full ownership of outcomes. Note: This is an on-site role based in Vienna, Austria. Visa sponsorship is not available. What You'll Do • Define clear role requirements in direct alignment with each hiring manager. • Build and maintain candidate pipelines through active sourcing and multi-channel activation. • Conduct efficient pre-screening and screening calls that deliver actionable hiring decisions. • Coordinate all stages of the hiring process to ensure smooth, timely progress. • Negotiate employment contracts through to successful offer closure. • Design and implement lean, scalable recruiting strategies and operational structures. • Build low-overhead administrative hiring processes and configure the tools that support them. • Develop and execute employer branding initiatives to attract top talent. • Coordinate external partners (e.g., payroll providers, notaries, tax advisors) within recruiting workflows. • Support onboarding and offboarding activities as part of the full employee lifecycle. • Establish HR foundations — processes, tools, and team events — in close collaboration with leadership. What We're Looking For Must-haves (dealbreakers): • 5+ years of experience in Talent Acquisition with a proven track record of building and delivering end-to-end recruiting processes. • Demonstrated experience negotiating employment contracts and successfully closing offers with candidates. • Proven ability to define and implement lean, scalable recruiting processes from scratch, measured by hard metrics. Required skills & experience: • Hands-on experience with recruitment platforms and software — setting up and optimizing tools for daily use. • Data-driven mindset with the ability to define, track, and report key recruitment metrics (e.g., time-to-fill, conversion rates, pipeline efficiency). • Strong track record of pitching roles and organizations compellingly to secure top candidates. • Proven ability to quickly filter large applicant pools for both skill-based and cultural fit. • Experience coordinating external partners (payroll, notary, tax advisory) as part of recruiting workflows. • Familiarity with onboarding and offboarding processes across the recruiting lifecycle. Nice to have: • Experience developing and executing employer branding strategies in a recruiting context. • Familiarity with AI tools and modern workflows applied to talent acquisition. Ideal background: You may have previously worked at or recruited for companies in B2B SaaS, conversational AI, or high-growth tech startups. You bring a startup mindset — comfortable with ambiguity, energized by ownership, and skilled at building structure where none exists yet. Compensation & Benefits • Salary: $65,000 – $80,000 USD annually (or equivalent local currency) • High-impact, highly autonomous role with direct C-level exposure • Opportunity to shape the company's talent function from day one • Small, fast-moving team with a strong ownership culture Location This is a fully on-site role based in Vienna, Austria. Candidates must be based in or willing to relocate to Vienna. Visa sponsorship is not available.