General Manager

Location: Berlin or Hamburg!

At Freenow by Lyft, we are on a mission to empower smarter mobility decisions, helping people to move freely and cities to thrive.
Following Lyft's recent acquisition of Freenow in Europe, we are seeking an experienced leader to drive growth in our German and Austrian operations, serving as the critical bridge between global strategy and local execution. You will excel at managing relationships up and down the organization, ensuring central roadmaps align with German market realities while driving hyper-local growth.

Reporting directly to the VP Operations, Europe, you will steward the Freenow by Lyft business across Germany and Austria, serving as a key driver of local market growth. In this role, you will collaboratively steer the P&L alongside regional and central leadership, combining strategic vision with hands-on operational oversight. 
As a strong representative for the Freenow by Lyft brand, you will align the needs of different customer segments while building and managing regulatory and stakeholder relationships that support our local operations and long-term growth.

YOUR DAILY ADVENTURES WILL INCLUDE:

You will play a key role in driving our German and Austrian operations. This role combines strategic leadership, commercial acumen, stakeholder management, and hands-on execution to support Freenow by Lyft's growth in the market. 

• P&L Management & Commercial Acumen:

• Collaboratively steer the German and Austria P&L alongside regional leadership, proactively negotiating for the resources and investment needed to fuel local growth.

• Collaborate with the Marketplace Performance team to steer supply and demand, leveraging understanding of unit economics to optimize the dynamic marketplace.

• Identify and develop new revenue streams from concept to realization, including growth pillars such as Medical and Dispatch solutions.

• Operational Excellence & Growth:

• Lead the "Local Growth Team" model, inspiring a high-performing team to out-execute competitors through hyper-local market insights and operational agility.

• Masterfully navigate the matrix, acting as the chief advocate for Germany/Austria to ensure central Product and Tech roadmaps are tailored to local supply and demand nuances.

• Build and manage relationships with regulators, government bodies, driver associations, and other relevant external stakeholders to support a stable operating environment and long-term market development.

• Represent Freenow by Lyft in the region, engaging the press and public stakeholders to build brand trust and a localized competitive advantage.

• Translate global strategy into local execution, balancing marketplace efficiency with local customer needs.

TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THIS ROLE:

We're looking for a leader who thrives in a dynamic environment and combines strategic thinking, operational expertise, and strong commercial capabilities.

• Proven experience leading senior teams with P&L ownership.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to engage effectively with drivers, government representatives, and commercial partners.
• Analytical mindset with a focus on continuous improvement and the ability to leverage technology, including AI, to support operational excellence.
• Strong experience in sales, marketing, and commercial negotiations, with a demonstrated track record of driving business growth.
• Self-motivated and comfortable navigating ambiguity and uncertainty in scaling a technology marketplace.
• Deep understanding of technology-driven marketplaces.
• Existing network within relevant German market segments is a plus.
• Fluency in German and English is required due to regular interaction with local external stakeholders and international internal teams.

BENEFITS & PERKS IN A NUTSHELL:

• Hybrid working models

• LinkedIn Learning

• Sabbatical & special leave policies

• WeRoad partnership

• Birthday, 24th + 31st December off

• Short term EU work policy

• Mobility budget for FREE NOW App

 

• Employee assistance program

Plus more local benefits depending on your work location!

DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION:

Freenow is an equal opportunity employer and we consider qualified applicants regardless of race, religion, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability or age.
We want you to grow and evolve, bring your true self to work. 

ABOUT US:

Freenow by Lyft empowers smarter mobility decisions, helping people to move freely and cities to thrive. Through our multi-mobility app, we feature broad options for everyone across 9 European markets and over 180 cities. Millions of passengers can access services including taxis, private hire vehicles, carsharing, car rental, e-scooters, e-bikes, e-mopeds, and public transport within a single app. 

In July 2025 Freenow was acquired by Lyft, a global mobility platform, which connects riders and drivers for billions of rides across North America and Europe. Together, Freenow and Lyft are creating a more caring and connected world, with transportation for everyone. We are a global, diverse, highly motivated, and collaborative team that strives for excellence and likes to have fun. Ready for your next ride?