People Operations & Talent Acquisition Associate

Company Description: Systemiq is a system-change company committed to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement by transforming markets and business models across five key systems: nature and food, materials and circularity, energy, urban areas, and sustainable finance.

As a certified B Corp, we combine strategic advisory with high-impact, on-the-ground work, partnering with business, finance, policymakers and civil society to deliver system change. With offices across Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas, we are dedicated exclusively to sustainability-focused work.

Role Overview

Our People team plays a central role in helping Systemiq attract, support and develop exceptional people around the world.

We're looking for a People Operations & Talent Acquisition Associate (or Senior Associate, depending on experience) to join our São Paulo office. This is a broad, hands-on role that combines People Operations with Talent Acquisition. You'll support the employee lifecycle in Brazil while also partnering with our global Talent Acquisition team to help deliver recruitment across Brazil and, where needed, other regions.

The balance between People Operations and Talent Acquisition will flex depending on business priorities. Initially, the role is expected to spend around 30% of its time supporting recruitment, although this may increase during periods of higher hiring activity. We're therefore looking for someone who enjoys variety, is comfortable adapting to changing priorities and is equally happy working behind the scenes as they are partnering with hiring managers and candidates.

The role reports to the Head of HR Operations, with a close working relationship and dotted reporting line into the Head of Talent Acquisition, particularly during periods of increased recruitment activity

Key Responsibilities

People Operations

• Coordinate employee lifecycle activities including onboarding, contractual changes and offboarding.
• Prepare employment documentation and maintain accurate employee records.
• Coordinate payroll inputs and liaise with external payroll and benefits providers.
• Administer employee benefits, leave and other day-to-day People Operations activities.
• Act as the first point of contact for routine employee and manager queries in Brazil.
• Support local compliance with employment legislation, escalating more complex matters where appropriate.
• Maintain accurate data within HR systems and support routine People reporting.
• Support the People Success team with the operational coordination and administration of performance and employee success processes, including maintaining accurate documentation and case records.

Talent Acquisition

• Support recruitment activity across Brazil and other regions as required.
• Partner with hiring managers and the Talent Acquisition team to coordinate recruitment processes from role approval through to onboarding.
• Conduct recruiter interviews and support candidate assessment.
• Coordinate interviews, candidate communications, offers and recruitment administration.
• Maintain candidate pipelines and recruitment data within Greenhouse.
• Represent the Talent Acquisition function locally, building strong relationships with hiring managers and providing practical recruitment support.
• Support sourcing and market mapping for priority roles when required.

Continuous Improvement

• Help improve People Operations and recruitment processes to enhance employee and candidate experience.
• Support implementation of new systems, tools and ways of working.
• Contribute to wider People team initiatives and projects as required.

Essential Experience

• Experience in People Operations, HR administration, Talent Acquisition or a combined People role.
• Experience supporting recruitment processes, including interviewing candidates.
• Practical knowledge of employee lifecycle processes and HR administration in Brazil.
• Experience working with payroll inputs, benefits administration or employment documentation.
• Strong organisational skills with excellent attention to detail.
• Excellent written and spoken in both Portuguese and English.
• Experience using HR systems and Applicant Tracking Systems.
• Ability to build trusted relationships with employees, candidates and hiring managers.

Desirable Experience

• Experience working in a consulting, professional services or international organisation.
• Familiarity with Greenhouse, HiBob or similar systems.
• Knowledge of Brazilian employment legislation (CLT).
• Experience working with external payroll, benefits or legal providers.
• Experience supporting recruitment across multiple countries or regions.

About You

You'll enjoy working in a collaborative, fast-paced environment where priorities can change and no two weeks look exactly the same.

You'll be someone who:

• enjoys balancing operational excellence with building relationships;
• is organised, proactive and comfortable managing multiple priorities;
• communicates confidently with people at all levels of the organisation;
• takes ownership while knowing when to seek guidance or escalate issues;
• is curious, collaborative and committed to continually improving the way we work.

What We Offer

Joining Systemiq means becoming part of a global, mission-driven organisation working to accelerate the transition to a more sustainable economy.

You'll work with colleagues across our international offices, contribute to meaningful work and have the opportunity to broaden your experience across both People Operations and Talent Acquisition within a collaborative and supportive team

Diversity & Inclusion
At Systemiq, we absolutely believe diverse perspectives are essential to driving system change. We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where people feel respected, supported and able to do their best work.

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