People Operations Specialist EMEA

Blockstream was founded in 2014 by Dr. Adam Back and a group of fellow cryptographers and engineers who are passionate about Bitcoin and its potential to change the world. Today, Blockstream is the leading Bitcoin company, providing cutting-edge infrastructure solutions for enterprises, institutions, and individual Bitcoin users. We develop industry-leading Bitcoin self-custody solutions, Bitcoin-based financial products, second-layer scaling technologies, and enterprise-grade blockchain infrastructure.

We're looking for a People Operations Specialist, EMEA, to join our People team, reporting to the Head of HR EMEA. This is a hands-on, full-spectrum HR role spanning administrative excellence, employee experience, compliance, and HR business partnering across a fast-paced, multi-country environment.

You'll bring structure, attention to detail, and strong execution to everything from day-to-day HR operations to process improvement and automation. Comfort with AI tools and a curiosity for modernizing how HR is delivered are a big plus.

If you thrive in a collaborative, fast-moving, and build-phase environment and want to be part of a mission-driven company at the forefront of Bitcoin innovation, we'd love to hear from you.

What You’ll Be Doing (Responsibilities)

Employee Experience & HR Support

• Be a trusted and responsive point of contact for employees across the EMEA region

• Support employees and managers with HR-related questions, policies, processes, and documentation

• Lead onboarding activities and create a seamless and welcoming employee experience

• Support employee relations topics with professionalism, care, and consistency

• Coordinate engagement initiatives, wellness activities, and internal people programs across multiple countries

HR Operations & Administration

• Maintain highly accurate and confidential HRIS records and employee documentation

• Coordinate payroll, benefits administration, and vendor communication across EMEA countries

• Support HR compliance activities across multiple jurisdictions, with strong focus on Swiss and broader EMEA HR operations

• Manage contracts, letters, employment documentation, and HR administrative workflows

• Support the development and maintenance of HR policies, handbooks, and internal procedures

• Ensure strong operational accuracy and attention to detail across all HR activities

HR Process Improvement & Automation

• Support modernization and automation of HR processes and workflows

• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency through technology and AI-driven tools

• Assist with the implementation and optimization of HR systems and operational processes

• Bring curiosity and interest in how technology can improve employee experience and HR delivery

Talent & Development

• Support recruiting activities including job postings, candidate communication, interview coordination, and screening

• Assist with performance review cycles, goal setting, and employee development initiatives

• Coordinate training and learning opportunities across teams

• Gradually grow into broader HR business partnering exposure and responsibilities over time

What We Look For In You (Required Qualifications)

• 5+ years of experience in People Operations,

• Strong familiarity with HR operations, HR administration, HR processes, Learning and Development and employee lifecycle management

• Experience supporting payroll, contracts, HR systems, and operational HR workflows

• Experience working across multiple countries and jurisdictions within EMEA

• Knowledge of Swiss and broader EMEA employment law and HR practices

• Excellent organizational skills and exceptional attention to detail

• Strong work ethic and ability to manage both strategic exposure and highly administrative tasks with equal professionalism

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to build trust across the organization

• Curiosity and familiarity with technology, AI tools, and HR process automation

• Proficiency in HRIS systems and Google Workspace (Ashby experience is a plus)

• Excellent English and Italian verbal and written communication skills

Nice To Haves (Preferred Qualifications)

• Experience in tech, fintech, SaaS, or blockchain/cryptocurrency environments

• Strong multi-country HR experience across EMEA

• German and/or French language skills are highly preferred

• Experience improving or automating HR operational processes

• Exposure to scaling organizations or fast-growth environments

This position requires regular interaction with employees, managers, candidates, and external partners across multiple countries and time zones. The People Operations Specialist EMEA will play a key role in ensuring smooth HR operations, operational excellence, compliance, and a positive employee experience across the region.

Schedule: Monday-Friday, office-based in the centre of Lugano and hybrid 2 days per week.