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Lisset Villanueva

@lissetvillanueva

People & HR leader with 10+ years of experience building and scaling HR functions across international, distributed teams.

Germany

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What I'm looking for

I’m looking to lead People/HR functions that need building from scratch—partnering with senior leadership on people strategy, org design, and headcount planning, with strong focus on compliance, culture, and distributed teams.

I’m a People & HR leader with 10+ years of experience building and scaling HR functions across international, distributed teams. I specialize in establishing People departments from scratch and acting as a trusted partner to senior leadership through periods of rapid growth.

Most recently, I’ve built the entire People & Operations function from scratch at a Munich Re-backed startup, scaling the company from 4 to 23 employees. I designed and implemented core HR policies and processes, including remote & working-abroad policies, absence management, compensation frameworks, and performance management—while ensuring full compliance with German labor law.

I previously led talent and people operations at Enmacc as the HR point of contact across 6 European countries, managing remote communication and local compliance requirements to keep a consistent people experience. Earlier, I built and led a full HR department at CROVISA S.A.C., establishing a performance appraisal system and developing L&D programs that achieved 75% annual training plan fulfillment.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

Current

People & Operations Lead

Current

Squalify (Munich Re Spin-off)

Jun 2023 - Present (3 years 1 month)

Built the entire People & Operations function from scratch at a Munich Re-backed startup, scaling from 4 to 23 employees. Serves as strategic HR partner and leads HR policy/process design, German labor law compliance, and HRIS adoption (Personio) across a distributed team.

People & Strategy HR Function Build Out German Labor Law Remote Workforce Management Remote Working Abroad Policies Absence Management Performance Management HRIS Personio Employee Engagement Culture Development

Head of Talent

Enmacc

Sep 2019 - May 2023 (3 years 8 months)

Supported Enmacc’s international expansion by managing the people experience for growth from 20 to 80 employees across 6 countries. Served as HR point of contact for remote employees across multiple European jurisdictions and designed core people processes including onboarding, performance management, L&D, and offboarding.

People & Strategy Remote Workforce Management Onboarding Performance Management L&D Offboarding Workforce Planning Culture And Engagement

MBA Consultant

Lufthansa

Oct 2018 - Nov 2018 (1 month)

Partnered with Lufthansa’s L&D Sales team to redesign a digital sales training program. Benchmarked modern learning tools and delivered strategic recommendations.

Learning Development Training Program Design Benchmarking Digital Training Tools

Head of Human Resources

CROVISA S.A.C.

Apr 2013 - Dec 2017 (4 years 8 months)

Built and led the HR department from scratch, developing HR strategy, policies, and processes aligned with the company’s growth plan. Established a company-wide performance appraisal system, designed L&D programs, and reduced personnel turnover through HR and people initiatives.

HR Function Build Out HR strategy Policy And Process Design Employee Relations Workforce Planning Compliance

Consultant

Great Place to Work

Jul 2011 - Mar 2013 (1 year 8 months)

Managed a portfolio of 15+ clients, overseeing climate surveys, reporting, and action planning. Designed and facilitated bespoke training workshops and focus groups tailored to client needs.

Client Management Reporting Action Planning Facilitating Training Workshops Focus Groups