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Pour Demain
(Senior) HR and Legal (or IT) Advisor or Operations Director
Bern/Zurich, at least 2 office days per week preferred · Start: January 2027 or as soon as possible (latest 1 March 2027) · 80 to 100% · Permanent
Own people and, ideally, legal at a European think tank working where science meets policy. You make sure our team is well hired, well employed and well looked after, and that our Swiss association stays sound, compliant and well governed. If your second strength lies in IT rather than legal, you can own IT instead. If you bring extensive operations leadership experience, you could also lead the operations team as Operations Director.
→ Apply in 5 to 15 minutes with this form
First deadline: 15 November 2026 · Final deadline: 30 November 2026 · We review applications on a rolling basis, so early applications are encouraged.
About Pour Demain
Pour Demain is an independent European think tank working at the intersection of science and policy. We translate robust evidence into concrete recommendations for parliaments, administrations and international institutions, always from a public-interest perspective. We work on AI safety (including the Swiss AI Summit 2027 and Swiss AI policy) and on global development cooperation (through Coopération Globale and the secretariat of the Smart Buys Alliance). We are a team of seven, working in close partnership with a sister organisation of five people in Berlin.
The Role
Our operations rest on two clearly separated domains, each with one owner. You own people and, as our preferred set-up, legal. Our Head of Finance and IT owns finance, grant management and IT. If your profile fits better, you can take on IT instead of legal. Which domain you take on and the level you join at (Advisor or Operations Director) depend on your experience and our priorities, and we decide both together with you during the selection process. For transparency: our Head of Finance and IT is an internal candidate for the Operations Director role.
What You Will Own
- People and HR operations: supporting our thematic teams in running recruitment processes; contracting, payroll and social insurance (AHV/IV/EO, ALV, accident insurance, daily sickness benefits, BVG), onboarding and offboarding, time and absences, lean HR processes, employer of record arrangements for staff abroad, and people development, building a culture in which people thrive.
- Legal and entity compliance (preferred): governance of our Swiss association, charitable status and tax exemption, contract review, data protection (Swiss Data Protection Act and GDPR), insurance, and a compliance calendar where every recurring legal deadline is owned, tracked and met.
- IT (alternative to legal): our Google Workspace, Slack, Asana and Claude setup, accounts, access and devices, security policies and backups, and external IT providers.
- If you join as Operations Director: you also lead the Head of Finance and IT and one to two operations specialists, translate organisational goals into operational key results, and are the Executive Director's point of contact on operations.
What We Are Looking For
You meet many, but not all, of the criteria? Apply anyway.
Essential
- Experience running HR at an organisation in Switzerland (or Germany), including contracts, payroll interfaces, social insurance and pension schemes
- Working knowledge of Swiss employment law and the judgement to know when to bring in counsel; ideally knowledge of Swiss association or foundation governance, or alternatively hands-on IT and information security experience
- People focus and discretion: a trusted point of contact who handles confidential matters and difficult conversations with integrity and tact
- Operational ownership and an 80/20 mindset: thorough where it matters, pragmatic everywhere else
- Keen to use AI tools such as Claude heavily in your daily work
- German and English at professional level, written and spoken
For the Operations Director level
- Experience leading or coaching colleagues, and a track record of running an operations function across several domains
Highly desirable
- Swiss nonprofit practice (association law, charitable tax exemption) and cross-border employment experience
- Experience at a think tank, foundation or nonprofit
Advantageous
- A recognised HR qualification (for example the federal diploma or certificate in HR) or a legal background
- Comfort with OKR-style planning and tools such as Asana
- French
What We Offer
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Contract
A permanent Swiss employment contract with Pour Demain
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Compensation
CHF 105,000 to 125,000 for 100%, depending on experience and the level you join at. For exceptional candidates, we can discuss a salary above the range.
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Training
A training budget for your professional development
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Time off
Five weeks of vacation and paid sick leave
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Setup
At least 2 office days per week in Bern/Zurich preferred (e.g. one day in Bern, one in Zurich); team retreats and occasional trips of around 3 to 4 weeks per year
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Influence
In a lean team, operations is a strategic lever. Your work directly enables our impact on AI safety and global development.
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Stability
Solidly funded for years through close partnerships with philanthropic foundations; we plan in two-year cycles.
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Culture
A small, ambitious and supportive team with flat hierarchies and an open-minded, strongly collaborative ethos
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Application
The selection process comprises a first interview, a written assignment, a second and a third interview, a joint working day with us, and reference checks.
This form takes about 5 to 15 minutes to complete, including your CV.
First deadline: 15 November 2026 · Final deadline: 30 November 2026.
Questions: info@pourdemain.ch
We look forward to getting to know you!