HR Manager (Maternity Cover)

About Marshmallow

We started Marshmallow when we found out how unfair insurance prices are for people who move to the UK. All because the industry hasn’t given this huge cohort of people a second’s thought, and isn’t set up to price them properly. 

We saw an opportunity to do things differently, so we made it our mission to back the ones who step outside the norm. Since we started, we’ve helped 100,000s of people get a fairer deal on their car insurance. Using technology, we serve people that are often overlooked by financial services companies, solving important problems for people who need it most. 

We know there are millions of marginalised customers out there. And we know that they face unique problems that most companies aren’t even aware of. We believe that our future is helping these people by learning about their experiences, and building our company around their needs. And there are strong signs that there’s a need for a company like us. Earlier this year we hit profitability, which is a huge milestone, but the most exciting thing is that we’re only just getting started.

How we work

We’re really proud of the culture we’ve created. We push for progress every day, because we know that we’ll only hit big milestones by taking lots of smaller steps. We’re always open to helping our team mates, sharing our ideas, experience and knowledge to solve problems together. We take risks, think creatively and experiment relentlessly to meet our customer’s needs, and never pass blame when things go wrong. We encourage people at all levels to take ownership of their work, and to be bold in challenging how we do things. Everyone has a voice and the opportunity to make an impact. 

And autonomy and ownership are only possible with clear direction. That’s why we collaborate to do in-depth planning twice a year, and make sure we leave with clear goals and objectives that flow from top to bottom. To make sure we’re as aligned as possible across functions, most of our work rolls up into four tribes; Acquisition, Retention, Claims and Pricing, Underwriting & Fraud. Each tribe has multiple teams embedded in it, working cross-functionally to do great work.

We’re so excited for all of the challenges up ahead, and we need more people to help us tackle them! If life at Marshmallow sounds like it could be for you, explore our culture handbook or read our blog to find out more.

The Role

We’re looking for an experienced HR Manager to join our growing team in Budapest during a maternity cover period. This is a key role with responsibility for delivering a high standard of HR management, supporting the full employee lifecycle, and ensuring alignment with our business goals and values.

You will be instrumental in driving forward strategic HR initiatives, ensuring compliance with Hungarian employment law, and advising on HR best practices. Partnering closely with local leadership and the UK-based HR team, you will provide expert guidance on areas such as employee relations.

We’re seeking someone who takes ownership of core HR processes, continuously seeking opportunities to refine and improve them. You’ll balance strategic planning with hands-on delivery, ensuring the HR function effectively supports both day-to-day operations and long-term organisational success.

In this role, you'll be working with a small, capable team covering HR administration, payroll coordination, and office/facilities support. You will act as a senior HR presence in Hungary, building strong relationships and championing a consistent and exceptional employee experience.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic HR Leadership

• Take ownership of building stakeholder relationships in Budapest, acting as a trusted advisor to local leadership and employees.

• Shape and implement HR strategies that align with our fast-growing business needs.

• Find a way to drive key people-related improvements across onboarding, engagement, performance, and retention.

• Use data-driven decision-making to influence People strategies and show impact.

People Operations & Employee Experience

• Ensure seamless HR operations, from preboarding to offboarding.

• Build and foster a strong culture, creating an inclusive and supportive workplace.

• Manage HR systems (e.g., Bob), ensuring all employee data is accurate and up to date.

• Work closely with UK and Hungary stakeholders to ensure HR policies and practices align with company goals and local employment laws.

• Partner with managers on performance management, coaching, and L&D initiatives.

HR Compliance & Employment Law

• Ensure full compliance with Hungarian labour laws, managing employment contracts, payroll processes, and regulatory requirements.

• Make it happen by proactively tackling any employment law queries and ensuring policies are always up to date.

• Keep it simple by streamlining HR compliance processes without unnecessary complexity.

What We’re Looking For

Experience & Skills

• Depth of experience in HR, People Operations, or a similar role.

• Strong knowledge of Hungarian employment law and HR best practices.

• Payroll experience - Hungarian payroll experience is essential; UK payroll experience would be a real bonus

• Experience in a fast-paced, scale-up environment where agility and autonomy are key is preferred

• Ability to build trusted relationships with employees and leaders at all levels.

• Excellent communication skills in both Hungarian and English.

• Experience working with HR systems (Bob, BambooHR, Workday, etc.).

• Find a way—a problem-solving mindset, always looking for practical, effective solutions.

Leadership Behaviours

• Cultural Icon – You champion an inclusive culture where our people feel supported and valued, lead by example, and see feedback as instrumental to developing others and yourself

• Always Deliver – You take ownership of your workstreams and team output, drive outcomes, and thrive under pressure. You don’t wait for instructions; you spot gaps and act on them.

• Raise the Bar – You expect the best from yourself and others, pushing for higher standards and continuous improvement.

• Future Obsessed – You think long-term, ensuring HR processes scale effectively with business growth. You balance people needs with business goals

Perks of the job

• Learning and development – Personal budgets for books and training courses to help you grow in your role. Plus 2 days a year - on us! - to further your skillset 🤓

• Mental wellbeing support – Access therapy and mental health sessions through Oliva 💚

• Competitive bonus scheme - designed to reward and recognise high performance 🌟

• SZÉP card - Budget to spend on meals, leisure and accommodation 🏝

• Sabbatical Leave - Get a 4-week fully paid sabbatical after being with us for 4 years 🌴

• Work From Anywhere - 4 weeks work from anywhere to use, with no need to come to the office ✈️

• Medicover Blue package - An exclusive pass to top-notch healthcare services🩺

• All You Can Move membership OR Monthly BKK pass - Unleashing your inner fitness guru or having a hassle-free commute - we've got you covered! 🤝

Plus a monthly team social budget, bi-weekly office lunches and Office tea, coffee and snacks!

Hiring Process

1. Introductory call with Talent Acquisition (30 mins)

2. Skills interview with a People Partner (1 hour)

3. Culture add interview with another People team leader (1 hour)

We’re committed to building an inclusive and diverse workplace where everyone feels they belong. If you’re excited about this opportunity, we’d love to hear from you!

Everyone belongs at Marshmallow

At Marshmallow, we want to hire people from all walks of life with the passion and skills needed to help us achieve our company mission. To do that, we're committed to hiring without judgement, prejudice or bias.

We encourage everyone to apply for our open roles. Gender identity, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age or background does not affect how we process job applications.

We're working hard to build an inclusive culture that empowers our people to do their best work, have fun and feel that they belong.

Recruitment privacy policy

We take privacy seriously here at Marshmallow. Our Recruitment privacy notice explains how we process and handle your personal data. To find out more please view it here.