About Tenex
Tenex is a Chief AI Officer for forward-thinking mid-market & enterprise companies.
We’re a full-stack strategic technology partner that helps you identify the highest ROI AI opportunities in your business, set your transformation strategy, and execute through a combination of technology & change management offerings.
Our Core Values
We give a shit. We care deeply about all we do. We take pride in our work and are addicted to collecting “Wows” from customers. We sweat the details, see around corners, and are thoughtful in our approach. Excellence isn’t optional—it’s who we are.
We take out the trash. No task is beneath us, and no ego is above the work. If something needs doing, we do it—whether or not anyone notices. We do the work to help the team, not to collect personal recognition.
We never beat around the bush. Clear communication is kindness. We’re straightforward, open, and timely with our teammates—always direct, always respectful. Nobody should ever have to guess how we feel.
We go down the rabbit hole. Then keep going. We constantly seek growth by any means necessary. Curiosity drives us to explore diverse ideas, perspectives, and cultures. "Because we’ve always done it that way" is never an acceptable answer. We actively challenge ourselves and each other to stay inspired, stay curious, and evolve our thinking.
We do the right thing. Trust is our most valuable asset—earned slowly, lost instantly. Doing what’s right isn’t negotiable, even when it’s inconvenient, unpopular, or costly. Integrity guides every decision we make, without exception.
We operate like Navy SEALs. Greatness doesn’t happen between 9 and 5. We willingly invest nights and weekends—not for optics or politics, but because genuine impact demands commitment. We work hard because our mission deserves nothing less.
We share feedback. We listen to feedback. Feedback is our fastest path to excellence. We invite candid critique, meet it with curiosity—not ego—and act on it immediately. Every critique is a chance to level up ourselves and our teammates, so we default to collaboration, assume positive intent, and treat every interaction as a two‑way learning opportunity.
The job in short
Tenex is hiring its first Director of People Ops! We are looking for a hands-on, foundational leader who will build and scale the People function as the company grows from ~15 to 100 employees and beyond.
This role owns all aspects of People Operations, Employee Experience, Compliance, and Talent Development, creating the systems, processes, and culture that support Tenex’s next stage of growth.
You’ll balance strategic leadership with tactical execution; from onboarding and managing benefits to headcount planning and employee experience.
This role calls for a seasoned HR professional with a passion for building high-performance teams in a dynamic and evolving startup environment, preferably with experience in scale-up tech companies.
What you’ll do
Manage our ATS (Ashby), HR systems (Gusto), and People tech stack to keep things smooth, scalable, and data-driven.
Manage payroll, benefits, onboarding/offboarding, and compliance.
Roll up your sleeves and lead full-cycle recruiting for high-impact roles across the company. Source, interview, and close candidates who raise the bar.
Develop policies, documentation, and programs that reduce risk and drive clarity.
Lead employee engagement, recognition, and culture initiatives.
Serve as a trusted advisor to managers on performance, feedback, and employee relations.
Create frameworks for reviews, promotions, and compensation adjustments.
Design and deliver learning programs and career frameworks.
Drive annual compensation reviews, headcount planning, and people analytics.
Ensure clear internal communication and alignment across teams.
Manage relationships with external benefits vendors, brokers, and consultants (e.g., healthcare, 401(k), insurance providers) to ensure cost-effective, high-quality programs.
Must haves
5–10 years in People Operations, ideally across multiple scaling stages (50–250 employees).
Prior experience as a Head of, Director, or Senior Manager of People in a high-growth SaaS or startup.
Willingness and ability to be hands-on with HRIS, ATS, analytics, and other tools to run data-informed People operations.
Strong understanding of employment law, compliance, and people analytics.
Experience designing L&D or manager enablement programs from scratch.
A thoughtful and people-first mentality: high emotional intelligence, empathy, and a focus on continuous improvement.
Track record of partnering with executives to align people and business strategy.
Based in New York City and available to work in-office five days per week.
Operate with high integrity when dealing with sensitive employee data, situations and escalations.
Compensation & benefits
Earn between $150,000 and $190,000 annually, with opportunities for further upside tied to your output.
Growth: Opportunity for rapid career progression and financial upside in the company.
Benefits: Medical, dental, and vision provided
Vacation policy: Take what you need vacation policy
In-Office, NYC-based: Work from our beautiful office in the heart of New York City, surrounded by a team of your peers.
World-class team: Join a collective of the world's best engineers, designers, and creators, each driven to do their life's most important work.
Top Skills
What We Do
This AI thing, it’s real.
As real as mobile, the internet, and each of the major paradigm shifts in technology that came before it.
In fact, we think it’s more real. More powerful. More disruptive to how we work & how businesses operate.
This leaves you with a choice. Disrupt yourself. Or be disrupted by others. Because as the cost of intelligence approaches zero, businesses will need to transition from AI-absent to AI-native if they want to stay relevant and succeed.
