Head of Human Resources

About Empowerly

Empowerly (Empowerly.com) is an education technology company that personalizes college and career counseling, with a mission to empower students to become the most successful version of themselves. We help students discover their passions and get accepted to their top choice colleges and internships.

We provide data-driven education technology, start up, and research internship programs, and personalized counseling led by former college Admission Officers and experienced college counselors. We are a rapidly growing, mission-driven, and venture-backed company. It takes a unified team committed to our core values – collaboration, data driven, and empowerment – and a fast-moving team committed to serving the needs of families.

As a rapidly growing, mission-driven, and venture-backed company, we emphasize collaboration, data-driven decision-making, and empowerment. In February 2024, Empowerly raised $17 million in a funding round led by Conductive Ventures. This new capital will support the expansion of our services, enhance our machine learning capabilities, and aid in the development of our first mobile app, set to launch in the U.S. by the end of 2024. To date, Empowerly has raised $30 million.

Empowerly operates on a fully remote basis, building a team of individuals who excel in remote environments and are passionate about making high-quality college counseling accessible to all students, regardless of their background or location.

About The Team

The People Operations team at Empowerly is all about attracting, recruiting, and ensuring talent has everything they need to succeed. We are responsible for supporting all things related to the employee lifecycle, talent acquisition, performance management, compensation management, benefits, employee relations, legal compliance, payroll, and corporate events. We are also responsible for agile staffing, contract compliance, and our marketplace talent acquisition. We have aspirations to build our employer brand, develop our talent management framework, develop our compensation framework, and so much more. 

About The Role

We are seeking an experienced, strategic, and consultative Head of People to lead all HR-related activities as we scale. This role will be instrumental in transitioning our company from a founder-led organization to a structured model, building out functions and departments across the company. You will report directly to the CFO, have a direct report, and access to an advisor for strategic guidance. The ideal candidate will have significant experience working in Series B to C or later-stage companies with similar team sizes, a deep understanding of marketplace operations, and the ability to work independently while leading the HR function. You will collaborate closely with the executive team and thrive in a role that requires both strategic and operational expertise. You will have exceptional communication and influencing capabilities, unparalleled professional judgment, and a solutions-first mindset.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership: Develop and implement people strategies that align with business goals, supporting the scaling of teams and functions in a dynamic environment.
• Marketplace Operations Expertise: Show a strong interest in understanding how marketplace business models work and leverage this knowledge to drive talent acquisition and management strategies that support our growing marketplace and agile staff.
• Scaling and Structure: Lead the transition from a founder-led organization to a structured framework, building out teams, processes, and systems that support sustainable growth and scalability.
• Culture and Engagement: Define and nurture Empowerly’s culture by designing initiatives that promote employee engagement, recognition, and a sense of belonging. Lead efforts to continually assess and evolve the company’s culture to support high performance and employee satisfaction.
• Total Rewards Strategy: Design and implement a comprehensive total rewards strategy, including compensation, benefits, and recognition programs, to attract and retain top talent.
• Executive Team Collaboration: Work closely with the executive team to drive company-wide initiatives and ensure alignment across all functions and departments.
• Cross-Group Collaboration: Foster a collaborative environment by working effectively across various teams and departments to ensure cohesive strategy execution and seamless integration of new functions.
• Performance Management: Lead the design and implementation of performance management systems that align with business objectives and promote a culture of feedback, development, and accountability.
• Direct Leadership: Manage a direct report and provide them with the necessary support and development opportunities to grow within their role.
• Independent HR Leadership: Work independently to lead the People function, making strategic decisions and implementing best practices that align with the company's goals.
• Advisor Collaboration: Leverage access to an experienced advisor to refine people strategies and enhance the overall effectiveness of the People function when needed.
• Data-Driven Decision Making: Utilize qualitative and quantitative data from engagement surveys, 1:1s, and other sources to create effective and empathetic people programs that enhance the employee experience.
• Compliance and Best Practices: Ensure all policies and practices are in compliance with legal and regulatory requirements, effectively communicated, and implemented throughout the organization.
• Technology and Systems: Own and evolve our people tech stack, including HRIS, payroll, engagement, and performance management systems to ensure integrated systems that scale efficiently. Tech Stack includes Google, Slack, Rippling, Greenhouse, Sequoia, Checkr, etc. 

Requirements

• 10+ years of experience in a People/Human Resources function within a high-growth, scaling organization, with at least 3 years in a leadership role.
• Deep understanding of recruiting and the scaling of human capital
• Proven ability to build and scale HR teams and functions in a Series B to C or later stage company with similar team sizes.
• Strong interest in and understanding of marketplace operations.
• Proven experience working effectively with executive teams to drive strategic initiatives.
• Excellent cross-group collaboration skills, with the ability to work seamlessly across various teams and departments.
• Ability to work independently and lead the People function, making strategic decisions that align with company goals.
• Experience managing direct reports and supporting their growth and development.
• In-depth understanding of HR best practices, employment laws, and experience with marketplace operations.
• Strong strategic thinking and communication skills, with the ability to work collaboratively across all levels of the organization.
• Experience with Google, Rippling, Sequoia Benefits, Lever, etc. and other platforms 
• Knowledge of People Ops related to international W2 employees and international contract workers
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, ever-evolving environment and adapt quickly to changing business needs.

Empowerly’s Recent Achievements

• In February 2024, Empowerly raised $17 million in a funding round led by Conductive Ventures, bringing our total funding to $30+ million.
• Empowerly’s proprietary technology, The Empowerly Score, sets us apart by using predictive machine-learning models to evaluate and improve student outcomes, guiding students on how to strengthen their college applications.
• Joined the Sequoia marketplace in July 2023, providing services as an employee benefit to working parents.