Chief People Officer

Job Title: Chief People Officer Location: 100% Remote (US Based Only)

• We cannot sponsor or transfer any visas, of any kind, at this time*

Reports To: Chief Executive Officer Estimated salary range: $275,000 to $350,000

• The salary offered for this position will be based on a candidate’s experience and skill demonstrated during interviews and other evaluations

Position Overview: The Chief People Officer is a C-suite executive and key architect of Ocient’s people strategy during a defining growth phase. Reporting directly to the CEO, the CPO will build the talent infrastructure, culture, and leadership capability needed to scale from a high-velocity startup into a durable, high-performance organization. This is a hands-on, highly visible role for an operator who thrives in ambiguity, moves fast, and knows how to build people programs that actually accelerate the business — not slow it down.

The right candidate has been a senior people leader at a growth-stage technology company, understands the pace and complexity of scaling through rapid headcount growth, restructuring, or M&A, and brings the credibility and judgment to counsel the CEO and executive team on all people matters.

Core Responsibilities:

Executive Partnership & People Strategy

• Serve as a trusted advisor and strategic partner to the CEO and executive team, translating business strategy into a forward-looking people roadmap with clear priorities, owners, and milestones — revisited quarterly as conditions shift
• Bring a founder’s mindset to people strategy: think in systems, move with urgency, and build for scale without over-engineering
• Champion company culture — internally and externally — preserving the high-ownership, high-trust values of a startup while professionalizing the organization for the next stage of growth
• Serve as a visible advocate for Ocient’s people brand in recruiting markets, investor conversations, and the broader tech ecosystem
• Lead workforce planning, org design, and headcount modeling in close partnership with the CEO and functional leaders — anticipating growth needs 6–12 months out

Organizational Development & Leadership

• Design and implement leadership development, onboarding, and performance frameworks that build a high-performance culture without bureaucracy
• Build and mentor a lean, high-performing HR/People team — leveling up existing talent and making targeted hires as the business scales
• Drive org design decisions that improve accountability, reduce friction, and enable the company to move faster

Total Rewards & People Operations

• Own total rewards strategy, including competitive compensation benchmarking, benefits, incentive programs, and equity — with deep expertise in pre-IPO equity structures (options/RSUs)
• Oversee the full employee lifecycle: onboarding, development, performance, retention, and offboarding
• Implement and optimize HRIS and people analytics tools to drive data-informed decisions; define and report on key people metrics to the CEO and Board
• Manage employee relations, investigations, and conflict resolution with speed and discretion

Compliance & Risk

• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws across multiple jurisdictions, developing scalable policies that meet legal requirements without unnecessary process
• Partner with legal counsel on employment matters, contractor classification, and risk mitigation
• Oversee regulatory reporting and filings (EEO, FMLA, ADA, FLSA, etc.)

Ideal Qualifications:

• 12–18+ years of progressive HR/People experience, with at least 5–7 years at the VP, SVP, or CPO level
• Proven growth-stage operator: you’ve been a senior people leader at a high-growth technology company — ideally through a period of 2x–5x+ headcount scaling, restructuring, or M&A — and you know what it takes to build people infrastructure at speed
• Player-coach profile: you’ve operated at C-suite or VP level and still do the work yourself — writing JDs, running interviews, managing ER cases, pulling comp analyses. You don’t wait for a team
• Data-driven mindset: you use people metrics to make decisions, communicate business impact, and prioritize your team’s work
• Total rewards expertise: deep experience in compensation benchmarking, benefits strategy, and pre-IPO equity (options/RSUs)
• Multi-state and/or global HR experience: comfortable managing people programs across multiple jurisdictions and regulatory environments
• Executive-level credibility: proven ability to partner with CEOs, Boards, and investors on sensitive people matters and organizational decisions
• Business and financial acumen: experienced with headcount planning, budgeting, and making the financial case for people investments
• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Organizational Development, or a related field; Master’s or MBA preferred; or equivalent experience

An Exceptional Candidate Will Have:

• Experience at a company that has navigated a significant inflection point: Series C+ fundraise, pre-IPO readiness, acquisition, or rapid geographic expansion
• Background in data infrastructure, enterprise software, or deep tech — you understand what it takes to hire and retain rare technical talent
• Experience in a company selling into government, defense, or intelligence sectors (familiarity with clearance considerations a plus)
• Executive HR certification such as SHRM-SCP or SPHR