Chief People Officer

Dylan Green; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 230,000 - 400,000; Full time

Job summary

Dylan Green seeks a senior HR executive to establish the U.S. people function, build a scalable organization, and partner with founders on talent strategy and growth. This role will guide two early-career colleagues overseas and navigate cross-cultural dynamics across the US and India.

The position emphasizes strategic workforce planning, executive advisory, and implementing core HR processes in a fast-growing, investor-backed industrial context with significant travel.

Qualifications

• 10+ years in human resources with increasing scope
• Experience building an early-stage people function
• Proven track record in workforce restructuring and integration
• Ability to operate across US and India with travel readiness

Responsibilities

• Establish US people operations and operating model
• Lead and integrate international teams (US and India)
• Advise founders and executive team on workforce planning and org design
• Support future acquisitions with people-focused integration plans

Skills

HR Leadership

Workforce Planning

Cross-Cultural

Executive Advisory

Acquisition Integration

People Operations

Job description

Our client is a well-funded, rapidly growing provider of essential grid equipment to utilities, data centers, power producers, and renewable energy developers. The company designs customized products and works with a global network of manufacturing partners to meet rising demand.

Role Overview

Our client is seeking its inaugural senior HR executive in the United States. This individual will establish the domestic people function, lead two early career team members abroad, and build the company’s talent strategy, operating structure, and organizational framework as the business expands across markets. The role requires a forward-looking partner who can anticipate evolving workforce needs and adapt the approach as the company scales.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Workforce planning and structure: Develop and evolve an operating model that supports exceptional revenue growth and expansion across multiple countries.
• HR function development: Establish the company’s U.S. people operations, including hiring, compensation, employee development, performance programs, and core HR processes, while guiding and expanding the existing team in India.
• Company identity: Partner with the founders to shape shared principles and workplace practices that unite experienced industrial professionals with startup-oriented talent.
• International people leadership: Direct workforce initiatives across the United States and India while preparing for future expansion into additional global markets. Strong cross-cultural judgment is essential, and frequent travel will be required because most employees are currently located in India.
• Acquisition integration: Support future transactions by aligning teams, organizational structures, working norms, and employee-retention efforts following an acquisition.
• Pay and benefits strategy: Create a competitive rewards framework and salary ranges suited to a high-growth, investor-backed business hiring within the Bay Area market.
• Senior leadership advisory: Counsel the CEO on workforce planning, organizational effectiveness, and key executive appointments, with the potential to engage with the board as the position develops.

Qualifications

• At least 10 years of increasing responsibility within human resources, including significant ownership of creating a people operation at an early stage.
• Ability to move seamlessly between high-level planning and day-to-day execution in an environment without a mature HR department already in place.
• Proven success supporting acquired businesses, particularly workforce restructuring, employee engagement, cultural integration, and retention.
• Strong ability to lead across countries and navigate different working cultures as the organization expands internationally; familiarity with India is helpful but not essential.
• Previous experience advising founders or chief executives within a developing company is strongly preferred.
• Familiarity with manufacturing, energy, infrastructure, or other industrial settings, or demonstrated success adapting modern talent practices to traditional business environments.
• Ability to work three days per week on site is preferable; Exceptional candidates based outside the Bay Area will be considered, provided they can commit to sufficient in-person presence.