Director, Human Resources

Vested; New York (NY); On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Vested in New York City is seeking a Director of Human Resources to lead our people strategy across the U.S., coordinating with the U.K. team and reporting to the U.S. CEO.

You will oversee performance management, compensation and leveling, workforce planning, HR operations and compliance, and employee relations, while strengthening culture, transparency, and leadership development across a growing advisory firm.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of progressive HR/People experience, with significant leadership responsibility.
• Experience in PR, communications, marketing, consulting, or professional services environments strongly preferred.
• Experience building scalable HR infrastructure, systems, and talent programs in a growing organization.
• Demonstrated success partnering directly with executive leadership.

Responsibilities

• Design and evolve the people strategy to scale the company effectively.
• Align people strategy with growth plans and long-term sustainability.
• Partner with senior leaders on organizational design and leadership dynamics.
• Oversee performance management, compensation, and leveling processes.
• Lead annual merit and promotion cycles in partnership with Finance and leadership.
• Oversee U.S. benefits strategy and HR operations.

Skills

HR leadership

Talent management

Performance management

Compensation & leveling

Workforce planning

Tools

HRIS systems

Benchmarking tools

Job description

Vested is a world-leading integrated marketing and communications consultancy focused exclusively on the financial services industry. Founded in 2015 with a mission to help shape a better financial services system that is more accessible, transparent and sustainable, today Vented is the fourth largest financial services agency in the world, comprised of over 100 employees widely recognized for their industry expertise, creativity and passion for financial services. Our team is proud to do work that drives our mission forward - from helping uncomplicated finance through creative advertising campaigns to raising awareness of fintech disrupters bringing finance to more people. From PR to social to creative to content and more, we’re in the business of solving problems for exciting financial brands.

Group Vented encompasses a prestigious portfolio of companies, including the cutting-edge tech platform Qwoted, the global network of 1,000+ senior financial marcomms leaders Financial Narrative, investment fund Vested Ventures, and our content and design hub, Finance Studio. Recognized as one of the industry's Best Places to Work, our unwavering goal is to become the most valued and sought-after brand in financial marketing and communications. With our own in-house Chief Economist and proprietary educational program, VestED, every member of our team, at any level, has continuous learning and upskilling opportunities.

As a “Vestie”, you become an owner, an entrepreneur, a builder, and a value creator. At Vested, we are proud to do the right thing, even when it's hard. We are relentlessly curious and consistently challenge the status quo. Join us as we lead the way in transforming the industry and delivering exceptional results for our clients.

Vested’s Director of Human Resources leads and evolves our people strategy across the U.S., ensuring our talent practices, performance systems, and HR infrastructure support both our employees and the continued growth of the business. Reporting to the U.S. CEO, this role serves as a strategic advisor to senior leaders and oversees performance management, compensation and leveling, workforce planning, HR operations and compliance, and employee relations. While primarily focused on the U.S., this role requires strong global awareness and close alignment with our U.K. team.

• Design and evolve the organizational structure, talent practices, and leadership capabilities required to scale the company effectively
• Align people strategy with business priorities, growth plans, and long-term sustainability
• Serve as a trusted advisor to senior leadership on organizational design, effectiveness, leadership dynamics, and people-related decisions
• Provide data-informed insight on organizational health, retention risks, and talent opportunities
• Collaborate with U.K. CEO and HR leadership to ensure global alignment across practices and policies
• Partner with leadership to forecast hiring needs and support sustainable growth
• Support long-term talent and leadership planning aligned to business strategy
• Partner with CFO and Regional CEOs to develop annual budgets that support the People function, related talent, technology, tools, culture, training and education needs. Track and report quarterly against that budget.

Talent, Performance & Leadership Development

• Lead and continuously refine Vested’s global performance management processes, including reviews, promotions, and talent planning
• Ensure clear, equitable, and consistent performance standards across teams and regions
• Design and lead manager and leadership development initiatives to strengthen capability across the organization
• Partner with leaders to identify and develop high-potential talent and support succession planning
• Manage core growth and retention programs, including sabbaticals, individual growth planning and development, etc.
• Coach managers and account leads on feedback, performance conversations, and development planning
• Own compensation and leveling strategy, ensuring market competitiveness and internal equity
• Lead annual merit and promotion cycles in partnership with Finance and leadership
• Oversee U.S. benefits strategy and PEO relationship, while partnering with U.K. leadership on global alignment

People Operations, Culture & Compliance Leadership

• Oversee HR operations, policies, and compliance across the U.S.
• Lead and develop the People team, ensuring strong execution across HR operations, programs, and employee support
• Partner with U.K. counterparts and advisors to maintain global alignment and compliance
• Lead employee relations matters with discretion, fairness, and sound judgment
• Maintain and evolve employee handbook, policies, and HR systems
• Lead employee listening strategies (engagement surveys, pulse checks, feedback loops)
• Translate insights into actionable improvements in culture, communication and leadership practices
• Partner with leadership to strengthen transparency, trust, and organizational health
• Oversee internal communications in partnership with Global Leadership and Vested Marketing, including developing, managing, and delivering internal communications that inform, engage, and align employees with the company's culture, values, and strategic priorities
• Support clear, thoughtful communication across the business

An ideal candidate will have:

• 10+ years of progressive HR/People experience, with significant leadership responsibility
• Experience in PR, communications, marketing, consulting, or professional services environments strongly preferred
• Experience building scalable HR infrastructure, systems, and talent programs in a growing organization
• Demonstrated success partnering directly with executive leadership
• Deep expertise in performance management, compensation and leveling, workforce planning, and employee relations
• Experience partnering with global/U.K client and HR teams strongly preferred
• Strong knowledge of U.S. employment law and HR compliance
• Proven ability to balance strategic thinking with hands‑on execution
• Experience leading and developing HR team members
• Sound judgment, high emotional intelligence, and strong executive presence

This is an NYC-based opportunity that will require a minimum of 2 days in the office per week