Director of People & Operations

Project Healthy Minds; New York (NY); On-site; USD 150,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive pay

Medical benefits

Paid time off

Job summary

Project Healthy Minds is seeking a Director of People & Operations to build and lead the systems powering how we work. This role combines Operations and People, partnering with the Founder & CEO to scale an operating model with AI-enabled processes.

The role is full-time and in-office in NYC, requiring 8–12+ years in related fields and a hands-on leader who can balance strategy with day-to-day execution.

Qualifications

• 8–12+ years of experience in Operations, Strategy, People or hybrid roles in startups or high-growth environments.
• Strong operator who can drive both strategy and execution in a fast-moving setting.
• Deep understanding of organizational design, performance management, and talent development.

Responsibilities

• Own the full employee lifecycle from recruiting through onboarding, performance, development and retention.
• Lead end-to-end recruiting strategy and processes to attract exceptional talent across all roles.
• Design and optimize the company operating cadence, governance, and leadership decision processes.

Skills

Operations leadership

Strategy execution

People/HR management

Job description

Project Healthy Minds is a mental health tech non-profit startup. We are pioneering a first-of-its-kind model: applying technology to address one of the biggest social issues of our time: the growing mental health crisis. We believe in a simple but profound idea: that it should be as easy to find mental health services as it is to book a flight or a restaurant reservation. That's why we're building the world’s first digital marketplace for finding mental health services that are right for you.

To do that, we work with some of the most inspiring and influential leaders in America - business titans, tech entrepreneurs, clinicians and scientists, musicians, artists, athletes, media stars, policymakers, and more. Because we believe that the world's most complex challenges require interdisciplinary teams and solutions.

We are backed by a powerhouse of industry-leading Board of Directors and Advisory Council Members who are passionate, hands-on, and dive into the important work with us.

Learn more at projecthealthyminds.com and @projecthealthyminds on social.

ABOUT THE ROLE

We’re hiring a Director of People & Operations to build and lead the systems that power how we work.

This role sits at the center of the organization – owning Operations (planning, execution, internal systems) and People (HR, recruiting, culture). You will partner closely with the Founder & CEO and leadership team to build and scale a high-performing operating model – driving clarity, efficiency, and rigor through best-in-class systems and processes and the thoughtful application of AI to rethink how we work.

This is a hands‑on leadership role for someone who can design the system and run it – equally comfortable setting strategy and executing day-to-day. You’re someone who is deeply curious about how organizations operate – energized by studying how people work, spotting inefficiencies, and building better systems from the ground up. You have a high attention to detail and a strong bias for leveraging tools, automation, and software to help a fast-growing company operate with speed, precision, and scale.

This is a full-time, in-office role based in NYC.

HOW YOU’LL CONTRIBUTE:

Strategic Planning & Prioritization

• Own annual and quarterly planning processes in partnership with the CEO
• Define company-wide priorities and drive resource allocation decisions
• Continuously assess progress and adjust priorities based on performance and evolving needs

Operations & Execution

• Oversee office operations and real estate, ensuring spaces effectively support team productivity, collaboration, and growth
• Own and evolve the company’s operating cadence, including leadership meetings and execution tracking
• Reinforce clear goals, metrics, and accountability across teams
• Drive cross-functional alignment and execution speed
• Identify operational gaps and implement scalable solutions
• Ensure priorities are progressing, unblocked, and delivering results
• Partner with the Founder & CEO on high-impact organizational and leadership decisions
• Act as a strategic thought partner and force multiplier on key decisions
• Support leadership team alignment, effectiveness, and decision‑making
• Translate strategy into clear, executable plans across the organization

Board & External Engagement

• Own Board of Directors and Advisory Council materials and engagement
• Support executive-level storytelling and key external communications
• Strengthen select donor, partner, and stakeholder relationships

People & Talent

• Own the full employee lifecycle, from recruiting through onboarding, performance, development, and retention
• Manage and scale the company’s end-to-end recruiting strategy and processes to attract and hire exceptional talent across all roles
• Implement performance management systems (from objective‑setting to reviews and feedback)
• Lead organizational design, workforce planning, and headcount strategy
• Drive compensation leveling and career pathways
• Ensure HR compliance, policies, and best practices are in place

Culture & Employee Experience

• Serve as a visible culture carrier – modeling organizational values and setting the standard for how we operate
• Build systems that drive engagement, accountability, and clarity across the team
• Partner with leadership to coach managers and strengthen team effectiveness
• Lead initiatives that support team cohesion, communication, and growth

WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE:

In your first 12 months, you will:

• Build a best‑in‑class recruiting engine and hire exceptional talent across functions
• Own a clear, consistent performance management system across the organization
• Design a company-wide operating cadence that improves focus and execution
• Strengthen culture, manager effectiveness, and team accountability
• Enable the organization to scale without losing clarity, speed, or cohesion

ABOUT YOU

OUR IDEAL CANDIDATE:

• 8–12+ years of experience in Operations, Strategy, People or hybrid roles in high-growth or startup environments
• Strong operator who can independently drive both strategy and execution in a fast‑moving environment
• Deep understanding of organizational design, performance management, and talent development
• Proven track record building HR and recruiting functions from the ground up
• Highly structured thinker with exceptional attention to detail and follow‑through
• Strong communicator who can influence senior stakeholders and build trust quickly
• Comfortable operating in ambiguity and making decisions with incomplete information
• Experience working closely with a Founder, CEO, or executive leadership team is a plus

WHAT WE OFFER

• Competitive compensation
• Competitive medical, dental, and vision benefits
• Paid holidays and generous PTO
• Life insurance
• Short-term and long-term disability
• Spring Health mental healthcare
• Perks at Work
• Experience joining a dynamic start-up environment that is re‑writing the playbook for social change in the mental health tech space
• Benefits of joining a close-knit, highly‑motivated team with mentorship opportunities from founding leaders, Advisors, and Board members
• Learning & Development opportunities, including free MasterClass subscriptions
• Opportunity to attend inspiring experiences and events with thought leaders, business executives, and iconic speakers across a range of industries
• Add more, just ask!

The annual salary for this role is $150,000 to $200,000, depending on experience, skills, and other relevant considerations.

EEO Guidelines: Project Healthy Minds is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of an individual's sex, age, race, color, creed, national origin, alienage, religion, marital status, pregnancy, sexual orientation or affectional preference, gender identity and expression, disability, genetic trait or predisposition, carrier status, citizenship, veteran or military status and other personal characteristics protected by law. All applications will receive consideration for employment without regard to legally protected characteristics. Project Healthy Minds will provide reasonable accommodations as required by applicable federal, state, and/or local laws, and will consider qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable "Fair Chance" laws.

COVID Guidelines: The health and safety of our Project Healthy Minds community is the highest priority. As such, Project Healthy Minds is requiring all newly hired staff members to be fully vaccinated and boosted with an FDA authorized and/or approved COVID-19 vaccine as a condition of employment. Requests for reasonable accommodations for medical, religious, or other reasons will be considered in accordance with applicable law.

Due to the high volume of applications received, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.