Vice President, People & Culture

NextLabs, Inc.; United States; Hybrid; USD 200,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

NextLabs, Inc. seeks a visionary Vice President, People & Culture to architect a world-class people function that enables innovation, product excellence, and global expansion.

Reporting to the CEO, this executive will build systems and leadership capabilities to scale a high-performance software organization while preserving culture and delivering measurable outcomes.

Qualifications

• Progressive HR leadership experience in high-growth software or SaaS environments.
• Experience scaling headcount rapidly without compromising culture and performance.
• Strong knowledge of equity compensation and software market pay practices.
• Proven track record implementing HR technologies and analytics frameworks.
• Experience managing global teams and multi-state/country compliance.
• Executive presence with the ability to influence at the board and C-level.

Responsibilities

• Design and execute workforce strategy aligned with product roadmap, revenue growth, and market expansion.
• Scale global recruiting capabilities to attract engineering, product, GTM, and enterprise talent.
• Build employer branding in competitive technical markets and implement onboarding.
• Partner with executives on org design, succession planning, and leadership pipelines.
• Develop performance management systems and leadership development programs.
• Lead change management during rapid expansion and scale of operations.
• Oversee global HRIS, payroll, benefits, and compliance infrastructure.

Skills

HR leadership

Scaling SaaS

Equity compensation

HR analytics

Global teams

Executive presence

Education

Master’s degree in HR, Business, or related field

SHRM-SCP / SPHR

Tools

HRIS

People analytics

HR technology platforms

Job description

Position: Vice President, People & Culture

NextLabs is entering its next phase of growth and is seeking a forward-thinking Vice President of People & Culture to architect and scale a world-class people function that fuels innovation, product excellence, and global expansion.

Reporting directly to the CEO and serving as a key member of the executive leadership team, the VP of People & Culture will build the infrastructure, systems, and leadership capability required to scale a high-performance, product-driven software organization. This leader will align talent strategy with aggressive growth targets while preserving and strengthening company culture.

This is a transformational leadership role requiring deep experience scaling software or SaaS organizations through rapid growth, global expansion, and organizational complexity.

Responsibilities:

• Talent Strategy for Growth & Innovation
  • Design and execute a workforce strategy aligned with product roadmap, revenue growth, and market expansion
  • Scale global recruiting capabilities to attract top engineering, product, GTM, and enterprise talent
  • Build strong employer branding within competitive technical markets
  • Implement structured onboarding that accelerates time-to-productivity
• Organizational Design & Scalability
  • Partner with executive leadership on org design, role clarity, and team scalability
  • Develop succession planning and leadership pipelines to support multi-layer growth
  • Lead change management initiatives during periods of rapid expansion or transformation
  • Establish scalable people processes without adding unnecessary bureaucracy
• Performance, Development & Culture
  • Build performance management systems that reinforce accountability, innovation, and measurable outcomes
  • Develop leadership development programs tailored to engineering and product leaders
  • Foster a culture of ownership, collaboration, and customer-centric thinking
  • Champion diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging across distributed teams
• Total Rewards & Global Operations
  • Design competitive compensation frameworks aligned to software industry benchmarks
  • Oversee equity, incentive, and performance-based compensation programs
  • Optimize global benefits and compliance infrastructure
  • Implement and scale modern HRIS and people analytics systems
  • Leverage data and metrics (retention, engagement, hiring velocity, productivity) to inform decision-making
• Employee Experience in a Hybrid/Distributed Environment
  • Build programs that strengthen engagement across remote and hybrid teams
  • Develop workplace strategies that support collaboration, innovation, and flexibility
  • Elevate communication practices to support transparency and alignment
• Employee Relations & Compliance
  • Ensure compliance with federal, state, and international labor laws and regulatory requirements
  • Oversee employee relations strategy, including conflict resolution and risk mitigation
  • Maintain awareness of evolving employment legislation and industry trends
• Culture & Workplace Experience
  • Develop programs that foster collaboration, employee connection, and meaningful in-person interactions where applicable
  • Oversee workplace policies and facilities strategy that support productivity, safety, and engagement
  • Champion diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging initiatives

Requirements:

• 10+ years of progressive HR leadership experience, including scaling a high-growth software or SaaS organization
• Experience supporting product, services, and enterprise GTM teams
• Proven ability to scale headcount rapidly while maintaining culture and performance standards
• Strong understanding of equity compensation, incentive design, and software market pay practices
• Demonstrated success implementing modern HR technologies and analytics frameworks
• Experience managing global teams and navigating multi-state/multi-country compliance
• Strong executive presence and ability to influence at the board and C-level
• Proven track record of implementing HR strategies and technologies that drive business results
• Strong knowledge of HR-related compliance requirements and best practices
• Master’s degree in HR, Business, or related field
• SHRM-SCP, SPHR, or equivalent senior certification

Success Metrics (First 6–12 Months)

• Reduced time-to-fill for critical technical roles
• Scalable performance mgmt. and leadership development framework in place
• Modernized HR systems and reporting infrastructure
• Strong employee engagement scores across global teams

This Role Matters

As NextLabs accelerates growth, the VP of People & Culture will play a pivotal role in shaping the organization’s ability to innovate, execute, and scale. This leader will ensure that our talent, culture, and organizational structure become durable competitive advantages in the software marketplace.