Chief People Officer
People & HR
United States · Remote
USD 275k-350k / year + Equity
Posted on Aug 11, 2026
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