Director of People

The Director of People at Smalls plays a crucial role in shaping our human resources strategy. Responsibilities include developing our culture, creating competitive compensation and benefits strategies, managing performance programs, planning team offsites, and leading talent acquisition efforts. This position is key in ensuring we maintain a high-performing workplace where accountability meets empathy.

To be a successful candidate for the Director of People role at Smalls, you should have at least 7+ years of experience in People Operations or HR, particularly in fast-paced startups. A background in scaling teams, designing compensation structures, and implementing performance management systems is essential, alongside strong communication and leadership skills.

At Smalls, the Director of People is responsible for fostering a culture of feedback and trust. This includes establishing open lines of communication, promoting transparency, and encouraging team members to give and receive constructive feedback. The aim is to create strong team dynamics that are built on empathy and fairness.

The Director of People at Smalls enjoys a range of attractive benefits, including fully paid health, vision, and dental insurance, a competitive salary, unlimited PTO, a 4-day work week, and the unique perk of free cat food every month. We believe in supporting our team both in and out of work.

Smalls has a mission-driven and people-first culture. As the Director of People, you'll contribute to a workplace that values data-driven decisions while also emphasizing empathy and personal well-being. We strive to create a balance between high performance and humane leadership, making it an amazing place to work.

When discussing strategies for developing a strong company culture, emphasize the importance of values alignment, continuous feedback mechanisms, and recognition programs. Encourage initiatives that foster employee engagement and connection, ensuring that everyone in the organization feels heard and valued.

Address this question by sharing specific examples of compensation plans you've developed, including how you ensured they were competitive and equitable. Discuss your approaches to structuring benefits that attract talent while managing costs, focusing on outcomes that benefited both the organization and employees.

Outline your conflict resolution process by emphasizing active listening and mediation techniques. Stress the importance of creating a safe space for dialogue and finding common ground between the conflicting parties. Share how you've successfully resolved similar issues in the past to demonstrate your approach.

Discuss your experience in implementing recruiting strategies that attract top talent, specifically for remote positions. Highlight your knowledge of diverse sourcing methods, collaboration with hiring managers, and ensuring alignment with the company's DEI goals throughout the hiring process.

Explain your systematic approach to ensuring HR policy compliance, including regular audits, staying updated on legal regulations, and adapting policies as necessary. Mention your focus on creating a transparent environment, where employees are informed of policies and their rights.

Share your experience with designing and implementing performance management systems that prioritize fairness and transparency. Discuss your methods for setting clear performance expectations, providing ongoing feedback, and creating structured evaluation processes that align with organizational growth goals.

To build trust within a remote team, you could emphasize the importance of open and regular communication, opportunities for team bonding, and fostering a sense of belonging. Share examples of initiatives you've led to enhance trust and collaboration among remote employees.

Discuss how you leverage data analytics to inform decision-making in HR, from recruitment metrics to employee engagement scores. Highlight specific examples where data has led to better outcomes in your previous roles, demonstrating your analytical skills combined with a people-first approach.

Your response should highlight the significance of establishing a feedback-rich culture, where employees feel comfortable and encouraged to share their thoughts. Discuss how you utilize this feedback to implement changes and improvements in HR processes and overall company culture.

Outline your strategic focus areas for the first 90 days, such as assessing the current HR structure, engaging with employees to understand their needs, and evaluating existing policies and processes. Mention your commitment to fostering relationships, gathering feedback, and laying the groundwork for future initiatives.