Director of People Operations

About Phaidra

Phaidra is building the future of industrial automation.

The world today is filled with static, monolithic infrastructure. Factories, power plants, buildings, etc. operate the same they've operated for decades — because the controls programming is hard-coded. Thousands of lines of rules and heuristics that define how the machines interact with each other. The result of all this hard-coding is that facilities are frozen in time, unable to adapt to their environment while their performance slowly degrades.

Phaidra creates AI-powered control systems for the industrial sector, enabling industrial facilities to automatically learn and improve over time. Specifically:

• We use reinforcement learning algorithms to provide this intelligence, converting raw sensor data into high-value actions and decisions.
• We focus on industrial applications, which tend to be well-sensorized with measurable KPIs — perfect for reinforcement learning.
• We enable domain experts (our users) to configure the AI control systems (i.e. agents) without writing code. They define what they want their AI agents to do, and we do it for them.

Our team has a track record of applying AI to some of the toughest problems. From achieving superhuman performance with DeepMind's AlphaGo, to reducing the energy required to cool Google's Data Centers by 40%, we deeply understand AI and how to apply it in production for massive impact.

Phaidra is based in the USA but 100% remote; we do not have a physical office. We hire employees internationally with the help of our partner, OysterHR. Our team is currently located throughout the USA, Canada, UK, Norway, Italy, Spain, Portugal, and India.

**Please only apply to one opening. If you are a better fit for another opening, our team will move your application. Candidates who apply to multiple openings will not be considered.**

Who You Are

You will play a critical role in ensuring the smooth and efficient functioning of the People Operations team. People are our most important asset and to us, a POps leader is a go-to person for all employee-related issues and helps management to drive growth and performance of teams alongside promoting company values and shaping a positive culture.

This role will report to the VP of Operations & People and help ensure that Phaidra’s People Operations function is innovative, strategic, objective, and data-centric.

*We are seeking a team member located in the following area: USA

Responsibilities

• Empathetic and Progressive Leadership: You'll leverage your expertise and empathy to foster a supportive workplace. Leading by example, you'll manage a small dedicated team consisting of generalists and talent specialists, guiding and mentoring them to support our People Operations functions.
• Hands-On Process Building: Developing robust POps processes and systems (often from the ground up) with a focus on integration and automation. This role is ideal for someone who excels in a hands-on environment with a strong background in establishing, refining, and scaling People Operations in fast-growing organizations.
• Documentation & Reporting: Create and maintain documentation, ensuring thorough and up-to-date documentation of People Operations processes for team and company audiences. Prepare reports and slide decks for leadership and external stakeholders, including board directors.
• Global Mobility & Immigration: Manage global mobility programs to include design, implementation and management of the program. Manage global visa/immigration support to incoming new hires and existing employees and their family members in partnership with immigration attorneys.
• Compensation & Benefits: Assist with developing and maintaining competitive and progressive compensation and benefits frameworks that attract and retain talent while balancing the company's fiscal needs and maintaining compliance with legal requirements.
• Compliance Assurance: Ensure adherence to local, federal and international labor laws and regulations, proactively managing disputes and staying ahead of relevant legal changes like right to disconnect laws in partnership with Head of Legal. Own compliance programs such as sexual harassment training and interviewer training.
• Data Analytics: Use data and analytics as well as direct experience to drive talent insights that inform workforce planning, development plans, and career progression, while ensuring our talent processes drive fair and equitable outcomes.
• Culture Building: Drive employee engagement initiatives, mentorship programs, and professional learning and career development to strengthen Phaidra’s retention rates.
• Direct Oversight of People Operations: Take charge of the POps department's daily activities, such as overseeing programs and projects, managing EORs, keeping our HRIS up-to-date, and serving as an escalation point for sensitive POps matters.

Experience

• 8+ years of People Operations/HR experience and 5+ years of experience in a managerial or supervisory role
• Knowledge and experience of the management of common international labor standards across North America and Europe
  • Knowledge of APAC as well is a plus
• Must have global mobility and immigration experience - at minimum USA, UK, and Canada
• Demonstrated ability to support a diverse workforce, including international employees and team members engaged via Employer of Record (EOR)
• Prior experience working in a startup environment
• Proven track record in managing projects
• Exceptional attention to detail and organizational skills
• Strong growth mindset, highly adaptable, and enjoys operating in a rapidly changing environment
• Strong background in building and executing in a highly ambiguous, flexible environment
• High level of personal and professional integrity; demonstrated ability to handle confidential information with complete discretion
• Tech savvy! You don’t need to be an engineer but curious by nature - you enjoy technology, new tools and if you don’t know how to do something, you find your way
• Skilled in using HR technology such as Rippling, Greenhouse, Google Workspace, Slack, and Notion
  • Other technology experience such as Gitlab, Jira, and Salesforce is a plus

Bonus

• Prior work with global compensation benchmarking and career progression
• Previous experience managing a fully remote team
• VC-backed tech startup experience

Onboarding

In your first 30 days…

• You will be immersed in an onboarding program that introduces you to Phaidra and our product.
• You will be integrated into the Phaidra team, understanding our product, technologies, and business goals.
• You will begin building relationships across the company by holding 1:1s with specific people, establishing yourself as a go-to person for employee-related issues.
• You will begin familiarizing yourself with our POps policies and processes.
• You will begin familiarizing yourself with our HRIS, ATS, and other critical software.
• You will set up regular check-ins with direct reports and team meetings.

In your first 60 days…

• You will engage with other managers to understand challenges they face and strategize potential solutions.
• You will develop a comprehensive approach to compliance training.
• You will identify areas for enhancement and development in POps policies, specifically work scheduling and travel/mobility.
• You will begin building relationships with our POps vendors and partners.
• You will take over management of current, active immigration cases.

In your first 90 days…

• You will develop a comprehensive global compensation framework.
• You will have complete understanding of POps software.
• You will be the primary point of contact for POps vendors and partners.
• You will drive additional POps initiatives and projects, such as learning and development.
• You will use data analytics to provide leadership with insights and reports that impact Phaidra’s employee population.

Base Salary

US Residents: $160,000 - $185,000

This position will also include equity.

These are best faith estimates of the base salary range for this position. Multiple factors such as experience, education, level, and location are taken into account when determining compensation.

Interview Process

1. Application screening: Our team will review your resume and application package for the experience and qualifications necessary to succeed in this role.
2. Asynchronous interview (15 minutes): We’ll send you an email with a link to record your responses to 3 questions that are relevant to this role.
3. Hiring manager interview (1 hour): This is an interview over Google Meet and an active camera connection is required. We’ll discuss your experience in the key skills needed for this role, along with your future goals. Come prepared with examples of prior projects from previous roles that display a growth and scalability mindset and highlight your leadership skills. We also want to know why you’re interested in Phaidra and this role. Bring your questions—this should be a good fit for both of us!
4. Skills assessment (20 minutes): We’ll send you an email with a link to complete a skills assessment with 4 open-ended questions that are relevant to this role.
5. Team interview (30 minutes): This is an interview over Google Meet and an active camera connection is required. You’ll meet with members of the People Operations team to get acquainted with the day-to-day work and discuss your experiences with managing people.
6. Panel interview (1 hour): This is an interview over Google Meet and an active camera connection is required. You’ll meet with members of other Phaidra departments to get a sense of how you would handle your responsibilities and cross-functional challenges at Phaidra.
7. Culture interview (30 minutes): This is an interview over Google Meet and an active camera connection is required. You’ll meet with Phaidra’s three cofounders to ensure we’re aligned on values and leadership principles.

Benefits & Perks

• Fast-paced and team-oriented environment where you will be instrumental in the direction of the company.
• Phaidra is a 100% remote company with a digital nomad policy.
• Competitive compensation & equity.
• Outsized responsibilities & professional development.
• Training is foundational; functional, customer immersion, and development training.
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance (exact benefits vary by region).
• Unlimited paid time off, with a minimum of 20 days off per year requirement.
• Paid parental leave (exact benefits vary by region).
• Home office setup allowance, coworking space stipend, and company MacBook.

*Please note that Phaidra’s benefits and perks listed above do not apply to temporary employees such as interns.

On being Remote

We are thoughtful about remote collaboration. We look to the pioneers - like Gitlab - for inspiration and best practices to create a stellar remote work environment. We have a documentation-first culture and actively practice asynchronous communication in everything we do. Our team stays connected through tools like Slack and video chat. Most teams meet daily, and we have dedicated all-hands meetings weekly to build strong relationships. We hold virtual team building events once per quarter - and even hold virtual socials to watch rocket launches! We have a yearly in-person, all-company summit in locations like Seattle, Athens, Goa, and Barcelona.

Equal Opportunity Employment

Phaidra is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Phaidra is governed on the basis of merit, competence, and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability, or any other legally protected status. We welcome diversity and strive to maintain an inclusive environment for all employees. If you need assistance with completing the application process, please contact us at [email protected].

E-Verify Notice

Phaidra participates in E-Verify, an employment authorization database provided through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Social Security Administration (SSA). As required by law, we will provide the SSA and, if necessary, the DHS, with information from each new employee’s Form I-9 to confirm work authorization for those residing in the United States.

Additional information about E-Verify can be found here.

WE DO NOT ACCEPT APPLICATIONS FROM RECRUITERS.