Director of People
About the role
The Director of People will build and scale Nooks' People organization, focusing on developing and retaining top technical and cleared talent in high-stakes defense environments. Reporting directly to the CEO, this role involves strategic advising on organizational design, culture, and high-performance employee management, as well as overseeing the full employee lifecycle and establishing a comprehensive total rewards program.
Key Responsibilities
Develop and execute a comprehensive People roadmap aligned with business growth, including managing the complexities of hiring cleared professionals in competitive markets.
Act as a strategic advisor to the CEO and executive leadership team on organizational design, culture, and high-performance employee management - including being a subject matter expert on employee relations, reviews, investigations, and mediation.
Oversee the full employee lifecycle, from designing effective onboarding for staff to implementing career pathing and succession/transition planning - including incorporating appropriate learning and development tools in partnership with each business unit-discipline.
Establish and maintain leveling strategies and market-competitive salary banding to ensure transparency and internal equity relating to a comprehensive, iterative total rewards program encompassing a range of roles, from industry agnostic to highly specific technical seats.
Cross-Functional Delivery: Partner with Finance to ensure compensation models align with capital allocation and unit economics, with Legal to evaluate that risk and compliance needs are met, and with site Operations to ensure that site-level personnel needs are also addressed with speed and quality.
Collaborate deeply with our Security team to navigate the complexities of cleared hiring and regulatory compliance.
Build and maintain a People analytics function that tracks and presents key workforce metrics for the CEO and executive leadership team, surfacing trends and empowering partners to make informed decisions.
Maintain and utilize scalable HRIS and payroll systems to streamline administration and enhance data analytics.
Ensure full compliance with federal and state labor laws, and lead People adherence to personnel security standards (OFCCP, NISPOM, and ICD).
Administer competitive compensation and benefits programs, including equity and 401k plans, ensuring all 409A and government contractor requirements are met.
Support security clearance processes and manage employee relations with a focus on risk mitigation and ethical standards.
Evaluate and manage third-party vendors supporting People operations — including benefits brokers, background screening providers, recruiting tools, and learning platforms.
The Skillset
5-7+ years of progressive People experience, including 3-5 years in a leadership role.
Significant experience in a high-growth startup where you built People processes and teams from the early stages.
Strong command of core People functions: talent acquisition, compensation, performance management, and daily operations.
Experienced with government contracting regulations (OFCCP, SCA, FLSA) and personnel security requirements/clearances.
Proven experience in working with executive and business unit leaders across the organization.
Exceptional interpersonal and influence skills; ability to navigate ambiguity and make decisions with a hands-on approach.
Salary Range
$165,000 USD - $185,000 USD