[Hiring] Director of People Operations & Global Talent @Somewhere

Role Description

As our portfolio has grown, HR has been handled through a mix of the partners' time and an outside fractional HR firm. This role exists to bring that function fully in-house and build it properly: one leader who owns HR and compliance across the firm and its portfolio companies, and who builds the offshore hiring engine that lets us recruit world-class global talent at a structural cost advantage.

This is a build-from-the-ground-up leadership role and the Partner's right hand on all things people. You will start hands-on and own the function outright, standing up the systems, policies, and hiring processes that do not yet exist. Over time you will hire and lead a team spanning talent acquisition, HR administration, and culture. This role is for someone who has genuinely done U.S.-client HR compliance work — not someone who could learn it.

What Success Looks Like (First 90 Days)

• By Day 45 — an approved offshore employment infrastructure recommendation (contractor vs. EOR vs. future local entity), with a standard contractor agreement template and a classification review of existing offshore staff.
• By Day 60 — a signed offshore finance/accounting hire, sourced against an approved scorecard and Culture Index threshold.
• By Day 90 — the external fractional HR firm transitioned out, with HR coordination brought in-house and a documented escalation playbook in place (working alongside outside counsel and ADP); plus a published offshore talent playbook (salary benchmarks by function and market, sourcing channels, screening process, retention framework).

Key Responsibilities

• U.S. HR Compliance Coordination
  • Coordinate U.S. HR compliance across the firm and its portfolio companies, working alongside outside employment counsel and the firm's PEO (ADP).
  • Own HR administration and policy: handbooks, SOPs, onboarding and offboarding, and day-to-day HR matters across entities.
  • Maintain a written escalation playbook and know when to route matters to employment counsel.
  • Partner with ADP on payroll execution and with counsel on legal matters.
• Offshore Talent Acquisition & Hiring Engine
  • Build and run the offshore hiring engine across finance, operations, and administrative functions.
  • Own full-cycle recruiting: sourcing, screening, and closing professional-role candidates in offshore markets.
  • Develop a salary benchmark database and sourcing channel map by function and market.
  • Adapt a structured, who-based screening process for remote offshore candidates.
• HR Operations, Systems & People Programs
  • Build and maintain employee handbooks, HR policies, and standard operating procedures.
  • Design a retention and benefits framework suited to the firm's contractor model.
  • Own and expand professional development, personal development, and culture-building programs across the portfolio.
  • Serve as HR partner to leadership at each portfolio company and support HR integration for newly acquired businesses.

Qualifications

• Strong U.S.-client HR experience (required).
• Multiple years supporting U.S. employers at a BPO, Employer of Record, or offshore HR services firm.
• Compliance judgment.
• Full-cycle offshore recruiting experience.
• Near-native English proficiency.
• Process builder.
• Data-driven.
• AI-fluent.
• U.S.-hours ready.

Requirements

• Recognizes a risky situation before it becomes a claim and escalates early.
• Has personally sourced, screened, and closed professional-role candidates.
• Documents systems others can run; comfortable operating inside a goals-and-scorecards accountability rhythm.
• Backs recommendations with benchmarks and metrics.

Preferred Qualifications

• SHRM-SCP or SHRM-CP certification (or clear readiness to certify).
• Experience operating inside EOS or a similar operating system.
• Working knowledge of EOR platforms and offshore classification frameworks.
• Background supporting a private equity firm, holding company, or multi-entity organization.

Ideal Candidate Profile

• An owner — you take responsibility for outcomes and move fast without hand-holding.
• Rigorous where it counts — you never cut corners on compliance.
• A builder energized by open space rather than intimidated by it.
• Credible with executives and decent with everyone.
• Direct and respectful — you raise conflict early and operate with autonomy inside clear goals.
• Trustworthy with confidential and sensitive matters.

Benefits

• A rare ground-floor leadership role: build the entire people and talent function.
• Direct partnership with firm leadership and genuine ownership of how HR takes shape.
• A long-term role with a stable, growing organization and clear room to build and lead your own team.