Reporting to the CEO, the Head of People is a leadership position for someone who believes that culture and operations are deeply intertwined—and that dignity, discipline, and results in all matter. The Head of People will be a hands-on member of the executive leadership team, implementing and executing programs that drive, retention, leadership development, and talent acquisition. The Head of People will be responsible for strategic planning, training and development cycles, compensation and benefits, performance management, employee relations, and compliance. Ideal candidates will have a substantiated reputation as a leader of people and coach within mission driven, growth oriented, and entrepreneurial organizations. The Head of People is a critical thought-partner, mentor, and coach to all levels of leadership and will play an integral role in helping the organization reach its goals while building a trusting, compassionate, mission-driven, and effective team who feel invested and satisfied in their work.
ACCOUNTABILITIES
- Serve as a key member of the executive team, aligning people strategy with business strategy while building organizational maturity across all functions.
- Oversee all people functions (Hiring, DEI, L&D, Compensation, Benefits, Performance Management, Employee Relations, and Culture), ensuring each is effective, equitable, and aligned with brand values.
- Lead through service and operational rigor modeling servant leadership.
- Drive a culture of tactical execution, clarity, and accountability—where values are visible through disciplined, everyday action.
- Build and steward a people function that is a true business partner—deeply attuned to the needs of the business and the needs of the people.
- Coach and support managers to lead with consistency, accountability, competence, and care; help them become clear communicators, culture carriers, and dependable operators.
- Encourage a culture of tactical execution and results, where ideas are important, and follow-through essential.
- Partner with the CEO and executive team to drive cultural change intentionally, ensuring that values are not just words—but are supported by clear expectations, operational systems, and modeling from leadership.
- Design and implement governance systems that give employees voice and agency, drawing inspiration from progressive models (Zingerman’s, participatory management, worker councils).
- Continually improve organization's practical systems for performance management, feedback, and accountability.
- Update and improve compensation structure, pay policies, and total reward structure to ensure systems are designed equitably and effectively to mitigate bias in the compensation process; while ensuring we are offering competitive salaries to attract and retain the best talent.
- Develop talent strategies for sourcing and acquiring a diverse workforce.
- Monitor internal trends to assess and diagnose the needs of the business.
- Provide relevant, timely, and balanced guidance and ensure compliance with federal and state regulations; mitigate risk and partner with outside counsel, as necessary.
- Develop and communicate new policies and practices.
- Architect the development of a comprehensive training ecosystem that equips every team member—from the production floor to the leadership team—with tools and business acumen to lead, grow, and execute.
- Incorporate diversity, equity and inclusion goals and education into all people programs, practices, policies, and long-term strategies.
- Support open and proactive communications so every team member has the necessary information needed to perform their duties at the highest level.
QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor’s Degree in HR Management or Business discipline preferred.
- 5-7 years progressive experience in people leadership roles.
- Business acumen.
- Ability to balance people decisions and organization goals.
- Servant leadership mindset—listen deeply, lead with empathy, and measure success by the growth, confidence, and impact of the people you support.
- Demonstrated ability to design and lead effective training and development programs.
- SHRM certification.
- Experience in a manufacturing environment is preferred.
- Strong generalist knowledge related to compliance and employment laws, recruiting, compensation, benefits, organizational development, employee relations, performance management and safety programs.
LOCATION
This is an onsite Leadership position with time spent at Manufacturing and Office facilities in Asheville, North Carolina.
