Head of People

Coactive makes it easy to search, filter, and analyze visual content. Increasingly image and video data captures the content we watch, the products we buy, and the work we do, and already represents 80% of internet traffic. But rather than being an asset, visual content is often a tax or even a liability because it is so hard to work with and understand. Coactive solves this by bringing structure to unstructured visual data. Rather than spending months (or years) building complex infrastructure, data teams can unlock the value of their visual data in minutes to power use cases such as content understanding and moderation, search, and analytics.

Coactive was founded by experts who shaped the fields of high-performance deep learning and data-centric AI. We have the scars from building and working with the first generation of modern machine learning systems at Google, Meta, Pinterest, eBay, Lyft, and other leading organizations. Through our decades of experience, we have developed a playbook to democratize the toughest parts of machine learning systems; no PhD required.

This is an exceptional opportunity to work with one of Forbes' top 50 AI companies, backed by key investors such as Andreesen Horowitz and Bessemer Ventures. This position is truly a chance to be part of a category-defining team that is attracting top-tier talent interested in pushing the boundaries of what's possible in AI.

The Head of People will define and operationalize a comprehensive HR strategy to support the company's growth and create an outstanding employee experience. Reporting to the CEO, you will lead the design and execution of the People Strategy roadmap while fostering cross-functional alignment across the organization. As a trusted partner to leadership, you'll be instrumental in building and evolving a culture that embodies Coactive AI's guiding principles and commitment to diversity.

This role requires a forward-thinking leader with deep experience in recruiting, talent management, and organizational growth. You will build scalable people programs aligned with our guiding philosophy: "Culture is a product, built and improved every day."

The Impact You'll Have:

• Architect the People Strategy Roadmap:
  Lead the development and execution of Coactive AI's People Strategy roadmap, translating business objectives into actionable people goals. Ensure that people programs align with long-term growth plans and foster a high-performance culture.

• Champion Our Culture as a Product:
  Partner with the executive team to build and refine Coactive AI's culture, treating it as a product that evolves to meet the needs of our people and business. Promote a work environment where everyone feels valued, inspired, and empowered.
• Drive Inclusion and Belonging:
  Embed belonging, diversity, and inclusion into every aspect of the employee experience-from recruitment to career development. Ensure that our differences are seen as strengths that enhance collaboration, spark innovation, and unlock value.
• Lead Talent Acquisition and Development:
  Develop strategies to attract top talent in competitive markets and champion inclusive hiring practices to build a diverse workforce. Build programs that promote growth and development for employees, aligning career pathing with business needs and future opportunities.
• Foster Crucial Conversations:
  Create an environment where clear, constructive dialogue drives alignment and collaboration. Model and encourage candid conversations to resolve challenges and continuously improve.
• Oversee Organizational Design & Transformation:
  Lead strategic organizational design and people transformation projects that support Coactive's evolving structure. Collaborate with leadership to ensure that teams are designed for success and operations are optimized for growth.
• Leverage Data-Driven Insights:
  Use data and analytics to shape people strategies, measure impact, and track adoption of key initiatives. Develop metrics to gauge success across employee engagement, performance, and satisfaction, sharing regular insights with senior leadership.
• Communicate Boldly:
  Develop and execute internal communication strategies to ensure that employees stay informed and engaged. Present strategic insights to leadership and key stakeholders in a way that drives alignment around key people initiatives.
• Build and Empower a High-Performing, Diverse People Team:
  Recruit, build, and lead a talented, diverse People team capable of scaling with the organization. Mentor and develop HR professionals, enabling them to execute initiatives that align with business objectives. Foster a culture of ownership, accountability, and continuous learning within the team, creating opportunities for growth and leadership at every level.

Who You Are:

• Experience:
  15+ years of experience in Human Resources, with a specific focus on People Strategy, talent management, organizational growth, and professional recruiting. Demonstrated success in leading inclusive talent acquisition initiatives to attract top talent in competitive markets, ideally in high-growth environments such as the technology sector or startups.
• Strategic Alignment:
  Proven ability to design and execute people strategies that directly support business goals. Experience partnering with leadership to align people initiatives with broader company objectives.
• Collaborative Leadership:
  A collaborative leader who thrives in cross-functional environments. Skilled at driving alignment across teams and fostering a "win together" mentality.
• Startup Agility:
  Experience working in fast-paced, high-growth organizations. Comfortable navigating ambiguity and building scalable HR functions to support rapid expansion.
• Bold Decision-Maker:
  Confident in taking action despite uncertainty and inspiring others to do the same. You see challenges as opportunities and aren't afraid to try new approaches.
• Exceptional Communication Skills:
  Clear and compelling communicator, both verbally and in writing. Able to present complex strategies and data-driven insights in a way that resonates with all audiences, from executives to employees.
• Data-Driven & Analytical:
  Adept at using data and metrics to inform decisions. Comfortable evaluating and reporting on the effectiveness of HR initiatives with an eye toward continuous improvement.
• Team Builder:
  Experience recruiting, building, and developing high-performing, diverse HR teams, empowering them to take ownership and excel in their roles.

What you can expect from us:

This is a hybrid position based in San Jose, California.

The estimated annual base salary for this position is between $240,000 - $270,000.*

At Coactive, cash salary is only one part of our total compensation package. Other benefits for this position include, but are not limited to:

• Equity grants
• 100% medical, dental, & vision coverage for you
• Medical, dental, & vision partially covered for your dependents
• Unlimited PTO
• Social events ranging from book clubs, happy hours, and hiking to board game nights.

*Actual pay is dependent on an individual candidate's professional background, experience, skills and qualifications, as well as market demand and business demands. This pay range is subject to change and may be modified in the future. The salary, other compensation, and benefits information is accurate as of the date of this posting.

We embrace and celebrate the diversity of our employees. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ethnicity, ancestry, religion, national origin, gender, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital or parental status, disability, veteran status, or other class protected by applicable law. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace.

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.