Role: Vice President of People

Location: Long Island City (Hybrid; Tuesday - Thursday in-office)

Reports To: COO

Compensation: $175,000 - $200,000 (+20% bonus contingent on achieving goals)

Overview

Pursuit’s mission is to create economic transformation at scale. Our comprehensive model combines rigorous training with strategic partnerships to connect and support high-quality tech talent from low-income backgrounds with leading companies. By training adults to launch and advance careers as software engineers, we help our Fellows increase their earnings from $18,000 to over $90,000 in starting salary on average, adding an estimated $2M in lifetime earnings. Since 2013, we have generated ~$1B in lifetime wage gains and partnered with top companies like Blackstone, USV, Citi, Peloton, and Uber.

As AI reshapes industries and the future of work, Pursuit is ensuring that economic mobility keeps pace. We are pioneering new approaches to AI workforce development, equipping talent from diverse backgrounds with the skills to thrive in an AI- driven economy. By working with employers, funders, and policymakers, we are shaping how the sector adapts to AI’s impact—ensuring that opportunity is expanded, not restricted, in the process.

Our vision of scaled impact is to reshape the skill training landscape and how governments, funders, and employers invest in workforce solutions. Through our innovative financial model, the Pursuit Bond, we are building the capital market to finance a sustainable model that other organizations can adopt, removing structural barriers and changing workforce development for good.

The Opportunity

Pursuit is looking for a hands-on HR leader to build and own our people function as we scale. Reporting directly to the COO, this is a true generalist role for someone who thrives working solo, moves fluidly between strategic and tactical work, and wants to shape culture and talent strategy at a growing company from the ground up. You'll partner directly with leadership on everything from recruiting and comp design to culture-building and performance management — with contingent recruiting support available to help you scale hiring volume. This is not a role for someone who wants to specialize in one lane. You'll move between a comp benchmarking exercise, a sensitive employee relations conversation, and a hiring strategy discussion in the same day — and do each one well.

Key Responsibilities

Recruiting & Talent Acquisition

Drive full-cycle recruiting for open roles, partnering with recruiters to scale sourcing and volume as needed
Build and refine our interview process, hiring rubrics, and candidate experience
Own employer branding and help position Pursuit.AI as a destination for top talent

Culture & Employee Experience

Shape and protect company culture as we grow past initial team size
Design onboarding, engagement, and retention programs that scale with headcount
Serve as a trusted point of contact for employees on questions, concerns, and conflict resolution

Compensation & Incentive Design

Build and maintain compensation bands, leveling frameworks, and market benchmarking
Design incentive and equity programs aligned with company growth stage and goals
Advise leadership on comp strategy for offers, promotions, and retention

HR Operations & Compliance

Own core HR infrastructure: HRIS, benefits administration, payroll coordination, and policy documentation
Ensure compliance with employment law across relevant jurisdictions (NY-specific and multi-state as needed), in partnership with external employment counsel as appropriate
Manage leave administration, performance management cycles, and employee lifecycle processes end-to-end

Strategic Partnership

Act as a thought partner to founders/leadership on org design, workforce planning, and scaling decisions
Bring outside perspective and best practices from other growth-stage companies
Build the people function's roadmap as the company scales past 100 employees

Experience and Competencies

10+ years in HR, with meaningful experience as a generalist or HR leader at a growth-stage company (startup or small company experience strongly preferred)