Director of Strategy & Chief of Staff, People & Culture

Equinox • New York, NY

1d • $135 - $145

About The Position

The Director of Strategy & Chief of Staff is the strategic engine and operational integrator of the People Function. Acting as the CPO’s right hand, this leader drives clarity, alignment, and disciplined execution across all People & Culture (P&C) teams. This role serves as the central orchestrator of the People strategy—ensuring priorities are sequenced, progress is tracked, communication flows, and the organization stays two steps ahead of what the business and CPO need. This role will manage a portfolio of enterprise-wide initiatives, such as: Aligning business and People strategies, including culture, engagement, DEI, and Employee Resource Groups (ERG’s) programming Standing up comprehensive listening programs (engagement, pulse, exit) and translating insights into action Building dashboards and people analytics that surface trends (attrition, diversity outcomes, organizational health) Creating toolkits, policies, and resources that drive consistency and scale across the People Function Supporting culture-building and cross-functional people initiatives This is an individual contributor role that will influence broadly and operate at an enterprise strategic level. Ideal for someone who thrives in ambiguity, brings structure, and balances high-level strategy with hands-on execution.

Requirements

• 5+ years of progressive experience in HR strategy, management consulting, or People-related project/program management, supporting senior executives and enterprise-level transformation.
• Strong HR fluency across core disciplines (talent, org effectiveness, culture/change, DEI, analytics, employee experience) with the ability to translate business strategy into People priorities.
• Proven PMO/project management leader with a track record of delivering large-scale, cross-functional initiatives on time and with clear outcomes.
• Highly organized, disciplined, and detail-oriented — able to bring structure, process, and accountability into complex and ambiguous environments. Self-starter with excellent judgment who requires limited direction and consistently anticipates needs before they arise.
• Exceptional collaboration and stakeholder management skills — influencing and aligning cross-functional partners without direct authority.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving orientation with the ability to synthesize data into actionable recommendations.
• Demonstrated success operating as a strategic thought partner to senior leadership, balancing vision with pragmatic execution.
• High integrity, discretion, and ability to manage confidential information with trust and professionalism.
• Advanced proficiency in Excel, PowerPoint, project management tools, and People analytics platforms; familiarity with HRIS data structures and reporting strongly preferred.
• Consulting-style mindset — able to quickly assess situations, define requirements, design solutions, and drive adoption.

Responsibilities

• Strategy, Planning & People Function Management
• Partner with the CPO to develop and drive the People strategy, annual roadmap, and enterprise priorities.
• Own and run the People Function operating system (rhythms, cadences, calendars, reviews).
• Manage the integrated P&C program calendar: key milestones, deliverables, communications, and leadership touchpoints.
• Develop KPIs and dashboards to track progress, elevate risks, and maintain alignment.
• Ensure the CPO always has a clear line of sight into priorities, progress, issues, and decisions needed.
• PMO Leadership & Enterprise Project Management
• Lead the People PMO—prioritizing, sequencing, and managing all major initiatives across P&C.
• Coordinate cross-functional workstreams to ensure outcomes, timelines, and quality standards are met.
• Anticipate organizational needs, design project systems, and create operating frameworks that bring structure and predictability.
• Proactively identify obstacles and provide solutions, escalating when appropriate.
• Ensure teams have clarity of purpose, roles, expectations, and interdependencies.
• People Insights, Analytics & Executive Decision Support
• In partnership w/ the HRIS team, build actionable dashboards that help diagnose issues (attrition, engagement, diversity, experience trends).
• Translate data from listening programs and talent processes into executive-level recommendations and action plans.
• Prepare Board, ELT, Operating Review, and Executive Committee materials.
• Help business and P&C leaders “see around corners” through synthesized insights and forward-looking analysis.
• Listening, Engagement & Culture
• Design and operationalize the full listening strategy (engagement, pulse, exit, topic surveys).
• Ensure insights are analyzed, translated, and tied directly to P&C and leader-driven action plans.
• Partner with ERGs, DEI, Talent, and business leaders to strengthen belonging and connection.
• Support culture and leadership initiatives that reinforce our values and leadership expectations.
• Change Management & Organizational Readiness
• Lead change management for new HR programs, systems, and enterprise people initiatives.
• Help create communication plans, readiness plans, and implementation of toolkits.
• Partner with leaders to ensure adoption, clarity, and alignment.
• Operations, Budget, and Process Excellence
• Manage budgeting and resource tracking for P&C initiatives in partnership with Finance.
• Establish consistent project methodologies, documentation, and communication standards.
• Continuously enhance processes, workflows, and cross-team operating models.
• Demonstrate strong technical capability in Excel, PowerPoint, and analytics used for modeling and storytelling.
• Communications & Leadership Enablement
• Partner with Internal Communications to craft executive messaging, presentations, and communication strategies for the CPO.
• Own agendas, content, and follow-through for:
• P&C leadership team meetings
• CPO all-hands meetings
• Offsites, planning sessions, business reviews
• Represent the CPO to ensure alignment, momentum, and accountability across teams.
• Trusted Advisor & Strategic Extension of the CPO
• Serve as a high-trust advisor who brings judgment, clarity, and structure to decision-making.
• Anticipate needs and stay two steps ahead—surfacing issues, synthesizing information, and shaping recommendations.
• Influence outcomes and drive alignment across the organization without direct authority.

Benefits

• We offer competitive salary, benefits, and industry leading commission opportunities for club employees
• Complimentary Club membership
• Perks and incentives with our products and services including Personal Training, Pilates, Spa and Shop

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Education Level: No Education Listed
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees