Fractional People Leader

Kandu • Van Nuys, CA

7d

About The Position

In April 2025, Kandu Health and Neurolutions merged to form Kandu Inc. to pioneer an integrated approach to stroke recovery, combining FDA-cleared brain-computer interface technology with personalized telehealth services. The company’s IpsiHand® device is durable medical equipment that enables chronic stroke survivors to regain upper extremity function in daily home use. Combining this advanced technology with the support of expert clinicians offers a comprehensive path to recovery– helping survivors improve mobility, independence, and quality of life. Kandu extends recovery beyond the hospital through principal illness navigation, providing one-on-one education, care coordination, and advocacy; grounded in clinical evidence and informed by the lived experiences of patients and their families. Fractional People Leader (Part-Time) Role Summary We are seeking a fractional senior People Leader to guide our People strategy during a pivotal stage of post-commercialization growth. This part-time role focuses on high-impact strategic leadership rather than full operational ownership. You will report to the CFO, work closely with the CEO, and executive team to shape the organizational direction, design scalable People systems, manage employee relations matters, and support leadership development, while providing management and oversight over day-to-day HR operations, talent acquisition, and program execution. This is an opportunity to influence major decisions and build foundational systems without the demands of a full-time role. Context for the Role & Company Stage The company is in an exciting phase of growth where foundational decisions will shape long-term culture, organizational design, and workforce strategy. This position is ideal for a seasoned People leader who thrives in dynamic, rapidly evolving environments and is energized by building frameworks, coaching leaders, and establishing scalable systems—without needing to manage every operational detail personally.

Requirements

• 10+ years of progressive HR/People leadership experience, including senior-level roles such as CPO or VP of People, ideally within medical device, biotech, diagnostics, healthcare technology, or other regulated industries.
• Demonstrated success scaling teams from approximately 50 to over 200 employees, with expertise in talent acquisition, organizational development, total rewards, culture-building, and HR operations.
• Familiarity with FDA, ISO, and QMS environments is essential, along with the ability to operate strategically while remaining hands-on when needed in a lean, high-growth environment.
• Exceptional communication and leadership skills are required.
• The ability to be hands-on, when necessary and to be a “player-coach”.
• A passion for startups and demonstrated expertise helping startups grow into their full potential.

Nice To Haves

• Experience supporting R&D, engineering, and commercial field organizations, as well as backgrounds in companies progressing from development to clinical trials, regulatory approval, and commercial launch.
• Experience in regulated environments and/or industries
• Professional certifications such as SHRM-SCP or SPHR are a plus.
• May need to travel to Van Nuys, California office once a month, and/or as needed

Responsibilities

• Executive Coaching & Organizational Development - This role provides strategic coaching to senior leaders, supports succession planning, and helps guide organizational design and maturity as the company grows.
• People Strategy & Leadership - The leader will develop and execute a comprehensive People strategy that aligns with scientific, clinical, regulatory, and commercialization goals.
• HR Business Partner Support - The role provides oversight of employee relations and day-to-day HR partnership primary case owner.
• Total Rewards - The fractional People leader will ensure governance and alignment of the company’s leveling and compensation framework, with benchmarking and execution supported by external compensation partners and internal HR resources. They will also drive benefits program redesign as the Company matures and will play an instrumental role guiding the benefits renewal for 2027.
• Culture, Engagement & Employee Experience - The People leader will help foster a mission-driven culture that values innovation, patient focus, and high performance. They will provide strategic direction for engagement and Culture programs managed by the HR Operations team.
• HR Operations, Compliance & Risk Management - This role oversees the direction of policies, HR systems, HRIS, and compliance infrastructure, while execution is managed by the HR Operations team.
• Talent Acquisition & Workforce Planning - This role provides strategic oversight—not day-to-day operational management—of recruitment activities across engineering, clinical, quality/regulatory, manufacturing, and commercial functions.
• Help design the future of HR at Kandu - We’ll look to this role to help us design an HR organization that fits the Company and that helps us achieve our potential.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Part-time
• Career Level: Executive
• Education Level: No Education Listed