Vice President of People and Culture

College Track • Oakland, CA

3d • $200,000 - $225,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

College Track is seeking a Vice President of People & Culture to serve as the chief architect of our human capital ecosystem. We are at a pivotal inflection point, transitioning from a foundation of thoughtful design to a scaled, future-ready organization. We are seeking a visionary leader who can move beyond the status quo to evolve our existing people strategy into a high-impact engine for organizational growth.
Reporting to the Chief Finance and Operating Officer, the VP will serve as the leader of the People & Culture function and extension of the executive leadership team, ensuring that our "North Star" mission is mirrored in our internal culture, talent architecture, and organizational discipline.
The VP will be tasked with guiding the organization beyond functional management to drive enterprise-wide change. Success in this role is defined by your ability to:
Architect the Future: Transform long-term organizational ambitions into a sophisticated people roadmap, ensuring our talent pipelines are built for scale and sustainability.
Lead with Intention: Move beyond urgency to lead with clarity, ensuring that every people-related system—from performance frameworks to total rewards—is designed with consistency and impact.
Cultivate Executive Partnership: Serve as a high-level advisor to senior and peer-level leaders, guiding them through complex organizational design and talent decisions with a focus on long-term health and risk mitigation.
The VP of People & Culture will join an organization with strong momentum, a clear strategic direction, and a thoughtful foundation already in place—alongside a meaningful opportunity to elevate execution, consistency, and enterprise alignment. This includes:
A multi-year people strategy with defined priorities, KPIs, and quarterly deliverables
An organization at an inflection point, with the opportunity to translate strategy into enterprise-wide practices, behaviors, and systems
Core HR infrastructure that will benefit from continued refinement, stabilization, and scaling across compliance, payroll, leave, and employee relations
A diverse, mission-driven, and largely early-career workforce, with the opportunity to strengthen employee experience, engagement, and retention at scale
A collaborative and committed senior leadership team seeking a strategic partner in organizational design, talent strategy, and workforce planning

Requirements

• 15+ years of progressive leadership experience with a proven track record of architecting people functions in complex, multi-state, or scaling organizations.
• Executive Presence: Ability to influence, challenge, and partner with C-suite leaders, peer-level leaders, and with Board members as necessary.
• Systems Thinking: A demonstrated ability to see the "big picture" and build durable structures that outlast any individual leader.
• Analytical Fluency: The ability to use data not just to report on the past, but to predict and prepare for the future.
• Expert Communicator: A direct, confident, and independent communicator who can navigate nuances and align stakeholders toward shared outcomes.
• Deep expertise in employee relations, including navigating complex and sensitive situations with sound judgment
• Ability to serve as a credible, influential advisor to senior leaders and drive high-stakes decision-making
• Experience operating in fast-paced, evolving environments with a balance of urgency, strategic discipline and change management
• Proven ability to coach and develop leaders in performance management and team leadership
• Bachelor’s degree required

Nice To Haves

• Experience navigating organizational growth within both nonprofit and for-profit sectors.
• Advanced degree (MBA, Org Development) or executive HR certification (e.g., SPHR, SHRM-SCP).
• Multi-state HR leadership experience
• Experience supporting organizations serving first-generation college students or historically underserved communities

Responsibilities

• Architect and Steward Enterprise People Strategy
• Lead Organizational Design, Workforce Strategy, and Change Management
• Design and Institutionalize Scalable People Systems
• Elevate Employee Relations as a Strategic Enterprise Capability
• Drive Communication, Alignment, and Leadership Effectiveness
• Shape Talent, Culture, and Employee Experience

Benefits

• College Track provides access to extensive benefits centered around three core areas of wellness: health care, work-life balance, and financial security.
• Employees receive up to 27 discretionary time off days (sick and vacation), in addition to 28 paid office closures and holidays in the first year of employment.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive
• Number of Employees: 251-500 employees