VP, People Services

Propeller Industries•New York, NY

About The Position

Propeller is hiring a people leader to guide its internal people strategy and build a People Services practice with its own P&L. As a strategic partner to the CEO and leadership team, the VP will lead workforce planning, talent strategy, career architecture, compensation, and performance systems for a professional services firm where employees’ expertise, judgment, and client relationships are central to the service delivered. The role will lead the people side of Propeller’s transformation into an AI-enabled firm, including redesigning roles, developing AI fluency, managing adoption, and redefining performance expectations as work changes. It will also partner with the Transformation practice to support change management for client implementations. The VP will own the People Services practice end to end, including its offering, pipeline, delivery, financial performance, and growth. Payroll is the core service, with complementary offerings such as policies, handbooks, compliance, onboarding and offboarding, compensation benchmarking, benefits guidance, and fractional HR leadership for small and growth-stage companies. The VP will package, price, sell, and deliver these services, and build a lean team that meets Propeller’s standards. Propeller has more than 250 full-time professionals across three continents and serves emerging companies in Consumer, Technology, Blockchain, and Business Services. The company describes itself as an embedded finance and accounting partner and is developing PropellerOS, a financial operating platform combining human judgment, accounting, data infrastructure, and AI-enabled insight.

Requirements

15+ years of experience in HR and People leadership.
At least 7 years as a head of HR or senior strategic HR partner in a professional services firm.
A strong, articulated point of view on transforming a professional services business and why people change is harder than technology change.
Ability to describe a transformation led, including what worked, what broke, and what would be done differently.
Direct experience building or running an HR services offering for small companies, including pricing, selling, and delivering it.
Experience leading HR functions through other leaders, including recruiting, HR, and compliance leads.
Deep working knowledge of payroll operations, including multi-state payroll and tax, benefits administration, and major small-business payroll and HRIS platforms.
Command of US employment law and multi-state compliance.
Experience designing compensation, career paths, and performance systems for client-facing professionals.
Demonstrated AI fluency, including current use of AI in HR workflows and the ability to explain how it changes work outputs.
Commercial instinct and comfort owning a P&L, building a pipeline, and closing business.
Executive presence and credibility with senior leadership and delivery teams, including comfort delivering difficult messages clearly.

Nice To Haves

Finance, accounting, or advisory firm experience.
Experience supporting employees across multiple countries.
SPHR or SHRM-SCP certification.
Experience in a finance and accounting firm, Big 4, or advisory practice.
Experience serving small and growth-stage companies as clients.

Responsibilities

Advise the CEO and leadership team on organization design, workforce planning, and talent strategy.
Lead and develop the internal People team, including recruiting, HR, and compliance leads, by setting strategy, standards, and priorities.
Design career architecture, compensation, and performance systems for client-facing professionals across practices.
Shape talent strategies to attract, develop, and retain expertise, working through the recruiting lead.
Ensure Propeller’s internal HR, payroll, benefits, and employment compliance are best-in-class.
Lead the people side of Propeller’s AI transformation, including role redesign, AI fluency training, change management, and adoption measurement.
Redefine performance expectations as work shifts from producing outputs toward exercising judgment.
Partner with practice leaders and the Transformation practice to provide change management capability on client engagements.
Own the People Services practice’s financial performance, including revenue, margins, client retention, and profitability.
Grow payroll services and launch complementary HR offerings for small and growth-stage clients.
Drive business development with the GoToMarket team, embedded client teams, and referral partners.
Use AI and automation in service delivery and codify effective approaches so the practice can scale without headcount growing linearly.

Benefits

Base salary range of $210,000–$250,000 plus significant variable compensation tied to People Services practice performance and new business.
Equity participation.
Investment in development, including AI/automation training, executive coaching, and access to Propeller’s network.
Remote-flexible work with travel for team leadership, client meetings, and conferences.
Generous paid time off and holiday pay.
Comprehensive health benefits, including dental, vision, short- and long-term disability, and life insurance.
HSA contribution.
Paid Family Leave.
401(k) match.
Remote work.