Vice President of People, Academia
$250-290k
Senior and Expert level
San Francisco Bay Area
A platform for academics to share research papers
Be an early applicant
A platform for academics to share research papers
201-500 employees
B2CMarketplaceEducationPublishingAnalytics
Be an early applicant
$250-290k
Senior and Expert level
San Francisco Bay Area
201-500 employees
B2CMarketplaceEducationPublishingAnalytics
Company mission
To accelerate research, advance science, and transform the world.
Role
Who you are
- This role demands a proactive, hands-on approach—we are looking for someone who has navigated similar scaling environments, can anticipate business needs, and drive impactful people strategies in real time
- 8+ years of experience in a People Operations leadership position
- Minimum of 10 years of human resources experience supporting U.S. and international employees in a scaling or growth-stage startup environment (100–450 employees)
- Professional certification in HR (e.g., PHR, SPHR, SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP) preferred
- Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field
- Comprehensive knowledge of HR best practices, employment laws, and compliance requirements
- Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build strong relationships across all levels of the organization
- Consultative and data-driven mindset, leveraging insights to inform HR strategies and decision-making
- Strategic thinker with a proactive, solutions-oriented approach to problem-solving
- Proven ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with the utmost discretion
- Excellent organizational, multitasking, and prioritization skills in a fast-paced environment
What the job involves
- We are seeking a VP of People Operations to lead Human Resources, Employee Engagement, and Office Management at Academia. As a rapidly growing organization—having added 50 new roles in the past 12 months with continued expansion ahead—we need a strategic and hands-on leader to scale our People Operations function effectively
- Our People Operations infrastructure provides a strong foundation, but there are numerous opportunities and challenges ahead that will require an innovative leader who can build and implement new initiatives from the ground up. We are a collaborative, data-driven organization that values product growth and our people's success
- Reporting to the Chief People Officer, this role will oversee a growing team, including a People Operations Manager, Workplace Experience Manager, and People Operations Coordinator
- Leadership & Strategy:
- Effectively align departmental strategies with overarching business objectives to drive organizational success
- Communicate departmental initiatives, performance metrics, and key achievements to executive leadership and other critical stakeholders with clarity and impact
- Lead the analysis and interpretation of people operations metrics, leveraging insights to propose innovative and strategic initiatives
- Co-manage and oversee resourcing and headcount planning initiatives, including comprehensive compensation and benefits analysis and modeling
- Partner closely with departmental peers, including Talent Acquisition and cross-functional leaders, to ensure seamless alignment and execution of company-wide initiatives
- Navigate a dynamic and scaling environment by effectively managing the team, balancing workloads, setting clear expectations, and strategically hiring to support growth and operational needs
- Compliance, Compensation & Benefits:
- Ensure adherence to international, federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations by developing, implementing, and continuously updating HR policies and procedures to align with legal requirements and industry best practices
- Conduct regular audits to verify compliance with company policies and legal standards, proactively identifying and addressing potential risks
- Develop and deliver training programs for employees and managers on HR policies, compliance requirements, and best practices to foster a legally sound and informed workplace
- Oversee the design, implementation, and administration of compensation programs, including base salary, equity, and total rewards, ensuring market competitiveness, internal equity, and alignment with business objectives
- Oversee and manage payroll for both hourly and salaried employees in collaboration with the finance team, ensuring accurate processing, proper documentation, and rigorous quality control of all payroll changes and approvals
- Partner with finance and leadership to analyze compensation trends, ensure payroll accuracy, and recommend adjustments to maintain competitive pay structures
- Oversee and support the annual open enrollment process, including plan design and selection, employee communications, education, and ongoing benefits administration, ensuring alignment with business objectives and employee needs
- Employee Engagement:
- Design, implement, and continuously enhance employee engagement initiatives to foster job satisfaction, retention, and a positive workplace culture. This includes managing engagement surveys, leadership development programs, performance management systems, and company-wide events
- Provide training and coaching for managers on performance management best practices, equipping them with the skills to support employee growth and development
- Monitor and analyze performance data to identify trends, address potential challenges, and implement targeted improvements
- Develop and implement programs to identify, support, and retain high performers and rising stars by establishing recognition initiatives that reward excellence, reinforce a culture of excellence and achievement, and provide opportunities for growth and advancement
- Act as a trusted advisor for employees and managers, addressing concerns, providing guidance, and facilitating resolution of workplace issues
- Conduct exit interviews, analyze feedback, and implement strategies to enhance the employee experience and reduce attrition
- Develop and promote self-service tools and training programs to empower employees with accessible resources for professional development and HR-related inquiries
- Systems, Vendors & Office Management:
- Support effective vendor management and optimization for People Operations platforms, including Deel, Pave, and Stable, Carta, among many others to ensure cost-effective solutions that align with business needs
- Drive ongoing process improvements to streamline HR operations, enhance automation, and improve overall efficiency
- Ensure high-quality service levels and response time efficiency by providing employees with accessible and trusted resources, including documentation, chat functions, and live support for benefits, payroll, and policy inquiries
- Collaborate with IT and office management to ensure smooth technology setups for new hires, workstation ergonomics, and office infrastructure needs
- Develop and maintain ticketing or self-service systems to improve HR support efficiency and accessibility
- Ensure seamless onboarding and offboarding system integrations, including access provisioning, payroll setup, and exit deactivation processes
- Partner closely with the office manager to cultivate a workplace environment that aligns with company values and effectively supports in-office employees
Our take
Academia.edu is pitched as a social media platform to help researchers and academics share papers for free - with over 185 million registered users and over 30 million visitors per month, it has remained an active and popular platform since its founding in 2008.
The company has had a chequered relationship with the academics it proposes to serve (and the institutions it intends to disrupt). Some claim the new paywalled suite of features runs counter to the free and open-access model; others baulk at its use of the .edu domain usually reserved for academic institutions (they registered before its use became restricted).
To overcome these obstacles, the platform continues to evolve as a key player for researchers. With future plans to launch high-impact open-access journals, develop an advanced paper recommendation system, and increase daily academic engagement. It's an exciting future, however, only time will tell how these new developments will be received.
Kirsty
Company Specialist at Welcome to the Jungle
Insights
Top investors
4% employee growth in 12 months
Company
Funding (last 2 of 6 rounds)
Feb 2022
$23m
SERIES D
Mar 2019
$16m
SERIES C
Total funding: $56.8m
Company benefits
- Comprehensive Healthcare Coverage: 100% employer-paid medical, dental, and vision insurance for you and your dependents
- Generous Time Off: 21 paid vacation days, 12 paid company holidays, and unlimited sick days; paid parental leave and other leaves for life’s needs; 6-week paid sabbatical every 4 years
- Flexible Work Arrangements: Flexible daily schedules within a hybrid work environment, annual remote-office budget, and monthly WFH internet stipend
- 401k plan, and stock options
Company HQ
Financial District, San Francisco, CA
Leadership
Richard Price
(Founder & CEO)Studied PPE at Oxford, going on to complete a PhD in Philosophy. Founded two other businesses: LiveOut.co.uk, and PeopleRadar.co.uk. For 7 years was a Fellow of All Souls College at Oxford University.
Salary benchmarks
We don't have enough data yet to provide salary benchmarks for this role.
Submit your salary to help other candidates with crowdsourced salary estimates.
Share this job
View 5 more jobs at Academia