Head of People Operations

About Skylight

Skylight is a digital consultancy dedicated to leveraging design and technology to enhance public services provided by government agencies. We are actively involved in a civic movement aimed at transforming how government serves families, patients, and communities in today’s digital landscape. Our team comprises passionate public interest technologists striving to make a meaningful impact.

Role Overview

As the Head of People Operations, your leadership will be pivotal in managing and expanding our talent and people operations to support our mission. You will oversee the development and retention of outstanding talent across the organization, ensuring compliance with legal and social frameworks while preserving our core values. This role requires significant experience working with federal government contractors and a proactive approach to creating an inclusive and empowering work culture.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee the talent lifecycle from workforce planning through onboarding, collaborating closely with the Head of Recruiting.
• Build and sustain strategic talent pipelines aligned with organizational needs.
• Ensure compliance with labor laws and lead employee relations, including handling sensitive and legal matters.
• Conduct compensation and benefits benchmarking, and coordinate with payroll operations.
• Administer and optimize the HRIS platform (Rippling).
• Develop organizational charts and clarify job responsibilities.
• Manage employee offboarding processes.
• Design and implement company-wide employee engagement initiatives that span multiple business units.
• Administer performance management systems, including planning, evaluation, promotions, and continuous feedback.
• Support the development of a professional capability framework for role progression.
• Consult on career advancement opportunities for high-potential employees.
• Develop and oversee training programs, both internal and external, to enhance skills and growth.
• Create programs aimed at fostering a strong culture, driving engagement, and improving employee retention.
• Plan and implement succession strategies.
• Collaborate with business leaders and executives to ensure people strategies align with business goals.
• Champion equitable and consistent people practices that mitigate bias and expand candidate diversity.
• Apply data-driven methods to refine people operations and talent management continuously.
• Stay informed and lead the adoption of emerging best practices in people operations.

Required Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience in a government contracting, consulting, or professional services setting.
• Proven leadership in people operations or similar roles.
• Experience scaling people operations within rapidly growing environments.
• Established track record of cultivating high-performing, mission-focused workplace cultures.
• Strong judgment in balancing organizational transparency with confidentiality and risk management.
• Experienced in recruiting roles such as product managers, designers, user researchers, content strategists, software and DevOps engineers.
• Comfortable managing remote teams.
• In-depth knowledge of applicable labor laws and compliance.
• Ability to function strategically and tactically.
• Excellent interpersonal, motivational, and relationship-building skills.
• Highly organized, attentive to detail, and quality-focused.
• Outstanding written and verbal communication capabilities.
• Competent in data analysis and using HR systems including HRIS and ATS.
• Passion for improving public outcomes through enhanced government services.
• Alignment with company core values and mission.
• Willingness to travel occasionally for work.

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with Rippling HRIS or similar platforms.

Other Requirements

• All work must be performed within the United States.
• Applicants must have current and ongoing legal authorization to work in the U.S. without the need for sponsorship.
• Employment may require obtaining public trust or security clearance due to government contracting status.
• Successful completion of a company background check is necessary.

Position Details

This is a full-time, exempt position offered on a fully remote basis. The salary for this role ranges from $170,000 to $240,000 annually depending on experience and qualifications.