Senior People & Talent Operations Specialist

About SimSpace

SimSpace is an AI-driven testing and training platform trusted globally by governments, militaries, enterprises, and research institutions to build adaptive cyber defenses. The company, founded in 2015 by experts from U.S. Cyber Command and MIT Lincoln Laboratory, provides realistic, live-fire simulations that accelerate cyber readiness from months to days.

SimSpace emphasizes a human-centered culture focused on continuous learning, collaboration, and professional growth with a commitment to diversity and innovation. Their values highlight employee experience and internal mobility as key pillars to success.

Role Overview

The Senior People & Talent Operations Specialist role at SimSpace is a hybrid of systems design, analytics, and employee advocacy. This position focuses primarily on optimizing the company's use of Ashby for talent workflows, automations, onboarding, and data reporting to create seamless employee experiences. The role demands proactive problem solving, strong cross-functional collaboration, and significant autonomy.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead continuous enhancements of preboarding and onboarding processes across multiple systems and communications.
• Serve as an internal expert on Ashby, developing and scaling automated workflows and reports that support the full employee lifecycle.
• Partner with Hiring and People teams to ensure smooth transitions from candidate to employee status.
• Maintain data integrity by auditing employee and recruiting data, workflows, and operational processes.
• Create and optimize automated employee communications and workflows to boost adoption and engagement.
• Analyze recruitment, onboarding, and employee experience data to uncover trends and formulate actionable recommendations.
• Build dashboards and reports to empower leadership decision-making.
• Support operational execution and process improvements in learning, development, and performance programs.
• Identify inefficiencies and design scalable solutions to improve consistency and employee satisfaction.
• Collaborate across teams to support new initiatives and system implementations.
• Serve as a trusted resource for employees, managers, and recruiters within the talent ecosystem.

Success Criteria

• Exhibit curiosity, systems thinking, and empathy while prioritizing employee experience in all workflows and processes.
• Proactively identify issues, investigate root causes, and innovate solutions without awaiting direction.
• Translate data insights into meaningful recommendations that enhance business and employee outcomes.
• Demonstrate ownership, adaptability, and a passion for building scalable systems and improving employee journeys.
• Collaborate effectively to influence multiple stakeholders and foster continuous learning in talent operations.

Candidate Profile

• Passionate about uncovering data insights and trends to drive improvements.
• Experienced in developing and managing workflows, automations, and scalable HR systems.
• Proficient with Ashby and eager to leverage its full capabilities.
• Adept at connecting data, teams, and processes to improve employee experiences.
• Strong problem-solver who sees systems as opportunities for innovation.
• Comfortable balancing operational excellence with creativity and empathy.

Our Philosophy

• Prioritize employee experience by ensuring every interaction is meaningful.
• Utilize data to support, not replace, informed decision-making.
• Design technology to simplify and improve work processes.
• Embrace curiosity, experimentation, and continuous enhancement.
• Focus on automation where beneficial, maintaining human connection where necessary.
• Promote transparency, accountability, empathy, and trust in all operations.

Interview Process

The hiring process is designed to be a transparent two-way conversation. It involves:

• A 45–60 minute introduction and career discussion with the Head of Hiring.
• A 60-minute strategic conversation on talent leadership and recruiting approaches.
• A 60-minute peer and stakeholder panel focusing on collaboration and problem-solving.
• A 30-minute informal discussion with the Chief People Officer about the broader talent vision at SimSpace.

Compensation and Benefits

• Salary range: $80,000 to $130,000, with most hires between $100,000 and $115,000, contingent on experience and location.
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage starting day one.
• Additional savings plans and mental health support.