Position OverviewWe are seeking an experienced and hands-on Vice President of Human Resources to lead the people strategy for a growing entertainment/media company of approximately 250 employees. This executive will serve as a trusted advisor to the CEO and executive leadership team, driving organizational effectiveness while building scalable HR infrastructure to support continued growth.
The ideal candidate is equally comfortable operating strategically and rolling up their sleeves. They will oversee all aspects of Human Resources, including employee relations, compliance, talent acquisition, performance management, total rewards, HR operations, leadership coaching, and organizational development. Experience supporting creative, media, advertising or related high stakes environments is key.
Key Responsibilities- Serve as a strategic business partner to the executive leadership team on all people-related matters.
- Develop and execute a comprehensive HR strategy aligned with business objectives and company culture.
- Lead organizational design, workforce planning, succession planning, and change management initiatives.
- Build scalable HR programs and processes appropriate for a growing organization.
- Partner with executives to develop high-performing leadership teams and improve organizational effectiveness.
- Provide executive coaching and guidance on employee engagement, performance management, and leadership development.
- Oversee all employee relations matters, investigations, conflict resolution, and performance improvement processes.
- Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws, with particular expertise in California employment regulations.
- Develop competitive compensation and benefits programs while partnering with Finance on annual budgeting and workforce planning.
- Oversee HR policies, procedures, employee handbook updates, and company-wide compliance initiatives.
- Lead performance management, goal-setting, talent reviews, and succession planning processes.
- Partner with hiring managers to oversee executive and critical hiring initiatives while optimizing recruiting processes.
- Champion employee engagement, culture initiatives, recognition programs, and internal communications.
- Oversee HRIS, reporting, people analytics, and HR operational processes.
- Develop metrics and dashboards to monitor turnover, retention, engagement, hiring, and organizational health.
- Manage outside vendors including benefits brokers, employment counsel, payroll providers, and HR consultants.
- Lead and mentor a small HR team while fostering a collaborative, service-oriented culture.
Qualifications- Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field; Master's degree preferred.
- 12+ years of progressive Human Resources leadership experience with at least 5 years in a senior HR leadership role.
- Experience supporting organizations between 150-500 employees in fast-paced, evolving environments.
- Entertainment, media, production, digital content, streaming, agency, or creative industry experience strongly preferred.
- Strong knowledge of California employment law and multi-state HR compliance.
- Demonstrated experience building HR infrastructure in growing organizations.
- Experience leading organizational design, talent management, and leadership development initiatives.
- Proven success partnering directly with CEOs and executive leadership teams.
- Strong employee relations and conflict resolution expertise.
- Experience with compensation planning, benefits strategy, and executive compensation.
- Strong analytical skills with experience leveraging HR metrics to drive business decisions.
- Excellent communication, influencing, and executive presentation skills.
- Experience with modern HRIS platforms such as Workday, UKG, BambooHR, ADP, Rippling, or similar systems.
Leadership Competencies- Strategic thinker with strong business acumen.
- Hands-on leader who enjoys building processes from the ground up.
- High emotional intelligence and executive presence.
- Collaborative and relationship-driven.
- Exceptional judgment, discretion, and integrity.
- Adaptable in fast-changing, creative environments.
- Strong project management and execution capabilities.
Preferred Experience- Entertainment studios, production companies, streaming platforms, talent agencies, music, gaming, or digital media organizations.
- Supporting exempt and non-exempt workforces.
- Experience with creative professionals, corporate functions, and production operations.
- M&A integration or rapid growth experience is a plus.
