Head of People Operations

For over 45 years, MarathonFoto has been the world's leader in race photography, capturing the finish-line moments of more than 10 million runners across the globe. We partner with the most prestigious endurance events, from the Boston Marathon to the NYC Marathon and beyond. As we scale our global digital platform and strengthen our remote-first culture, we're looking for a strategic, hands-on Head of People Operations to build and lead the people function from the ground up.

This is not a coordinator role or an HR generalist position. We need a seasoned people leader who has built HR infrastructure in a fast-moving organization, understands what it takes to attract and retain top talent remotely, and can operate equally well at the strategic and execution level.

Location: Fully Remote (U.S.-Based)

Compensation: $120,000 , $150,000 / year, based on experience + Performance Bonus

Type: Full-Time Employee (W-2)

Schedule: Monday , Friday, Standard Business Hours

Reports To: Head of Operations

About the Role

As Head of People Operations at MarathonFoto, you will own the entire people function, talent acquisition, onboarding, employee relations, performance management, compensation, compliance, culture, and HR systems. You will serve as a strategic partner to senior leadership while handling the day-to-day realities of a growing, remote-first team.

What You'll Own

Talent Acquisition & Recruiting:

• Own the full recruiting lifecycle, job postings, sourcing, screening, interviewing, offer letters, and onboarding, across all departments
• Build and maintain a strong talent pipeline across technical, operational, and creative roles
• Develop recruiting strategies that attract top-tier remote talent in a competitive market
• Partner with hiring managers to define role requirements, competency frameworks, and hiring criteria
• Create a candidate experience that reflects MarathonFoto's culture and values at every touchpoint
• Track recruiting metrics including time-to-fill, quality of hire, and offer acceptance rate

Onboarding & Offboarding:

• Design and improve a structured onboarding experience that gets new hires productive and culturally integrated quickly
• Build role-specific onboarding plans in collaboration with department leads
• Manage all offboarding processes including exit interviews and knowledge transfer
• Maintain organized employee records across the full employee lifecycle

Employee Relations & Culture:

• Serve as the primary point of contact for employee relations, addressing concerns, mediating conflicts, and ensuring a positive work environment
• Build remote culture through intentional engagement initiatives, team rituals, and recognition programs
• Develop and enforce company policies, employee handbook, and code of conduct
• Champion diversity, equity, and inclusion across all people processes and hiring decisions
• Conduct employee surveys, synthesize feedback, and present insights to leadership

Performance Management & Development:

• Design and implement a performance management system including goal-setting, review cycles, and feedback processes
• Partner with managers to develop PIPs and coach them through difficult conversations

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• Identify training and development opportunities and build pathways for career growth
• Build succession planning frameworks for key roles across the organization

Compensation, Benefits & Compliance:

• Own and maintain a competitive, equitable compensation structure across all roles and levels
• Manage benefits administration, open enrollment, and vendor relationships
• Ensure full compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws across all U.S. states
• Oversee payroll coordination in partnership with the finance team
• Manage workers' compensation, unemployment claims, and leave administration (FMLA, ADA, etc.) HR Systems & People Analytics:
• Select, implement, and manage HRIS platforms and HR tech stack for a scaling remote organization
• Build people analytics dashboards covering headcount, hiring velocity, retention, eNPS, and compensation equity
• Use data to drive people decisions and present regular metrics to senior leadership
• Automate and streamline HR workflows to reduce manual processes

Strategic People Leadership:

• Serve as a trusted advisor to senior leadership on all people-related matters
• Translate business goals into people strategies that support growth, performance, and retention
• Build the HR function from the ground up, including hiring HR staff as the team grows
• Lead organizational design efforts including restructuring, team expansion, and role evolution

What We Require, Non-Negotiable

• Minimum 3 years of progressive HR or People Operations experience, with at least 2 years in a senior or leadership role
• Demonstrated experience building or significantly scaling a people operations function
• Deep knowledge of U.S. employment law, HR compliance, and multi-state regulatory requirements
• Proven experience managing full-cycle recruiting independently across multiple departments
• Strong background in employee relations, you've handled difficult situations with professionalism and sound judgment
• Experience designing performance management systems, compensation frameworks, and onboarding programs
• Proficiency with HRIS platforms (BambooHR, Rippling, Workday, or similar)
• Experience managing HR in a fully remote or distributed team environment
• Strong data literacy, you use people analytics to inform decisions, not just report numbers
• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field

Strongly Preferred:

• SHRM-SCP, SPHR, or equivalent HR certification
• Experience in e-commerce, media, technology, or events-driven companies
• Familiarity with AI-powered HR tools and their responsible use in people workflows
• Experience building DEI programs and embedding inclusive practices
• Prior experience as a solo HR leader or first people hire in a company
• Familiarity with payroll platforms such as Gusto, ADP, Rippling, or Deel

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Soft Skills & Leadership Style:

• You lead with empathy but hold people accountable, both are necessary to build a high-performing team
• You're a builder, not just a manager, you see gaps and fill them without waiting to be asked
• You communicate clearly across all levels, from entry-level employees to the executive team
• You handle sensitive information with absolute discretion and integrity
• You bring solutions, not just problems, and escalate early when needed
• You're comfortable with ambiguity and can create structure where it doesn't yet exist
• You operate with a high degree of ownership, nothing falls through the cracks on your watch
• You understand that culture isn't a perk, it's a competitive advantage

What Success Looks Like:

• All open roles filled within defined time-to-fill targets
• A structured onboarding experience in place within 90 days
• eNPS scores tracked and improving quarter over quarter
• Full HR compliance maintained across all states with zero regulatory gaps
• A compensation framework that is equitable, transparent, and competitive
• An HR tech stack implemented that scales with the company's growth

Why MarathonFoto?

• 100% Remote, work from anywhere in the U.S.
• $120,000 , $150,000 based on experience + performance bonus
• Mission-driven company celebrating human achievement for over 45 years
• Work alongside iconic global sporting events and world-class race partners
• Collaborative, entrepreneurial, AI-forward culture where your work directly shapes the company
• High-visibility role with direct access to senior leadership
• Build the people function your way, with leadership's full trust and support
• Stable, full-time W-2 position with long-term career growth

Who Should Not Apply:

• Candidates with fewer than 3 years of HR or People Operations experience
• Candidates not comfortable operating independently in a remote, fast-moving environment
• Candidates who require significant oversight to manage day-to-day people operations

Equal Opportunity Statement

MarathonFoto is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. We are committed to building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive team.