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Head of People & Talent

San Francisco, CA

Posted: 03/06/2026 Industry: Leadership Job Number: 3555434 Pay Rate: 180000/year - 240000/year

Job Description


Head of Talent & People

Location: San Francisco, CA (Hybrid)

Compensation: $180,000 – $240,000 base + equity

Employment Type: Full-time

About the Opportunity

A fast-growing, venture-backed technology startup is transforming how companies hire by building a modern platform that connects organizations with specialized recruiting expertise and advanced technology. After experiencing significant revenue growth over the past year, the company is rapidly scaling and expanding its team.

This is an exciting opportunity to join an early-stage company that is redefining hiring in a massive global market. As the Head of Talent & People, you will play a critical role in shaping the company’s growth by building exceptional teams and creating the foundational people programs that support a high-performing culture.

If you enjoy building from the ground up, working closely with founders, and having a direct impact on company growth, this role offers a rare chance to design the hiring and people strategy for a scaling startup.

What You’ll Do

This role blends hands-on recruiting leadership with people operations responsibilities.

Key responsibilities include:
  • Own and lead full-cycle recruiting across all functions, including engineering, product, design, go-to-market, and operations.
  • Proactively source and attract high-caliber candidates, including hard-to-find talent.
  • Design and continuously improve interview processes, hiring frameworks, and candidate experience.
  • Establish the people infrastructure needed to support a growing team, including onboarding, performance management, and compensation practices.
  • Develop and track recruiting metrics and hiring insights to improve hiring outcomes.
  • Partner closely with founders and leadership on workforce planning and organizational growth.
  • Help build and maintain a strong internal culture through initiatives such as team offsites, engagement programs, and feedback systems.

What We’re Looking For
  • 5–8+ years of experience in a high-growth startup environment
  • Background spanning both talent acquisition and people operations
  • Experience recruiting across both technical and business roles
  • Proven ability to build hiring processes and people programs from scratch
  • Strong sourcing ability and comfort identifying non-obvious, high-quality candidates
  • Experience using recruiting metrics and data to improve hiring
  • Builder mindset with the ability to operate in a fast-paced startup environment
  • Based in the San Francisco Bay Area and able to work in a hybrid office environment

Nice to Have
  • Experience as the first or early people/talent hire at a startup
  • Background in recruiting technology, HR technology, SaaS, or marketplace platforms
  • Experience working in venture-backed high-growth companies

Why Join
  • Opportunity to build the talent and people function from the ground up
  • Join a rapidly growing, venture-backed startup
  • Work directly with founders and leadership on company growth
  • Competitive salary, meaningful equity, and comprehensive benefits
  • Make a lasting impact on how a company hires and scales

Who is Rainier Recruiting? 

Rainier Recruiting is a boutique, award winning national staffing agency and executive search firm. Using an approach that “treats every candidate like an executive search”, we offer positions in contract-to-hire, Full-Time, and executive search. Named the #1 Best Workplace in Washington State in 2022, recognized as a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing firm, and identified as a top recruitment firm by multiple business journals, Rainier Recruiting is fast becoming a respected company. We are no longer the “best recruiters you have never heard of”. Rainier Recruiting is also proud to share our clients have a 93% repeat business rate. Rainier Recruiting is an equal opportunity employer and service provider and does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, gender, gender identity, national origin, citizenship status, sexual orientation, disability, political affiliation or belief, or any other protected class. We are committed to the principles of Equal Opportunity Employment and are dedicated to making employment decisions based on merit and value, for ourselves, our client companies, and for the candidates we represent. We engage in socially conscious business practices and believe that diverse, equitable, inclusive, and non-biased talent and recruitment processes are foundational to the success of every organization that we partner with. 

Meet Your Recruiter

Joely Downing
Senior Recruiter

Joely spent most of her career in the hotel business and started recruiting in the Hospitality field before coming to Rainier Recruiting.  Outside of work, Joely enjoys time with family and friends and traveling. Confident she can find the best candidates from anywhere, she is hoping to move her desk permanently to Mexico sooner than later.    

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About San Francisco, CA

Ready to take your career to new heights? Explore job opportunities around the bustling city of San Francisco, California. Known for its vibrant tech scene, picturesque views of the Golden Gate Bridge, diverse culinary offerings like the famous clam chowder in sourdough bread bowls at Fisherman's Wharf, and the artistic vibe of the iconic street art at Clarion Alley. Work-life balance flourishes with easy access to outdoor adventures like hiking in Muir Woods, catching a Giants game at Oracle Park, or browsing through the exhibits at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Join us in San Francisco and discover the endless possibilities this innovative and charming city has to offer.