Director of People & Talent

About Underline

Underline starts with our people.

At Underline, we've rapidly built a culture around ownership, trust, community, and innovation. Underline is dedicated to cultivating a growth environment where people feel valued, work with a purpose of mission, and are professionally challenged.

Are you ready to join this team and transform U.S. communities?

Underline was founded in 2019 with a singular mission: to deliver modern connectivity infrastructure as the foundation for flourishing communities. With an ethic of partnership, Underline deploys multi-purpose fiber networks and technology to power community goals. These networks deliver ulta-fast internet access to every part of a community, and also form the foundation for other critical upgrades: distributed healthcare services, new wireless solutions, and resilient infrastructure including modernized water systems and responsible energy creation. Our first two projects are in Colorado Springs and Fountain, Colorado.

About this Position

The Director of People & Talent is a strategic builder who will design and execute people programs that drive business performance and organizational excellence. This role requires someone who can work strategically with executive leadership while also rolling up their sleeves to perform all of the daily requirements of HR and business management —establishing HR infrastructure, recruiting & talent systems, learning & development, and people programs in a fast-paced, growing organization. The Director of People & Talent will report to the VP of Communications and Culture and will be a trusted partner to the Executive Leadership Team in the development and management of critical initiatives.

What You'll Do

Strategic Program Development

• Partner with executive leadership to design people strategies that directly support business objectives
• Build workforce planning, organizational design, and succession planning frameworks
• Develop and implement performance management systems and career development frameworks
• Create data-driven HR metrics and dashboards to inform strategic decision-making

Talent & Performance Management

• Design and execute full-cycle recruitment strategies to attract top talent
• Build performance management systems that drive accountability and growth
• Implement career development programs and frameworks to retain and develop high performers
• Lead compensation planning, benchmarking, and benefits strategy

Culture & Organizational Health

• Build a culture of accountability, innovation, and flourishing across teams
• Design and manage engagement measurement systems and action plans
• Stay close to organizational pulse and proactively address cultural and employee issues
• Foster an inclusive workplace where employees feel valued and heard

HR Business Partnership

• Serve as strategic advisor to leaders on organizational effectiveness and team dynamics
• Navigate complex employee relations issues with sound judgment and business acumen
• Lead change management initiatives and drive organizational transformation
• Influence executive decision-making on people and organizational matters

Operational Excellence

• Build scalable processes and programs that grow with the organization
• Establish learning and development programs aligned to business needs
• Execute on all day-to-day HR tasks in a timely manner and with excellence
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws
• Manage HR systems and PEO (TriNet) and continuously improve people operations

Does this sound like you?

• Strategic builder with the intellectual horsepower to design comprehensive programs and the execution discipline to implement them with rigor
• Energized by ambiguity and building new frameworks and processes in fast-moving environments
• A business partner first, who brings HR expertise in service of business outcomes
• Detail-oriented and organized, able to manage multiple complex projects simultaneously
• Collaborative and influential, with the EQ to build trust across all levels
• An entrepreneurial self-starter who thrives on ownership and impact

Experience we’re looking for

• 10–15 years of progressive experience in people/talent/organizational development roles
• Track record of building scalable people programs in tech or fast-growth companies
• History of driving measurable improvements in organizational effectiveness
• Demonstrated ability to influence executives and drive organizational change
• Proven ability to operate both strategically and tactically on a daily basis
• HR Business Partner experience is required - but your background should extend beyond traditional HR (e.g., operations, recruiting, consulting, organizational development, talent strategy)
• Strong working knowledge of U.S. labor laws, HR best practices, and compliance
• Proficiency with HRIS systems and people analytics
• Bachelor's degree required; MBA, MS in HR, Organizational Strategy or related Master's degree preferred
• SHRM-SCP or SPHR certification preferred but not required

Bonus points

• Technology or startup environment experience strongly preferred
• Experience as an HR “team of one”, owning all HR functions
• Experience working with PEOs

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. We maintain exceptionally high standards for talent and recognize that there are many paths to developing expertise. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $150,000.00 - $170,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Parental leave
• Vision insurance

Education:

• Bachelor's (Required)

License/Certification:

• SHRM Senior Certified Professional or SPHR Certification (Required)

Ability to Commute:

• Dallas, TX 75254-7520 (Required)

Ability to Relocate:

• Dallas, TX 75254-7520: Relocate before starting work (Required)

Work Location: In person