Senior Director, People Operations

The big picture: Axios is a growth-stage media and technology company dedicated to providing trustworthy, award-winning news and information in an audience-first format known as Smart Brevity™. We are looking to hire an experienced Sr. Director of People Operations to oversee our Total Rewards, People Operations, Employee Experience, and People Systems functions.

Why it matters: At Axios, we believe in empowering teams to do their best work in a supportive, high-performing culture. The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in HR and a proven ability to lead through scale, deliver high-impact solutions, and inspire a team in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment.

Go deeper: This role will report to the SVP of People and directly manage three Director-level leaders: the Director of Total Rewards, the Director of People Operations, and the Director of People Systems. Responsibilities include:

Leadership & Team Management

• Lead and develop a team of Directors across People Operations, Total Rewards, and People Systems.
• Foster a collaborative culture that emphasizes innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Professionally handle escalated issues and use your judgment and experience to make decisions as needed.

Strategic Oversight

• Understand overall company goals and objectives and align People Operations work to achieve those goals.
• Ensure that the design and execution of our People Operations programs support our employees and culture while being compliant and aligned with our financial objectives.
• Lead the strategic development of our Total Rewards programs including compensation, benefits, and recognition programs that support talent attraction and retention.
• Drive the continued evolution of our Workday system to bring automation and simplification to our work.

Execution & Operational Excellence

• Build and scale programs and processes that support a growing, dynamic workforce.
• Ensure compliance with all relevant labor laws and HR best practices across jurisdictions.
• Leverage data and analytics to inform decisions, drive improvements, and communicate impact.

Cross-functional Collaboration

• Partner with senior leaders across the company to align People strategies with organizational goals.
• Collaborate with HR Business Partners, Talent Acquisition, Finance, Legal, and other stakeholders to ensure seamless experiences and effective operations.

The details: Ideal candidates will embody an entrepreneurial spirit and passion for Axios’ mission and have the following skills:

• 15+ years of progressive HR/People experience, with at least 5 years in a Director-level role.
• Proven track record overseeing People Operations, Total Rewards, and Workday in a fast-paced environment.
• Deep understanding of HR compliance, employee experience best practices, and benefits and compensation strategy.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to make data-driven decisions.
• Exceptional communication and relationship-building skills across all levels of the organization.
• High level of empathy, integrity, and discretion; able to navigate sensitive matters with care and professionalism.
• Highly organized with a bias for action and a drive to deliver high-quality work.

Starting salary for this role is in the range of $175,000 - $225,000 and is dependent on numerous factors, including but not limited to location, work experience, and skills. This range does not include other compensation and benefits. Axios' compensation philosophy takes into account cost of labor differentials across the country. Because this is a remote-optional job posting, this salary range takes into account all possible locations within the United States, but candidates will only be eligible for the salary range for their location.

What Axios brings to the table besides salary:

• 401(k) with employer match
• Robust PPO and High Deductible health insurance options on the Blue Cross Blue Shield network
• Employer Health Savings Account (HSA) contribution for the high deductible health plan option
• Dental and vision coverage
• Primary caregiver 12-week paid leave
• Generous vacation policy, plus holidays
• One mental health day per quarter
• Annual learning and development stipend
• $100 monthly work-from-home stipend
• Tele-mental health services through Headspace
• OneMedical membership, including tele-health services
• Personal health advocacy resources through HealthAdvocate
• Inclusive fertility, hormonal health and family forming benefits through Carrot Fertility ● Access to the Axios “Family Fund”, which was created to allow employees to request financial support when facing financial hardship or emergencies
• Increased work flexibility for parents and caretakers
• Virtual company-sponsored social events
• A strong and positive work environment
• A commitment to an open, inclusive, and diverse work culture

Equal Opportunity Employer Statement

Axios is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, age, gender identity, gender expression, veteran status, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws.

This policy applies to all employment practices within our organization, including hiring, recruiting, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, leave of absence, compensation, benefits, training, and apprenticeship. Axios makes hiring decisions based solely on qualifications, merit, and business needs at the time.