Job Description

About Meridian Media Ventures

Meridian Media Ventures is a private investment and operating firm based in Washington, D.C., active across technology, politics, and diverse business sectors. We operate with a hands-on approach, partnering with visionary leaders to build, scale, and influence ventures that shape the future. As a dynamic and growing firm, we place high value on talent, performance, and culture.

About the Role: Head of People

We are seeking a strategic and pragmatic Head of People to join our leadership team. This role will be critical in attracting and retaining top talent, developing performance and skill-building systems, and acting as a close partner to the CEO in managing our team. The ideal candidate combines operational excellence with emotional intelligence, and thrives in high-stakes, high-impact environments.

Tasks

1. Talent Acquisition & Recruitment (20%)

• Conduct end-to-end hiring for executive and senior roles, including job scoping, outreach, interviews, and onboarding.
• Collaborate with business leaders to clarify hiring needs, define role requirements, and anticipate future talent gaps.
• Develop proactive recruitment systems, including talent pools, referral networks, and long-term pipelines across all business verticals.

2. Leadership Development & Growth Planning (40%)

• Design and oversee onboarding programs that embed new hires into Meridian’s leadership culture from day one.
• Create structured development pathways for emerging leaders, including growth plans, promotion tracks, and feedback loops.
• Partner with managers and the CEO to identify high-potential team members and chart individualized development trajectories.

3. Cultural Design & Implementation (25%)

• Codify and evolve company culture, translating values into behaviors, rituals, and expectations across teams.
• Facilitate culture-building workshops, offsites, and peer learning sessions that promote alignment and shared identity.
• Act as a culture champion, modeling and reinforcing behaviors that reflect the firm’s commitment to excellence and impact.

4. Coaching & Internal Enablement (10%)

• Offer direct coaching to team leads and managers to enhance communication, decision-making, and team effectiveness.
• Support the CEO and leadership team in managing interpersonal dynamics, performance challenges, and team growth.
• Lead mentorship initiatives, ensuring every team member has access to guidance and developmental support.

5. Performance & Organizational Health (5%)

• Develop tools and processes to evaluate leadership readiness, team health, and cultural fit.
• Run regular check-ins, surveys, or diagnostics to gauge employee engagement, alignment, and organizational performance.
• Refine performance frameworks to ensure feedback, growth, and accountability are built into daily operations.

Requirements

Experience & Background

• 7+ years of experience in HR, people operations, talent development, or leadership roles—ideally in high-performance or cross-sector environments (e.g., startups, consulting, politics, or media).
• Demonstrated success in recruiting senior-level talent and building leadership pipelines.
• Proven track record of designing and implementing people systems, including onboarding, development programs, and culture-building initiatives.
• Experience supporting or partnering directly with CEOs or executive teams in managing team performance, dynamics, and development.

Skills & Abilities

• Strong strategic thinking with the ability to design scalable systems that serve both people and business needs.
• High emotional intelligence and excellent interpersonal skills; able to earn trust and influence at all levels of the organization.
• Skilled facilitator and communicator, able to lead workshops, feedback sessions, and internal communications with clarity and impact.
• Deep understanding of organizational culture and leadership development—with a bias toward action and continuous improvement.
• Exceptional project management and execution skills; able to drive initiatives from concept to adoption.

Mindset & Approach

• Mission-driven and energized by building organizations that aim to shape culture and society.
• Discreet, ethical, and trusted with sensitive people matters.
• Curious, coachable, and open to feedback.
• Adaptable and unflappable in a fast-moving, high-stakes environment.

PreferreD

• Experience in both structured and unstructured settings—able to build systems from scratch but comfortable refining existing ones.
• Familiarity with executive coaching, assessments, or leadership development frameworks is a plus.

Meridian Media Ventures is a private investment and operating firm based in Washington, D.C., working at the intersection of technology, media, politics, and business. We invest in ideas, ventures, and leaders with the potential to shape public discourse and drive meaningful impact.

As a mission-oriented firm, we combine entrepreneurial agility with strategic depth—launching and scaling ventures that span digital platforms, policy initiatives, and transformative technologies. Our work is fast-paced, intellectually rigorous, and deeply values-driven.

At our core, we believe exceptional people build exceptional institutions. We’re growing a team of bold thinkers, builders, and operators who share a commitment to excellence, curiosity, and service.

Job Tags

Similar Jobs