People Strategy Director

WHY JOIN MADTREE AS THE PEOPLE STRATEGY DIRECTOR?At MadTree, HR isn’t back-office – it’s culture-building, problem-solving, and helping 300+ humans thrive across our hospitality + manufacturing workforce. If you want both operational excellence and strategic impact, and you're energized by complexity, not exhausted by it – this is your kind of role.Build, not just maintain — Design the systems, frameworks, and tools that will shape MadTree's next chapterReal complexity, real impact — Dual-industry operations, multi-location dynamics, high-volume hourly workforce, and a growing leadership team that needs a strong partnerLead a team — Develop and grow an HR Manager and PS Coordinator, amplifying your impact across the whole organizationPurpose you can feel — B-Corp certified, 1% for the Planet, and a culture built around Connect, Grow, Give a F*ckTotal Rewards & Benefits✓ Transparent salary range✓ 401(k) with company match✓ Comprehensive health benefits (medical, dental, vision)✓ Paid Time Off✓ 16 hours paid volunteer time annually + company-wide Let’s Grow Local Day✓ Enjoy what we create with regular gift cards for MadTree food, beverages, and merch✓ Continued growth & learning opportunities✓ Nature-inspired workspaces designed to connect people to nature and each other✓ Face-to-face humanity—Real human connection, not screen isolation✓ A team that gives a f*ck – People who are passionate and genuinely careAbout MadTree BrewingWhen MadTree sprouted in 2013, we were driven to craft great beer - but more importantly - to build something bigger than ourselves and the high-quality beer we produce. Since the beginning, we have cared deeply about creating meaningful connections with our communities. We embrace our name MadTree and work to celebrate and protect nature, while reducing our impact on the environment. MadTree is a B Corp certified company and proud member of 1% for the Planet with a commitment to donate 1% of sales to local, sustainable nonprofits. The craftspeople at MadTree wake up every day to connect people to nature and each other.We are MadTree. Inspiring Madness. Rooted in Purpose. MadTree is committed to building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workforce that inspires madness while being rooted in purpose. We offer a competitive compensation package plus great benefits like subsidized health insurance, a retirement plan with a match, free mental health therapy visits, paid time off, and many other great perks.POSITION: People Strategy DirectorREPORTS TO: Vice President of Experience & ImpactLOCATION: Cincinnati, OH (Oakley primary, some travel to all locations)COMPENSATION RANGE: $115,000 — $130,00VARIABLE BONUS: $10,000Position SummaryThe People Strategy Director is the strategic architect and people operations leader at MadTree. You own Strategic Priority #3 — "Acknowledge, Inspire, Empower to Thrive" — and serve as a key partner to the VP of Experience & Impact and VP of Revenue, in shaping culture, building scalable infrastructure, and connecting people strategy to business outcomes.You lead a small, high-impact team (HR Manager + PT PS Coordinator) with clear role delineation: the Director owns strategy, complex employee relations, executive partnerships, and organizational development; the HR Manager owns operational HR execution and day-to-day employee support; the PS Coordinator supports administrative functions and logistics. You maintain hands-on involvement where the stakes are highest while enabling your team to operate independently in their lanes.Your success is measured by culture health (engagement, retention, manager capability), operational excellence (compliance, systems, process consistency), and strategic impact (workforce planning, talent development, organizational effectiveness).Essential Duties And Responsibilities Strategic Leadership & Organizational EffectivenessOwn and drive Strategic Priority #3 integrate MadTree's Behaviors and Points of Difference into every people process from onboarding to exitServe as strategic partner to VP Experience & Impact and VP of Revenue: participate in organizational planning, flag people implications of business decisions, and lead quarterly PS updates with key metrics and emerging risksPartner with Finance on headcount planning, compensation strategy, and people-related budget managementLead workforce planning and succession planning for key roles; build proactive talent pipelinesDesign and implement organizational structure changes to support growth and operational efficiencyOwn MadTree's employee value proposition and culture stewardship Talent Development & Manager EnablementBuild and maintain the Hospitality Manager Toolkit — a centralized hub with the guides, templates, and resources managers need to lead effectivelyDesign and deliver manager development programming: 30-60-90 milestones, GM Huddles, coaching on performance conversations, conflict resolution, and team developmentLead L&D strategy across all levels (aspiring leaders through directors); manage external partnerships and internal capability buildingOwn performance review process design and twice-annual cycle execution (the HR Manager administers; the Director designs, calibrates, and coaches)Identify high-potential team members and build development pathways for next-level roles Employee Relations & ComplianceServe as primary on all high-risk employee relations matters: potential terminations, harassment/discrimination investigations, and situations involving manager level 1 leaders and abovePartner with employment counsel on complex situations; manage external investigator relationships when neededEnsure MadTree maintains compliance with federal, state, and local employment law across both industries; own audit readiness and policy currencyProvide weekly strategic oversight of all active ER matters via PS team meetings; the HR Manager owns mid-complexity ER with Director guidanceMonitor patterns in ER issues and implement systemic solutions to address root causes Talent Acquisition & Total RewardsOwn recruitment strategy for director-level and above; serve as PS lead on executive hiresAssess and optimize recruitment processes and metrics in partnership with HR Manager; build manager capability in behavioral interviewing and inclusive hiringDesign and evolve compensation philosophy; lead annual compensation planning and pay equity reviewOwn benefits strategy in partnership with HR Manager and broker; lead plan design decisionsOversee retirement plan administration in partnership with TPA; serve as primary relationship manager with benefits vendors and broker; strategically leverage vendor capabilities to reduce administrative lift on the PS team over time Systems, Data & Continuous ImprovementOwn HRIS strategy and vendor relationship (Rippling); partner with HR Manager to ensure system optimization, workflow automation, and data integrityBuild and maintain people analytics reporting that gives leadership actionable insight on workforce trends, turnover, engagement, and manager capabilityLead continuous improvement of HR processes; ensure documentation exists so the HR Manager and PS Coordinator can execute independentlyBuild scalable infrastructure that supports MadTree's growth without proportionally growing HR headcountContinuously assess where vendor partnerships can absorb administrative work, creating capacity for the PS team to focus on higher-impact strategic and employee-facing functionsLead people strategy for new location launches end-to-end: workforce planning, job architecture, pre-opening recruiting, onboarding infrastructure, and Day 1 readinessPartner with Operations and Finance on headcount modeling and labor cost projections for new and expanding locationsOwn HRIS configuration for new locations in Rippling: department/location structure, reporting hierarchies, onboarding workflows, and benefits class assignments prior to launch Team LeadershipDirectly supervise and develop the HR Manager; set clear expectations, delegate effectively, and create a path for their continued growthOversee PT PS Coordinator through HR Manager; ensure role clarity and appropriate workload distribution across the teamFoster a PS team culture aligned with serve, enable, provide consistency and build for scaleModel MadTree's Behaviors — Connect, Grow, Give a F*ck — in all interactions; participate in 16 hours of annual paid volunteer time with 1% for the Planet partnersQualification RequirementsTo perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Must be at least 21 years of age.Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business, Organizational Development, or equivalent experience7–10+ years of progressive leadership experience (HR/people strategy, director-level experience)Demonstrated track record of culture transformation and measurable organizational impactExperience building and leading teams; strong coaching and development skillsBusiness acumen and comfort connecting people strategy to financial and operational outcomesStrong foundation in employment law and compliance across complex, multi-industry environmentsChange management experience — you've led people through it, not just designed the planExperience with HRIS implementation and optimization (Rippling highly preferred)Executive presence and communication skills; comfortable in the room with senior leadershipAbility to travel regularly across Cincinnati-area locations; occasional evening/weekend availabilityExcellent communication, leadership, and interpersonal skillsPreferred QualificationsMulti-unit hospitality experience in non-franchise operationsExperience leading HR infrastructure buildout for new location openings, including pre-opening recruiting and HRIS configurationFamiliarity with multi-location HRIS architecture (Rippling preferred) and the ability to structure a new location correctly from day oneDual-industry HR experience (hourly/tipped hospitality + salaried production/corporate teams)Manufacturing or production environment experienceHR certification (SPHR, SHRM-SCP)Coaching certification or significant coaching trainingB-Corp or mission-driven organization experienceSelf-funded health plan experience (stop-loss, TPA management)Data visualization or people analytics capabilitiesPhysical RequirementsAbility to regularly sit, stand, and walkAbility to frequently talk and hearAbility to occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 poundsVision abilities required include close and distance visionWORK ENVIRONMENTWork environment is typically an office, taproom, restaurant, or brewery setting. The employee occasionally works near hazardous materials and on wet floors.Come Build Something With MadTree — Before You ApplyWe Read Every Cover Letter. Keep It To One Page. We Want To Hear Two Things From You, In Your Own WordsWhy People Strategy — and why MadTree? Not the mission statement recap. What about this specific role, at this specific organization, at this specific moment actually pulls you in?Tell us about a people system or infrastructure you built from the ground up. What was broken or missing, what did you design, and how do you know it worked?Skip the resume summary — we'll read that part. This is your chance to show us how you think and what you actually care about. If you're someone who gets energized by complexity, knows how to lead through ambiguity, and believes that great HR is one of the highest-leverage things a growing company can invest in — we want to hear from you. MadTree is in a real build phase, and this role will leave fingerprints on everything. Come ready to leave your mark!MadTree is committed to building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workforce. We offer competitive compensation plus exceptional benefits: subsidized health insurance, retirement plan with match, profit sharing, paid time off, paid service time, and many other great perks.