People and Talent Sr. Manager

Job Description

Job Description

Description:

Why Join Us:

Indie has grown from a small team into a partner for some of the most exciting brands in CPG and beyond over the past 8 years, and we're not close to done! We are looking for great people who are energized by the opportunity to build & shape what comes next for Indie and are excited to grow along with us.

• Real ownership from day one. You’ll build and shape Indie’s People function as the firm doubles in size—not just execute a fixed plan.
• A team that leads with empathy and still delivers at a high level. We don't think you have to choose.
• A real seat at the table. You’ll work directly with the CEO and play a meaningful role in shaping the organization and what Indie becomes.
• A team that has already invested in structure (org design, onboarding plans, performance frameworks) — you're scaling a foundation, not fixing a mess
• Competitive salary with real opportunities for growth and professional development.

About Us:
Founded in 2019, Indie Consulting is a fast-growing, strategy-led marketing consultancy that partners with some of the most exciting brands in CPG and beyond! We foster an empowering environment built on creativity and dedication, helping our clients tell their stories with clarity and impact.

At Indie, we’ve created a collaborative culture where professional and personal growth is the norm. Our team leads with empathy, supports one another, and strives to deliver meaningful results that leave things better than we found them. If you’re energized by smart strategy, great people, and real opportunities for growth, we’d love to meet you!

Role Overview:

This is Indie's first dedicated People & Talent hire, and talent is the bigger half of the job. We have more demand than we have hands, and your first mandate is filling gaps fast — sourcing and closing strong FTEs and building a contractor bench that lets us flex with client work. The people-ops side: onboarding, comp, benefits, performance, compliance, is yours to run with a light touch, leaning on outside partners (PEO, counsel) where it makes sense. You'll report directly to the CEO and partner closely with senior leaders across client services, ops, and creative.

This role is a builder's job. You'll inherit some existing frameworks (onboarding plans, performance improvement processes, an org design) and be expected to systematize, improve, and own them end to end.

Key Responsibilities:

Talent acquisition

• Own full-cycle recruiting for FTE roles: sourcing, pipeline building, interview process design, offers, and closing — with speed as a core metric
• Build proactive pipelines for Indie's recurring needs across strategy, social & influencer, creative, and activation
• Own contractor sourcing and vetting: build a reliable bench of specialized talent across strategy, social, creative, and activation
• Optimize the contractor experience of working with Indie — onboarding, communication, payment reliability — so top contractors prioritize us
• Partner with leadership on the right FTE/contractor mix as the firm scales, advising on when a role warrants a conversion or a full-time hire
• Own onboarding: build a consistent 30-60-90 experience across departments
• Own employee offboarding: exit interviews, benefits continuation and documentation

Compensation & benefits

• Build and maintain comp bands across roles and levels
• Administer benefits and own the annual renewal process
• Partner with finance/ops on headcount planning and payroll changes
• Administer parental leave, FMLA applicability, sabbatical leave programs, and accommodations

Performance & development

• Own the performance review cycle and manager tooling
• Support leaders on performance improvement plans and difficult conversations
• Build lightweight career pathing as the org grows

Compliance & policy

• Own multi-state employment compliance (NC, NY, and remote states)
• Own workers' comp and safety policy, claims, and incident reporting
• Maintain the handbook, policies, and required documentation
• Manage contractor classification hygiene as the contractor pool evolves

Culture & Operations

• Partner with the ops team on team events, on-sites, and internal communications
• Be a trusted, confidential resource for employees at every level
  

• 6–8 years across recruiting and HR, with a demonstrated track record filling roles fast — in-house TA at an agency, or agency-side recruiting with an in-house move
• Marketing/advertising industry experience required — you know the difference between a paid social strategist and a community manager, and you have a network in this world
• Experience sourcing and managing freelance/contractor talent pools, not just FTE pipelines
• Comfort building from scratch: you'd rather create a system than administer someone else's
• Working knowledge of multi-state compliance and contractor/FTE classification (or the judgment to bring in counsel when needed)
• High discretion — this role sees comp, performance, and org planning before anyone else

Reporting Relationship: CEO

Education & Experience: Bachelor’s degree required; additional education or certification in HR, People, or a related field is a plus.

Performance Bonus : Annual performance bonus of $5,000–$10,000 tied to hiring outcomes (roles filled, time-to-fill, contractor bench quality)

Location: This role is based in New York, NY with a hybrid schedule of three in-office days and two remote days each week.