Director of People & Culture

Dragonfly Studio is seeking a thoughtful, values-driven leader to design and steward the people systems and cultural rhythms that help mission-driven teams do their best work. This role blends strategy and care, stewarding the full employee experience across Dragonfly and several high-impact partner organizations.

About Dragonfly Studio

Dragonfly Studio is a social impact venture studio that builds market-based solutions to complex social problems. Our work spans strategy, program design, venture development, and operational support for social enterprising nonprofit and for-profit partners. We're small (currently 10-15 people), high-performing, fun, and grounded in our values: proactive, adaptable, empathetic, courageous, and relentless.

Description

Role Mission

The mission of this role is to design and lead the people systems, culture practices, and organizational rhythms that empower Dragonfly's team-and the partners we support-to thrive. In addition to serving Dragonfly internally, this role will also support several of our partner organizations, including The Hospitality Hub, Ruum Housing Solutions, and Memphis Housing Lab.

Position Overview

We're seeking an experienced, values-driven Director of People & Culture to build and steward the employee experience, talent strategy, and organizational culture across both Dragonfly and a portfolio of partners. This role is both strategic and hands-on: you will develop long-term people infrastructure while also managing day-to-day HR operations across multiple small but impactful teams.

The ideal candidate is a trusted advisor, strong communicator, and thoughtful builder of systems. You care deeply about people, understand the dynamics of small and fast-moving organizations, and you're energized by bringing clarity, alignment, and belonging to diverse teams working toward social impact.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead People & Culture efforts for Dragonfly and supported partners, ensuring each organization attracts, develops, and retains exceptional talent.
• Oversee full employee lifecycle processes-from hiring and onboarding to performance management, engagement, and offboarding-for multiple teams.
• Build and refine people systems, including job architecture, career pathways, competencies, and performance cycles, tailored to each organization's needs.
• Partner with leadership across Dragonfly, The Hospitality Hub, Ruum, Memphis Housing Lab, and other supported entities to cultivate strong, values-aligned cultures.
• Serve as a trusted resource for managers, providing coaching, conflict resolution support, and guidance on team leadership across organizations.
• Manage HR operations including compliance, policies, documentation, payroll, and benefits administration (with external support where needed).
• Lead manager enablement efforts, including training, playbooks, and tools that help leaders grow and support their teams.
• Strengthen internal communications, recognition practices, and collaboration rhythms across multiple teams.
• Monitor and report on organizational health indicators such as engagement, retention, capacity, and climate.
• Maintain and enhance employee handbooks, SOPs, and internal documentation for each partner organization.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in HR, organizational development, business, or related field (or equivalent experience).
• 5+ years in HR, people operations, management, or culture leadership-preferably in small, scaling, and/or multi-organization environments.
• Experience supporting nonprofit teams or mission-driven organizations strongly preferred.
• Deep understanding of HR best practices, employment law, and people-centered design.
• Strong interpersonal skills with high emotional intelligence and a coaching mindset.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Proven ability to build systems, manage change, and drive clarity in ambiguous environments.
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and comfortable balancing strategic work with hands-on execution.
• Demonstrated commitment to equity, inclusion, and healthy workplace culture.

What We Offer

• Opportunity to shape the culture and organizational design of a mission-driven venture studio and several high-impact nonprofits.
• A collaborative team that values curiosity, experimentation, and humanity.
• Flexible, supportive work environment with hybrid work options.
• Professional development opportunities in leadership, people operations, and organizational design.
• Annual base salary is expected to be between $80k-90k, depending on experience.
• Company-level profit-sharing participation
• Health, Dental, and Vision Insurance

Benefits

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

Salary

$80,000 - $90,000 per year