Head of Talent

Kastle
San Francisco, CA
On-site

Who this role is best for

Geared toward HR leaders with startup experience comfortable with building strategic HR infrastructure.

Best fit for

  • HR professionals with leadership experience in early-stage startups and a track record of scaling people functions
    — “Experience scaling people functions at early-stage companies (50-200 employees)”
  • Individuals who thrive in high-growth environments and can shape culture and strategy from the ground up
    — “We're scaling our team 4x over the next year and need a talent leader to build a world class recruiting and people function.”

Things to consider

  • The role requires a significant in-office commitment with a typical 70-hour workweek
    — “Our team typically works around 70 hours per week, beginning at 8:00 AM, with five days spent collaborating in person at our San Francisco office.”
  • Candidates must be prepared to build HR infrastructure without waiting for perfect clarity
    — “Comfort with ambiguity - you build infrastructure without waiting for perfect clarity”

How to stand out

  • Highlight your experience in designing people processes and strategic HR frameworks
    — “Track record designing and implementing people processes (performance management, compensation, onboarding, career frameworks)”
  • Demonstrate your ability to partner with leadership on talent decisions and organizational design
    — “Partner with leadership on organizational design, headcount planning, and talent decisions”
  • Showcase your AI-native skills with specific examples of using tools like Claude Code or Cursor in talent sourcing
    — “AI Native. Strong experience working with Claude Code, Cursor, etc to build sourcing agents.”
Pace · Fast PacedCollaboration · HighAutonomy · HighDecision Impact · Company

Derived from job-description analysis by Serendipath's career intelligence engine.

What success looks like

  • building a recruiting machine
  • shaping culture
  • partnering with leadership
Typical background
people/HR roleshigh-growth startups

Skills & requirements

Required

RecruitingPerformance ManagementCompensationEmployee DevelopmentCulture InitiativesOrganizational DesignTalent Decisions

Preferred

AI NativeFintechLendingRegulated IndustriesMulti-state Employment Compliance

Stack & domain

Recruiting Team ManagementHiring StrategyPerformance ManagementCompensation FrameworksEmployee DevelopmentCulture InitiativesOrganizational DesignHeadcount PlanningTalent DecisionsHR InfrastructureEquity GrantsMarket BenchmarkingDEI ProgramsEmployment Laws And RegulationsBusiness Partner MentalityCoaching SkillsComfort With AmbiguityExcellent Judgment On Sensitive Employee MattersHRFinance

About the role

Original posting from Kastle via Ashby

ABOUT KASTLE

Kastle is building the AI employee for regulated finance. We work with some of America's largest banks and mortgage lenders, helping them scale their contact center and compliance operations using autonomous AI Agents that process payments, originate loans, and help customers get a world class experience during the biggest financial decisions of their lives. We've processed over $2 billion in transactions and are backed by Insight Partners and Y Combinator. If you are interested in selling the best product in the market and help large enterprise lenders and banks transform their operations, apply below.

We just raised a $24M Series A and are growing fast!

WHY WE'RE HIRING

We're scaling our team 4x over the next year and need a talent leader to build a world class recruiting and people function. We have the basics in place (ATS, HRIS, benefits), but we need someone who can build strategic HR infrastructure, shape our culture, and partner with leadership on talent decisions.

THE ROLE

You'll be our first dedicated people leader, evolving our people function from foundational to strategic. You'll own everything from our sourcing and interview process, performance management to compensation frameworks, and employee relations to culture initiatives. You report to the CEO and partner closely with leadership on all people decisions.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

  • Manage our recruiting team and partner with leadership on hiring strategy and process improvements
  • Own and be responsible for building a recruiting machine that attracts the best talent across engineering, product, GTM, deployments, and operations.
  • Build and own our people strategy - performance management, compensation, employee development, and culture
  • Partner with leadership on organizational design, headcount planning, and talent decisions
  • Evolve HR infrastructure - refine policies, ensure compliance, optimize benefits programs
  • Design and implement performance management frameworks - goal-setting, reviews, promotion cycles, career development
  • Lead compensation strategy - maintain equitable pay bands, manage equity grants, conduct market benchmarking
  • Drive culture and engagement initiatives - team events, values definition, employee feedback loops, DEI programs
  • Ensure compliance with employment laws and regulations across all locations

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR

MUST-HAVES:

  • 5-8+ years in People/HR roles at high-growth startups, with at least 2 years in leadership
  • Experience scaling people functions at early-stage companies (50-200 employees)
  • Track record designing and implementing people processes (performance management, compensation, onboarding, career frameworks)
  • Business partner mentality - you advise leadership on strategic decisions, not just execute HR tasks
  • AI Native. Strong experience working with Claude Code, Cursor, etc to build sourcing agents.
  • Strong coaching skills - you develop managers and help them navigate people challenges
  • Comfort with ambiguity - you build infrastructure without waiting for perfect clarity
  • Excellent judgment on sensitive employee matters

NICE TO HAVE:

  • Experience in fintech, lending, or regulated industries
  • Background in AI/ML or technical product companies
  • Previous experience scaling a company through hyper-growth (20→200+ employees)
  • Knowledge of multi-state employment compliance

At Kastle, we’re building at the edge of AI - fast, focused, and with real ownership. Sprints and major launches move quickly, and we look for people who are energized by that pace. Our team typically works around 70 hours per week, beginning at 8:00 AM, with five days spent collaborating in person at our San Francisco office.

We also offer a benefits package designed to support our full-time employees: medical, dental, and vision coverage, a 401(k), and catered lunches and dinners.

Source: Kastle careers (Ashby)

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