Director of HR

About the Position Bluefish is looking for a seasoned and people-first HR leader to build and own the full people function as we scale. As our first Director of Human Resources, you will be responsible for designing and executing a people strategy that supports a high-performing, inclusive, and engaged workforce. In partnership with leadership, you will build our HR infrastructure from the ground up spanning talent acquisition, onboarding, performance management, compensation and benefits, employee relations, compliance, and culture. This role is ideal for someone who is equally strategic and hands-on, comfortable developing long-term strategy while also rolling up their sleeves to execute. You thrive in fast-moving startup environments, care deeply about the employee experience, and know how to build scalable people programs that don't sacrifice culture. What You Will Be Doing Own and evolve Bluefish's people strategy across the full employee lifecycle ensuring programs are scalable, equitable, and aligned with company goals. Lead and continuously improve talent acquisition efforts across technical, GTM, and operational roles, including full-cycle recruiting, agency management, and employer brand development. Design and implement onboarding programs that set new hires up for success and reinforce Bluefish's culture from day one. Build and manage performance management frameworks, including goal-setting, review cycles, feedback processes, and career development pathways. Develop and administer competitive compensation and benefits programs, conducting regular benchmarking to ensure Bluefish remains an employer of choice. Serve as a trusted advisor and first point of contact for employee relations matters, navigating complex situations with discretion, empathy, and sound judgment. Ensure compliance with all federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations, proactively managing risk and maintaining up-to-date HR policies and documentation. Partner closely with executives and hiring managers to support workforce planning, organizational design, and headcount strategy. Champion a strong, inclusive company culture and drive initiatives around employee engagement and belonging. Track and report on key people metrics — including retention, engagement, time-to-fill, and headcount — to inform decision-making at the leadership level. Manage and develop HR tools, systems, and workflows, ensuring the people tech stack scales with the business. What We're Looking For 8–12 years of progressive HR experience, including at least 3 years in a leadership or Director-level role, ideally within a high-growth SaaS or startup environment. Proven ability to build and scale people programs and HR infrastructure from the ground up. Broad HR generalist expertise spanning talent acquisition, employee relations, performance management, compensation, benefits, and compliance. Strong business acumen with the ability to translate strategy into measurable business outcomes. Exceptional communication, interpersonal, and executive presence. Comfortable advising founders and senior leadership on sensitive people matters. Deep knowledge of employment law and HR compliance across federal and state jurisdictions, particularly in New York. Ability to operate at all altitudes, equally comfortable designing a compensation philosophy and processing an offer letter. High emotional intelligence, discretion, and the ability to build trust across all levels of the organization. Highly organized with strong attention to detail, follow-through, and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment. Excited to thrive in an ambiguous, evolving startup environment where the scope of this role will grow with the company. Nice-to-Haves Experience scaling a company from ~20 to 200+ employees. SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, or SPHR certification. Familiarity with HRIS platforms, ATS tools, and people analytics. Background in talent acquisition or employer bra