Director, People & Culture (Maternity Leave Coverage)

Director, People & Culture (Maternity Leave Coverage)

We’re looking for a Director, People & Culture to join Brooklinen on a 6-month maternity leave coverage (January–June 2026) and help lead our People strategy during an exciting chapter of growth and evolution.

You’ll partner closely with our Chief People Officer and Executive Team to ensure our culture, programs, and operations run seamlessly — balancing strategy and execution across engagement, leadership development, DEI, and organizational design. If you’re a thoughtful, experienced HR leader who thrives in fast-paced, people-first environments, we’d love to meet you.

Overview

At Brooklinen, our people are at the heart of everything we do. We’re looking for a Director, People & Culture who can bring both strategic insight and operational excellence to how we attract, grow, and retain great talent.

This role will provide seamless leadership continuity while our Chief People Officer is on leave — ensuring our culture, operations, and programs remain strong and connected. You’ll help translate company priorities into people strategies that drive clarity, engagement, and performance, while keeping our People programs — from onboarding to compensation planning — running smoothly and consistently reflecting our values of trust, accountability, and collaboration.

This is a highly cross-functional role that partners closely with our Executive Team, People Team, and functional leaders across the business. You’ll oversee our People & Culture team, provide day-to-day leadership, and ensure initiatives are executed with precision and empathy.

What You’ll Do

Lead and Develop the People & Culture Team

• Oversee a small but mighty team — two HR Business Partners and an Office Coordinator — ensuring clarity of ownership, collaboration, and execution excellence.

• Coach and develop team members to deliver high-quality support across engagement, operations, and employee experience.

• Act as the senior People leader in daily partnership with the Executive Team, ensuring all People programs and decisions are carried forward with clarity and care.

Oversee Core People Operations and HRBP Support

• Lead HR operations and systems (HRIS, compliance, data integrity), ensuring seamless processes and a positive employee experience.

• Serve as a senior advisor to senior leaders (Senior Director and above) on organizational design, team performance, and employee relations.

• Partner with the Chief People Officer to ensure People programs and processes run smoothly through periods of growth and change.

Drive Key Strategic Priorities

• Steward ongoing People initiatives, ensuring continuity and alignment during a key transition period.

• Lead company-wide engagement, DEI, and employee experience initiatives that strengthen connection, clarity, and inclusion.

• Oversee performance management, learning & development, and succession planning programs that build capability and accountability.

• Ensure People initiatives are well-communicated, data-informed, and aligned with company goals.

Provide Insights and Partnership to Leadership

• Translate people data into insights that inform decisions on retention, workforce planning, and organizational health.

• Collaborate cross-functionally with Finance, Operations, and Executive Leadership to align People strategies with business priorities and resourcing.

What Success Looks Like

• Our People & Culture programs continue to run smoothly, with clarity and alignment across teams.

• Leaders feel supported with proactive HR partnership and actionable insights.

• Engagement and performance programs land with consistency and impact.

• The People team remains strong, connected, and focused on execution excellence.

• By June, the team and programs remain strong, and you’ve helped ensure a smooth transition back to our CPO’s leadership.

What You’ll Bring

• 8+ years of progressive HR experience, with at least 3–5 years leading HRBP or People functions.

• Proven experience partnering with senior executives in a high-growth or transformation environment.

• Strength in org design, talent management, DEI, and employee experience.

• A balance of strategic perspective and operational detail orientation.

• Empathy, discretion, and strong communication skills across all levels.

• A passion for culture-building and c