Vice President, People & Workplace Operations

Circle is a financial technology company at the epicenter of the emerging internet of money, where value can finally travel like other digital data — globally, nearly instantly and less expensively than legacy settlement systems. This ground-breaking new internet layer opens up previously unimaginable possibilities for payments, commerce and markets that can help raise global economic prosperity and enhance inclusion. Our infrastructure – including USDC, a blockchain-based dollar – helps businesses, institutions and developers harness these breakthroughs and capitalize on this major turning point in the evolution of money and technology.

What you’ll be part of:

Circle is committed to visibility and stability in everything we do. As we grow as an organization, we're expanding into some of the world's strongest jurisdictions. Speed and efficiency are motivators for our success and our employees live by our company values: High Integrity, Future Forward, Multistakeholder, Mindful, and Driven by Excellence. We have built a flexible and diverse work environment where new ideas are encouraged and everyone is a stakeholder.

What you’ll be responsible for:

Lead Circle’s transition to a modern, AI-powered workplace with innovative HR strategies and digital operations.  This role requires a rare blend of strategic vision, operational rigor, and technical proficiency. You will collaborate with senior leaders across Circle to drive and complete large, complex, global projects and programs.  Reporting to the Chief People Officer, and as a vital HR leadership team member, contribute thought leadership on Remote Work, AI-Era Workforce, Future of Work, Operational Excellence, and much more.

What you’ll work on:

People & Workplace Operations:

• Project / program management:: Drive the People Team execution on major company-wide initiatives such as M&A integration, reorganizations, and global expansion projects.

• Data-driven Decision Making: Lead the teams who are reimagining people analytics, through an AI first lens, for informed decision-making and insights.

• Cross-Team Alignment: Own the annual calendar of critical People initiatives, ensuring synchronization across all People functions (People & Talent Strategy, Global Rewards & Payroll, People & Workplace Operations). 

• People Team Efficiency: Leverage and maximize the use of AI and agentic workflows across a growing set of use cases.

• Budget & Planning: Drive the People team’s financial strategy, including ownership of multi-million-dollar budgets; partner with Finance teams to achieve seamless forecasting, drive headcount / workforce planning projects, and tight integration between systems.

Workplace & Real Estate Strategy:

• Portfolio Coordination: Coordinate all aspects of the team managing Circle’s global real estate portfolio, from site selection to lease management, to co-working relationships. Ensure efficient cost-effectiveness and strategic value to Circle over the short and long term.

• Circle brand: Lead the team and provide guidance and support to create workspaces reflecting Circle's brand, enhancing in-person experiences for all our stakeholders, and facilitating remote collaboration.

• Management Insights: Analyze and present workplace utilization data and employee feedback to the executive team, driving continuous refinement of workspace strategies.

People & Workplace Systems, AI & Digital Employee Experience:

• People Systems Leadership: Guide and champion the Global HR Systems team in operating, integrating, and optimizing Circle’s HR technology stack (e.g., Workday HRMS and others), ensuring scalability, efficiency, employee usage and compliance.

• AI Adoption: Collaborate with the Chief Technology and AI Officer’s team, as well as key stakeholders in Compliance and Risk Management, to integrate AI into employee workflows. Promote responsible AI usage and deliver strong change management for high adoption. Research latest trends, vendors, thought leadership on how AI will be brought to bear by innovative companies now and into the future.

• Digital-First Strategy: Collaborate with Internal Communications, IT, and HR Systems on an AI and digital-first approach to the employee lifecycle (onboarding, engagement, offboarding), ensuring the workforce has outstanding technology and experiences.

Impact &am