VP of People

About the position The VP of People is a senior executive role and a direct strategic partner to the CEO. This is not a compliance-and-paperwork HR role — it is a people-first, culture-defining position for someone who understands that a company's greatest competitive advantage is its team. Cornbread Hemp is operating at a pivotal moment. We are a high-growth company in a dynamic and evolving regulatory environment, and this role requires someone who has navigated organizational change before. You will own the full employee lifecycle, shape Cornbread's culture across a distributed workforce, and report directly to the CEO with a seat at the table where decisions are made. This role is ideal for an experienced people leader who thrives in dynamic, fast-changing environments, is energized by building and scaling systems, and has the organizational resilience to lead through ambiguity.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the steward of Cornbread's culture — defining, protecting, and evolving it as the company grows
• Design and execute employee engagement programs that work for both remote and in-office team members
• Build recognition programs that reinforce company values and make people feel seen
• Lead company events and culture-building activities that reflect who we are as a brand
• Be a visible, trusted presence for the team — the person employees come to when something matters
• Develop and maintain HR systems, policies, and procedures that are scalable and practical
• Own and update the employee handbook, HR documentation, and compliance records
• Manage benefits administration, payroll coordination, and HRIS systems
• Maintain accurate employee data, files, and documentation
• Build and refine onboarding and offboarding processes that create a consistent, high-quality employee experience
• Lead full-cycle recruiting across all departments, with a strong eye for both skill fit and cultural alignment
• Partner with leadership on workforce planning and org design as the company scales
• Build and manage a performance management framework that is developmental, not just evaluative
• Support leadership in identifying high-potential employees and creating growth paths for them
• Own succession planning and internal mobility strategy
• Own and evolve Cornbread's compensation philosophy and pay structure as the company grows
• Conduct regular benchmarking to ensure our offers are competitive in the Louisville market and beyond
• Manage benefits programs and partner with leadership on total rewards strategy including equity and bonus programs
• Ensure pay equity across the organization and advise leadership proactively on compensation decisions
• Use data to identify opportunities for improvement, track engagement trends, and inform proactive retention strategies
• Build and maintain dashboards or reporting tools that give leadership visibility into people metrics
• Conduct stay interviews and exit interviews and translate findings into actionable recommendations
• Partner closely with the CEO on org health, team dynamics, and culture risks
• Serve as a trusted, neutral advisor to both employees and managers on workplace issues and conflict resolution
• Conduct workplace investigations with proper documentation and strict confidentiality
• Ensure full compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws
• Maintain and enforce company policies and consistent disciplinary practices
• Stay current on employment law developments relevant to Kentucky and multi-state remote workforces
• Serve as a thought partner to the CEO on organizational design, culture, and people strategy
• Lead the people function through periods of organizational change, growth, or strategic transition with steadiness and clarity
• Build and execute workforce plans that can flex quickly — whether the business is scaling, pivoting, or restructuring
• Partner with leadership on building new talent profiles if the company's go-to-market or business model evolves
• Align people initiatives with business objectives and the company's growth roadmap
• Evaluate and continuously improve HR programs, policies, and practices
• Build scalable people infrastructure that supports a company of 100+ employees continuing to grow
• Represent the people function in leadership team conversations and strategic planning

Requirements

• 7+ years of progressive HR or people leadership experience supporting the full employee lifecycle
• Proven experience leading an organization or team through significant change — restructuring, pivoting, or rapid scaling
• Proven experience building and leading an HR team — you have hired, developed, and managed HR staff before and are ready to do it again here
• Experience supporting organizations of 200+ employees through an active growth phase
• Strong knowledge of federal and Kentucky employment law; experience with multi-state remote workforce compliance a plus
• Proven track record in talent acquisition, employee relations, and performance management
• Data-driven approach to retention, engagement, and workforce planning
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to build trust across all levels of the organization

Nice-to-haves

• Experience in a regulated or emerging industry (hemp, cannabis, CPG, supplements, or similar)
• Familiarity with Culture Index, Predictive Index, or similar behavioral assessment platforms
• Experience working within the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) framework
• Familiarity with Gusto or similar HRIS/payroll platforms
• PHR, SPHR, SHRM-CP, or SHRM-SCP certification

Benefits

• Competitive base salary ($120,000 – $140,000) plus performance bonus
• Equity options available for this role
• Health, vision, and dental benefits with employer contribution
• 4 weeks PTO
• Hybrid work flexibility
• An executive role with direct access to the CEO and real influence over company direction

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