Interim Head Of Human Resources
The Christopher Group, Agile HR Business Solutions · Salt Lake City, UT
Posted Sep 6, 2026
Job Description
Interim Head of Human Resources
Location: Salt Lake City, UT
Work Arrangement: Substantial on-site presence required
The Opportunity
Our client is a rapidly scaling, venture-backed deep-technology company focused on AI, software and hardware is seeking an interim senior People leader. The company has approximately 130 employees across nine countries, with a highly technical workforce and significant operations in the U.S. and Europe. The current Head of HR is transitioning into a new role, creating the need for an experienced leader who can quickly assume day-to-day ownership of the People function.
Position Summary
The Interim Head of People will provide hands-on leadership and execution across the People function while the company evaluates its long-term leadership needs. The immediate focus is to ensure continuity and effective execution, not to undertake a major HR transformation. The ideal candidate will quickly establish credibility, take HR leadership off the CEO/current leadership team's plate, and provide experienced counsel to managers and employees.
Key responsibilities include:
- Own day-to-day People/HR operations and lead the existing People team.
- Oversee ongoing hiring and recruiting.
- Lead performance management, employee evaluations and annual review processes.
- Advise and coach managers on performance, employee relations and career development.
- Handle employee matters, including hiring, terminations and other HR issues.
- Ensure sound execution of HR policies, procedures, employment practices and compliance.
- Support career paths and performance expectations for engineers and other technical employees.
- Advise the CEO and Executive Leadership Team on People matters.
- Navigate international HR considerations, particularly across Europe.
- Identify and address key People-related risks, gaps and priorities.
- Ensure a smooth transition to the permanent People leader.
Qualifications
The ideal candidate will be a credible, hands-on HR practitioner with the ability to operate independently and make an immediate impact.
- Proven HR/People leadership experience, ideally within a 100–500-person, venture-backed or high-growth organization.
- Experience in deep tech, software/hardware, industrial technology, engineering or similarly technical environments.
- Strong command of HR fundamentals, employee relations, performance management, policies, procedures and employment matters.
- Excellent communication skills and the ability to build trust quickly.
- Strong manager coaching and development experience; a true leader of leaders.
- Executive presence and judgment to serve as a trusted adviser to the CEO and Executive Leadership Team.
- Experience supporting engineering and highly technical employee populations.
- International HR experience, particularly European experience, strongly preferred.
- Comfortable operating in a fast-paced, evolving organization and through executive leadership transitions.
- Practical, entrepreneurial leadership style; not overly corporate or bureaucratic.
- Willingness to remain hands-on while operating at the executive level.
- Immediate or near-immediate availability.
This is a genuine conversion opportunity for the right interim leader.
Skills:
Artificial Intelligence (AI), Career Counseling, Coaching, Communication Skills, Employee Relations, Entrepreneurship, Human Resources, Industrial Engineering, Leadership, Performance Management, Performance Reviews, Technical Support
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The Christopher Group
Location: Salt Lake City, UT
Work Arrangement: Substantial on-site presence required
The Opportunity
Our client is a rapidly scaling, venture-backed deep-technology company focused on AI, software and hardware is seeking an interim senior People leader. The company has approximately 130 employees across nine countries, with a highly technical workforce and significant operations in the U.S. and Europe. The current Head of HR is transitioning into a new role, creating the need for an experienced leader who can quickly assume day-to-day ownership of the People function.
Position Summary
The Interim Head of People will provide hands-on leadership and execution across the People function while the company evaluates its long-term leadership needs. The immediate focus is to ensure continuity and effective execution, not to undertake a major HR transformation. The ideal candidate will quickly establish credibility, take HR leadership off the CEO/current leadership team's plate, and provide experienced counsel to managers and employees.
Key responsibilities include:
- Own day-to-day People/HR operations and lead the existing People team.
- Oversee ongoing hiring and recruiting.
- Lead performance management, employee evaluations and annual review processes.
- Advise and coach managers on performance, employee relations and career development.
- Handle employee matters, including hiring, terminations and other HR issues.
- Ensure sound execution of HR policies, procedures, employment practices and compliance.
- Support career paths and performance expectations for engineers and other technical employees.
- Advise the CEO and Executive Leadership Team on People matters.
- Navigate international HR considerations, particularly across Europe.
- Identify and address key People-related risks, gaps and priorities.
- Ensure a smooth transition to the permanent People leader.
Qualifications
The ideal candidate will be a credible, hands-on HR practitioner with the ability to operate independently and make an immediate impact.
- Proven HR/People leadership experience, ideally within a 100–500-person, venture-backed or high-growth organization.
- Experience in deep tech, software/hardware, industrial technology, engineering or similarly technical environments.
- Strong command of HR fundamentals, employee relations, performance management, policies, procedures and employment matters.
- Excellent communication skills and the ability to build trust quickly.
- Strong manager coaching and development experience; a true leader of leaders.
- Executive presence and judgment to serve as a trusted adviser to the CEO and Executive Leadership Team.
- Experience supporting engineering and highly technical employee populations.
- International HR experience, particularly European experience, strongly preferred.
- Comfortable operating in a fast-paced, evolving organization and through executive leadership transitions.
- Practical, entrepreneurial leadership style; not overly corporate or bureaucratic.
- Willingness to remain hands-on while operating at the executive level.
- Immediate or near-immediate availability.
This is a genuine conversion opportunity for the right interim leader.
Skills:
Artificial Intelligence (AI), Career Counseling, Coaching, Communication Skills, Employee Relations, Entrepreneurship, Human Resources, Industrial Engineering, Leadership, Performance Management, Performance Reviews, Technical Support
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The Christopher Group
Additional Details
- City
- Salt Lake City
- State
- Utah
- Country
- US
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