Performance and Talent Systems Lead

This role exists to take our people infrastructure to the next level. Not by layering on a new HRIS or running another engagement survey, but by rethinking the entire system from first principles: how performance is defined, how it's measured, how it connects to our OKRs and data, and how it shapes what people are paid and how they grow. You'll work at the intersection of people strategy, product thinking, and AI-enabled tooling. 

This is not a traditional HR role. We are looking for a smart, commercially minded operator who is interested in solving business challenges in the People lane that impact company growth. 

What You'll Own

Rebuild our performance system from the ground up

 Design and implement a scientifically grounded talent framework that clearly and consistently distinguishes great performance from average performance. Replace our existing review process with something lightweight, quarterly, and directly connected to how we measure business impact. The system should be something managers and employees actually use - not something done to them. 

Make performance visible and data-driven

 Work with our data and engineering resources to connect performance signals to our existing OKR framework and business data sources. Build dashboards and tooling (leveraging AI tools including Claude Co-work and equivalents) that give leaders real-time visibility into team health and output, without creating admin overhead. You will be as comfortable specifying what needs to be built as you are rolling up your sleeves to prototype it. 

Link performance to incentives that actually matter

 Inform the mechanics of how performance outcomes drive pay, equity, and career progression. This means building the bonus multiplier logic and defining promotion criteria - all calibrated to create clear upside for A-players and a high talent bar for the organization. 

Make managers and employees self-sufficient

 Design self-serve experiences - manager toolkits, AI-powered guides, automated review workflows - so that the basics run themselves, and the team focuses on what requires human judgment. 

Drive engagement through change

 You'll use people data and engagement signals to identify where we're losing momentum, and design targeted interventions - not programs for the sake of it, but sharp, evidence-based actions that maintain culture and performance through change. 

Who You Are

You think like a product manager and a business operator, not a traditional HR professional. You've probably had a title like Chief of Staff, Business Manager, Strategy Lead, or Founder Associate at some point — and you've always been drawn to the organizational challenges that sit underneath business performance: how do you build a company that keeps getting better? 

You've likely done time in consulting (strategy or operations, not change management) and then deliberately chose startups because you wanted to build things, not just advise on them. Fintech or regulated industry experience is a strong plus — you understand that moving fast doesn't mean ignoring compliance, and you can navigate the constraints that come with operating in a regulated environment. 

You are deeply curious about what AI makes possible. You're not waiting for someone to give you a tool — you're already building, prompting, and prototyping. You see the shift to AI-native people tooling not as a threat to the function but as the most exciting opportunity it's had in decades. 

What We're Looking For

Experience

1. A strong foundation in strategy, operations, or business management in high-growth environments 
2. Time in consulting (strategy/ops at a top firm) followed by meaningful startup experience - ideally with direct exposure to fintech or another regulated sector 
3. Demonstrable track record of building systems and processes end-to-end, not just advising on them 
4. Experience working at the intersection of people, data, and technology — whether in a People team, as a Chief of Staff, or in a business operations role with a strong people component 
5. Exposure to performance management or OKR frameworks is a strong advantage 

Capabilities

1. Genuine AI fluency - you use AI tools in your daily work, you can identify where they add real value, and you can move from idea to tested workflow quickly 
2. Strong analytical skills - comfortable with data, able to build models, and able to tell a clear story from ambiguous signals 
3. Product-minded - you think about internal systems the way a product manager thinks about user experience: who is the user, what do they need, how do we reduce friction, how do we iterate? 
4. Excellent stakeholder management - you can earn trust with a CFO, a Head of Engineering, and a team manager in the same week, and you know how to influence without authority 
5. High execution velocity - you bring proposed solutions, not problems; you close loops; you don't need to be chased 

Disposition

1. Commercially curious - you care about business performance, not just people programs 
2. Intellectually honest - you call out what isn't working, including your own work 
3. Ambitious but grounded - you have a long-term career arc in mind and you know that building something that works is the fastest path to getting there 

CAIS’ compensation package includes a market competitive salary, a performance bonus, and exceptional benefits. If you are located in New York, New York, the base salary range for this role is $160,000 - $190,000. Actual compensation is influenced by a wide array of factors including but not limited to skill set, level of experience, and specific office location.