Talent Acquisition and People Strategy: Insights&Advise

Stop Calling It a “Head of People” When You’re Hiring for Ops

🎯 Stop Calling It a “Head of People” When You’re Hiring for Ops

Transparency isn’t just a value. It’s a hiring strategy.

🧠 Let’s Get Honest About Early-Stage Hiring

You’re a founder. You’ve raised a seed round. Maybe pre-Series A.
Your startup is growing, and it’s time to hire someone to help with “people stuff.”
So you post a job:
Head of People
Mission: Build our culture, support our growth, own the people function end to end...
But here’s the problem:
What you actually need is someone to:
  • Run payroll
  • Schedule interviews
  • Manage onboarding
  • Coordinate contracts and compliance
That’s not a Head of People.
That’s an HR Generalist. Or a Talent Acquisition Manager.
And there’s nothing wrong with that — unless you pretend it’s something else.

⚠️ What Happens When You Inflate a Title

  • 🎯 You mislead candidates
  • Talented people join expecting strategy, leadership, culture-building… and end up managing vacation trackers and Notion templates.
  • 🧱 You slow down execution
  • You hire someone excited about “people strategy,” when what you really need is tight operational follow-through.
  • 🔁 You repeat the cycle
  • Six months later, you’re hiring again — because expectations weren’t aligned.

💡 Why Founders Do This (And Why It Backfires)

Startups often inflate titles because:
  • “Other startups have a Head of People”
  • “It looks good to investors”
  • “It signals that we care about culture”
But here’s the truth:
If you care about trust and transparency, show it in your hiring.
Because real leadership isn’t about big titles.
It’s about knowing what you need — and being clear about it.

✅ What You Actually Need (and How to Call It)

If You Need Someone To...Title You’re Really Hiring For
Handle admin, contracts, payroll
HR Generalist
Coordinate interviews and job boards
Talent Acquisition Coordinator
Manage full-cycle hiring
Recruiter or TA Manager
Build hiring systems, scale team operations
People Ops Manager
And if you truly are ready for:
  • Culture strategy
  • Leadership coaching
  • Org design
  • ...then yes — go hire a Head of People.
Just don’t do it prematurely.

🚀 Maturity Is Calling a Role What It Is

Being honest about your company’s stage isn’t weakness.
It’s operational maturity.
You’re not “less visionary” for hiring someone tactical.
In fact, you’re giving that person the chance to grow with you — not burning them out with mismatched expectations.

📣 Final Word to Startup Founders

Don’t perform credibility. Build it.
If you’re not ready for a strategic people leader, don’t fake it.
Use the right title. Set the right expectations. Hire the right person.
👉 That’s how real leadership works. And that’s how great teams are built.
Stop Calling It a Head of People: Hire the Role You Actually Need
👉 Interesting? Let’s Talk

Related Articles we recommend you to read

Fractional HR vs. Full-Time CHRO: Key HR Strategies for Scaling Startups
Compares fractional HR services with full-time HR leadership roles.

Scaling Smart: Flexible HR Solutions to Support In-House Teams
Discusses how UnitiQ supports in-house HR teams during growth.

HR Branding Strategies: Attracting Top Talent and Building Employee Loyalty
Highlights strategies for building a strong employer brand.

5 Hiring Hacks Every Founder Needs to Attract Top Talent Fast
Provides quick tips for founders to enhance their hiring process.

Founder Mode vs. Manager Mode: Why Founders Should Lead Differently
Explores different leadership styles suitable for founders.
Leadership Talent Acquisition