Head of People and Culture

About Soil Carbon Co.

At Soil Carbon Co, we have the earth in our hands. Our team of scientists and entrepreneurs is united in a mission to realise the potential of microbes to address climate change. 

We are dedicated to developing solutions that boost agricultural productivity and benefit the environment. We are developing soil carbon sequestration technology that uses the power of microbes to remove CO2 from the atmosphere and store it long term in soil. Our approach will help remove gigatonnes of CO2 from the atmosphere while also helping farming businesses prosper. 

We are a rapidly-growing team of more than 30, with headquarters in the thriving regional town of Orange, NSW and offices/labs in Sydney, Minnesota (US) and Maine (US). As a start-up with ambitious founders and investors, our work is fast-paced and multidimensional. We foster a supportive and diverse workplace, where every team member is encouraged to learn and grow beyond their area of expertise. 

This is more than just a job — this is our life’s work.

The role

This is an exciting opportunity to be our first Head of People and Culture. This is your chance to make a pivotal role your own, reporting to our CEO to create an enviable culture and harmonious workplace.

We are looking for an energetic and empathetic leader to support and inspire our busy and growing team, who work across multiple labs, offices and field sites in two continents. 

The Head of People and Culture will have a passion for supporting happy and productive teams, taking care of all aspects of our people operations and culture, from recruitment, staff engagement, building out our hiring brand, expanding and streamlining our onboarding programs and much more.

We are looking for a lateral thinker, who thrives in a fast-paced and highly-technical environment. You will have the ability to see issues before they become problems and leap at the chance to address them. 

The Head of People and Culture will be an expert communicator, with an approachable and empathetic personality. You will embrace the challenge to support a diverse and dispersed team.

About you

• You are experienced and confident across all HR functions, including recruitment, wellbeing and benefits, designing employee compensation packages, and OH&S.

• You are an approachable mentor, with the ability to support the varying priorities and focus of our diverse team, which includes senior managers, experienced scientists, researchers and field crews. 

• You have a proven record of leading people and building productive teams, with a focus on constructive feedback and growth mindset.

• You have an incredible knack for problem-solving and navigating challenges in a fast-paced, growing and rapidly-changing environment.

Key Accountabilities include:

• Build out our existing workplace and cultural strategy, and execute in line with company values

• Promote and foster strong employee engagement and a harmonious and enjoyable workplace

• Collect data and feedback to continually improve people management and programs

• Design and develop programs to check-in with our staff, and to support their career paths and professional development

• Expand our onboarding program and support new employees to ensure workplace stability and future growth

• Coach managers on leadership and people programs 

• Be an advocate for Soil Carbon Co and champion our values

• Manage HR issues with confidence, sensitivity and confidentiality

• Own our talent pipeline to build a high performing, high impact team

As part of the Soil Carbon Co. team you will be expected to:

• Take accountability and pride in your work, while being an advocate for Soil Carbon Co.

• Be a self-starter, but ask when uncertain.

• Be open to feedback and committed to learning.

• Be a proactive communicator — we want you to be able to articulate a problem or an idea in a manner that is clear, timely and constructive. We want to hear the good and the bad as they arise..

• Treat your colleagues with unconditional respect and regard, while identifying areas where you can help others, or share your knowledge.

• Take accountability for growing and progressing the organisation. This is our life’s work, Leave your mark. 

Benefits:

• Fast-growing startup with many opportunities for capacity building and career development.

• Role based in Orange, NSW, Australia

• Work alongside leading scientists and innovators in an international organisation. 

• Enjoy an inclusive and supportive culture, with a family-friendly attitude.

• A competitive salary based on experience.