Head of People & Culture

ABOUT third Third is a modern-commerce growth company helping brands turn new and emerging platforms into real sales channels. Our integrated acquisition strategy connects best-in-class teams across TikTok, Whatnot, Meta, Snap, and beyond - eliminating the need to stitch together multiple partners. Third blends deep niche expertise with modern execution to launch, operate, and scale commerce on new platforms, transforming culture, creators, and content into real product sales. THE ROLE We’re hiring our first Head of People & Culture to build and run the people engine behind Third. This is a foundational leadership role reporting to the CEO. You’ll own how we hire, develop, and operate as a company - building systems that scale performance without slowing us down. This is not a traditional HR role. You’ll be a hands-on builder and operator, shaping how our teams work day-to-day — from hiring and onboarding to performance, feedback, and growth. You’ll help translate our mission, behaviors, and values into how the company actually runs. WHAT YOU'LL DO Talent (Build the Team) Own and evolve our recruiting strategy across all functions Partner with leadership on org design, hiring plans, and role definition Build a high-quality, high-velocity hiring process that reflects how we operate - fast, direct, and high bar Develop sourcing and employer brand strategies that attract builders and operators Employee Experience (Make it Real) Build a best-in-class onboarding experience that accelerates time-to-impact Design and implement a lightweight but effective performance management system Create clear growth paths, leveling, and development opportunities Partner with leaders to strengthen management capabilities Own engagement initiatives and feedback systems Ensure thoughtful and consistent offboarding processes Culture & Leadership (Set the Standard) Translate Third’s values and behaviors into how teams actually operate day-to-day Act as a trusted advisor to leadership on team dynamics and performance Build a culture of high performance and accountability Coach leaders to handle challenges and team development effectively Compensation & Rewards (Make It Competitive) Design and implement a compensation philosophy aligned with market benchmarks Build and maintain salary bands and leveling frameworks Own benefits strategy and enrollment processes Align rewards with performance and impact People Operations (Make It Scale) Own and optimize our People systems (Rippling and beyond) Ensure compliance across payroll, benefits, and employment practices Establish clear policies without unnecessary friction Act as primary point of contact for employee relations Use data to inform decisions across people metrics WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR 6–10+ years of progressive HR / People experience Experience building people systems from scratch — not just managing existing ones Strong understanding of agency or performance-driven business models Ability to balance strategy and execution High EQ with the ability to influence leaders and navigate difficult situations Data-driven with a bias for action Comfortable operating in ambiguity and making decisions without perfect information Strong judgment, discretion, and bias for action WHO YOU ARE You’re a builder — you like creating from zero, not maintaining You balance care for people with a clear focus on performance You’re collaborative and comfortable at the leadership table You move fast and bring structure to chaos You know when to listen, when to push, and when to decide You don’t overcomplicate things WHY THIS ROLE MATTERS We’re building something ambitious. And how we build the team will define what it becomes. This role ensures we scale intentionally - with the right people, the right standards, and the right systems in place. LOCATION Minneapolis, MN COMPENSATION Base salary: commensurate with experience Performance bonus eligibility Health, dental, and vision coverage Flexible PTO Remote-first work environment with periodic team gatherings Access to an industry-leading network across social commerce, creator, and brand marketing