Chief of Staff, People & Culture

Job Title Chief of Staff, People & Culture Location Remote (United States), with ~25% travel Reports To President Direct Reports None — owns the outsourced HR partnership Department Executive Operations Company Overview French Florist is a floral boutique reimagining how people give and receive flowers, with handcrafted arrangements from expert designers using premium blooms. With corporate boutiques in Los Angeles and a fast-growing national franchise network, we're building a more loving, compassionate world through flowers — delivering emotion and meaning, not just arrangements. Role Summary This role is the operational partner to the President and owner of the People seat on our accountability chart — the connective tissue across every department. It exists because growth has outpaced any one person's ability to track every cross-functional initiative, and because the strategic side of People (culture, talent strategy, leadership development, performance) has never had a dedicated owner. Our people operations run through an outsourced HR partner handling payroll, compliance, records, onboarding/offboarding, and recruiting execution. That layer works — you won't rebuild it, but you'll own the relationship and hold it to a standard. There's no internal team; your leverage comes from partnership and systems, not headcount. This isn't administrative. You'll sit in decision-making rooms with a point of view, partner across Franchise Operations, Marketing, Supply Chain, Finance, Technology, and Franchise Development, and tell a department head when their Rock is off track. We expect the right person to outgrow this role — it's one of the strongest launch points into broader leadership at French Florist. Key Responsibilities People & Culture Ownership • Architect people strategy aligned with where the business is going • Shape and protect culture, values, and behavioral standards at scale • Own talent acquisition strategy — who we attract, what bar we hold • Develop strong leaders through coaching, clarity, and accountability systems • Own and keep the People Operating System live • Own the outsourced HR partnership — set the standard, stay close to the work, remain accountable for compliance and risk • Build feedback mechanisms and close the loop on what employees tell us • Drive company-wide rollout of radical candor as a practiced skill • Be the go-to for hard people problems Cross-Functional Project Leadership • Own end-to-end execution of major cross-departmental initiatives • Serve as the connective link across departments so handoffs don't drop • Find and break bottlenecks before they cost a quarter • Run a live portfolio of concurrent initiatives — on schedule, on budget, clearly owned Operating Rhythm & Strategic Execution • Run the EOS cadence Level 10 meetings, Quarterly/Annual Planning, scorecards, Rocks • Drive accountability for Rocks; flag what's off track early • Make trade-offs visible when priorities shift mid-quarter • Ensure every decision leaves the room with an owner, date, and definition of done Process & Systems Improvement • Identify, document, and rebuild processes/SOPs for the next growth stage • Bring structure without slowing the business down • Standardize reporting and close functional gaps • Lead implementation of new systems, tools, and AI-driven workflow improvements Executive Partnership & Communication • Partner with the President, translating strategy into executable plans • Tell the President what needs to be heard, not what's easy to hear • Prepare executive-level communications and materials • Anticipate needs and take initiative without waiting to be asked • Represent the President in cross-functional discussions when appropriate Success Measures • People function has an owner, plan, and rhythm; President is no longer the escalation point • Culture work ships on schedule; radical candor becomes a practiced skill within year one • Hiring consistently raises the bar; onboarding gets people productive faster • Reliable employee feedback loop that we act on • HR partnership performs at a higher standard by year end • Live, accurate visibility into every major initiative and Rock • EOS cadence runs on schedule with minimal President input • At least one major cross-departmental process rebuilt and documented in year one • Cross-functional initiatives move faster from decision to implementation • Fewer dropped handoffs; problems surfaced while still small • Trusted across the org, from leadership to boutique teams to franchise owners • Visible personal and professional growth over the first year Qualifications • 7+ years spanning operations, program/project management, chief of staff or business operations, and people/organizational leadership — genuine experience in both halves of this role • Direct, hands-on EOS experience (Level 10 meetings, Rocks, scorecards, quarterly planning) — required • Experience owning the strategic side of People culture, talent strategy, leadership development, performance, employee relations. Formal HR credentials welcome but not required — judgment matters more • Track record driving outcomes through outsourced partners/agencies without direct management • Demonstrated cross-functional project leadership without direct authority • Track record owning outcomes (not just tasks), ideally tied to measurable results • Multi-location, franchise, or high-growth experience strongly preferred • Working knowledge of multi-state employment practices sufficient to know when to escalate • Proven success leading remotely and building trust with on-site teams • Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience Skills & Capabilities • Creates clarity relentlessly, without being asked • Practices radical candor — direct out of respect, and can teach it to others • Takes initiative and owns impact without waiting to be assigned • Effective without a team; gets things done through partners, systems, and influence • Comfortable holding both project work and hard personal conversations in the same week • Builds real relationships remotely across LA boutiques and nationwide franchise owners • Thrives in a fast pace and comfortable in ambiguity, building structure where none exists • Analytical — can turn complex cross-functional input into a plan a room will align on • Writes and presents at an executive level • Operates with high integrity and discretion given exposure to sensitive conversations • Hungry to grow and seeks feedback over comfort • Curious about new tools, including AI Physical Requirements • Remote role; extended periods at a computer • ~25% travel, including quarterly planning, the annual franchise conference, and time in Los Angeles • Dedicated home workspace with reliable high-speed internet • Occasionally lift/carry/move up to 20 lbs (event/conference materials) • Regularly talk, hear, and use hands/arms for computer work; occasionally stand, walk, sit, reach; close vision required; moderate noise environment What Makes This Role Exciting • Own a seat, not a support function, on a working operational foundation • A voice at the table with leadership of a rapidly scaling national franchise brand • Build the operating infrastructure this company runs on for the next decade • Direct partnership with the President on the most important initiatives • Real influence — moves the business forward rather than supporting from the side • A deliberate stepping stone into a larger seat, with investment to get there Who Thrives Here • Wants to be in the room and accountable for the opinions brought into it • Prefers the hard conversation now over managing avoidance later • Enjoys turning a mess into a system that holds • Cares about people and outcomes without seeing them in tension • Building toward broader leadership This Role Is Probably Not For You If • You need a clearly defined lane and full instructions before starting • You avoid conflict or soften feedback until it loses meaning • You need a team reporting to you to feel effective • You want predictable scope and quiet weeks • You want to operate purely at the strategy layer — this role stays personally in the difficult conversations • You're more interested in the title than the work Compensation and Benefits • $125,000–$150,000/year + Year-End Bonus goals (up to 10%) • Employee stock option eligibility after one year