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People Lead
About us
At Gridcog, we are on a mission to accelerate the global deployment of flexible energy assets. We are a SaaS company of energy nerds building project modelling software that helps our users make intelligent energy decisions. We work with customers developing, operating and investing in complex clean energy projects all around the world.
Gridcog has an amazing team of tech and energy nerds, spread across Australia, the UK, Germany and Spain. We’re a high-trust, high-ambition team tackling hard problems in the energy transition. We think boldly, challenge assumptions, keep our commitments, and work with openness, generosity, self-awareness and low ego.
We are now seeking a People Lead to take ownership of Gridcog’s people function and help us continue to develop the culture, practices, and team environment that support our next stage of growth.
Who we’re looking for
We are looking for a practical, thoughtful and commercially minded People Lead who can take ownership of Gridcog’s people practices and help us remain a high-performing, values-led, and effective organisation as we scale.
You should be comfortable working closely and collaboratively with the executive team to support the full employee lifecycle, from hiring and onboarding to performance, development, engagement, compensation, organisational design, and employee relations.
This is a hands-on, results-driven role. You will need to balance advising the CEO on organisational questions, coaching emerging managers, refining people processes, and getting into the details of implementation. You will bring structure, judgement, and follow-through—without adding unnecessary bureaucracy.
What you’ll do
Own Gridcog’s People Function
- Take ownership of Gridcog’s people strategy, priorities, processes, and operating rhythm.
- Design, refine, and implement people practices and policies that align with the needs of a globally distributed SaaS business as the team scales from 25 to 50+ people.
- Identify opportunities to optimise hiring, onboarding, development, support, and retention.
Partner with the Executive Team & Managers
- Act as a trusted people partner to the CEO, executive team, and managers.
- Advise leaders on role design, team structures, hiring plans, performance management, feedback, development, and employee relations.
- Help managers foster stronger team operating rhythms, role clarity, and accountability.
- Provide strategic and practical advice that balances employee experience, business goals, and compliance obligations.
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Strengthen Culture & Employee Experience
- Help Gridcog retain and evolve its ambitious and high-performing culture through growth.
- Support forums, communication practices, and ways of working to keep a distributed team connected and effective.
- Lead initiatives that enhance engagement, inclusion, collaboration, and team health.
- Ensure new hires understand Gridcog’s mission, values, and operating style through effective onboarding.
- Listen to employee feedback and translate it into practical improvements.
Own Hiring & Talent Practices
- Improve Gridcog’s hiring processes, including role definition, interview design, assessment, candidate experience, and decision-making.
- Support hiring managers in running structured, effective recruitment.
- Ensure Gridcog attracts talent that aligns with its mission, stage, culture, and operating style.
Lead Performance, Development & Progression
- Define Gridcog’s approach to performance, feedback, and development.
- Clarify expectations around roles, contribution, growth, accountability, and progression.
- Support managers and employees through performance reviews and development discussions.
- Develop practical learning and career progression frameworks.
- Ensure compensation, recognition, and progression decisions are fair, consistent, and well-governed.
Manage People Operations & Compliance
- Own and update people-related policies, employment contracts, Employee Handbooks, and documentation to meet market standards.
- Collaborate with Finance & Operations on contracts, payroll, leave management, benefits, employee records, and administrative processes.
- Ensure Gridcog remains compliant with employment laws across operating countries.
- Manage external HR, employment law, or recruitment partners when necessary.
- Improve people data accuracy, accessibility, and reporting usefulness.
Key Requirements
To excel in this role, you must have:
- 6–12 years of strong generalist People experience covering hiring, onboarding, performance, development, employee relations, engagement, and people operations.
- Experience in a growing tech company, working closely with executives and teams.
- A hands-on approach, from strategy to implementation, with a /+ judgement and execution mindset.
- Strong discretion and sensitivity to handle sensitive matters appropriately.
- Outstanding communication skills, including crafting clear policies, stakeholder consultation, and manager coaching.
- Experience with organisational growth, change management, and team performance improvement.
- A pragmatic understanding of employment compliance, including knowing when to escalate for specialist advice.
- Excellent project management and attention to detail.
- Comfort working across distributed teams in multiple locations and time zones.
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Nice-to-Have Expertise
Experience in the following would be beneficial, but not mandatory:
- Being the first dedicated People hire in a startup or scaleup.
- Cross-functional experience in Australia, the UK, and Europe.
- Supporting globally distributed teams.
- Familiarity with HR systems, recruitment tools, and people analytics.
- Background in B2B SaaS, the energy sector, or technical product companies.
Why This Role Might Appeal to You
You’ll thrive in this role if:
- You enjoy owning critical company-wide practices.
- You are comfortable being strategic and hands-on.
- You enjoy close collaboration with executives and managers.
- You care deeply about culture and operational effectiveness.
- You are trusted, pragmatic, and commercially focused.
- You want to support scalable companies in the clean energy transition.
Company Benefits
Gridcog is a flexible and globally distributed business headquartered in London with team members across Australia, the UK, and Europe. Here are key benefits of joining us:
- Competitive remuneration package, aligned with experience and impact.
- Flexible working arrangements for our London-based team.
- Membership of a high-performing, innovation-driven team.
- Opportunity to contribute to the decarbonisation of the world’s energy systems.
- Professional and personal development support.
- Annual all-company retreat, with past locations including Bali and Bintan Island.
We are unwavering in our commitment to diversity and inclusion, welcoming applicants from all backgrounds. Our belief in innovation through diverse perspectives is integral to our values.
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