[Remote] Director, People Transformation at Wikimedia Foundation

Remote

Wikimedia Foundation Logo
Not SpecifiedCompensation
Senior (5 to 8 years), Expert & Leadership (9+ years)Experience Level
Full TimeJob Type
UnknownVisa
Nonprofit, Technology, AdvocacyIndustries

Requirements

  • Strong business and consulting acumen acquired in a large (hundreds of staff), complex (multi-program/initiative), global, and geographically dispersed organization
  • Significant human resource functional track record across compensation/benefits, people operations, and HRIS
  • Knowledge to guide the development of effective HR strategies, policies, and practices
  • Ability to act as a strategic thinker to the business and build/execute a strong integrated HR strategy
  • Ability to manage and develop cross-department relationships to support socialization and implementation of policies, processes, and initiatives
  • Pragmatic perspective based on business and organizational transformation
  • Active collaboration, agility, and ability to partner with and advise senior leaders
  • Forward thinker with ability to assume responsibility without direct supervision, exercise initiative and judgment, and make decisions within assigned authority
  • "Roll up your sleeves" approach to day-to-day work and act as a strategic advisor to senior leadership
  • High attention to detail, great multitasker, and ability to quickly adapt to a changing work environment
  • Availability to work core hours of 16:00-00:00 UTC
  • Ability to travel approximately 4–6 times per year for team gatherings, leadership meetings, or similar

Responsibilities

  • Work side-by-side with Chief People Officer, VP of People Experience, VP of People Growth & Belonging, and Director of Recruiting to develop and implement strategies impacting ways of working, supporting mission and culture
  • Drive culturally- and values-aligned HR investments to enable stellar employee experience and position Wikimedia as employer of choice
  • Lead a team overseeing key projects
  • Lead People Department systems updates and innovations (e.g., compensation/total rewards, performance management, HRIS, vendor management, data analytics & reporting); drive seamless transition to long-term sub-department homes
  • Represent People Department in cross-department projects and working groups (e.g., Location Strategy, Annual Planning Process)
  • Ensure efficient cross-departmental collaboration and execution by managing People department budget
  • Member of People Leadership Group; advise Chief People Officer (with VP – People Experience and VP – Belonging & Growth) on People department direction supporting mission, vision, values
  • Support internal communications throughout Foundation and company-wide organizational development/change initiatives

Skills

Key technologies and capabilities for this role

HR StrategyPeople ManagementCompensationTotal RewardsPerformance ManagementHRISVendor ManagementData AnalyticsHR ReportingBudget ManagementCross-functional CollaborationStrategic PlanningTeam Leadership

Questions & Answers

Common questions about this position

Is this role remote?

Yes, the role supports a remote work environment at the Wikimedia Foundation.

What systems will the Director of People Transformation oversee?

The role oversees systems updates and innovations including compensation and total rewards, performance management, HR information systems, vendor management, and data analytics & reporting.

What experience is required for this position?

The ideal candidate must have strong business and consulting acumen from a large, complex, global organization, plus a significant HR track record in compensation/benefits, people operations, and HRIS.

What is the company culture like at Wikimedia Foundation?

The culture emphasizes people as the most important asset, with a focus on culturally- and values-aligned HR investments, stellar employee experience, and advancing the Foundation’s mission.

What makes a strong candidate for the Director of People Transformation role?

A strong candidate is a strategic thinker with HR strategy execution skills, ability to manage cross-department relationships, pragmatic perspective on transformation, agility, and experience advising senior leaders.

Wikimedia Foundation

Operates Wikipedia and free knowledge projects

About Wikimedia Foundation

The Wikimedia Foundation operates Wikipedia and other free knowledge projects, aiming to create a world where everyone can freely access and share knowledge. It provides a platform for users to read, contribute, and share content, while also supporting the volunteer communities that help maintain these projects. The foundation is funded by donations from individuals and institutions, emphasizing its nonprofit status. Unlike many other organizations, it focuses on making knowledge accessible to all without charge, advocating for policies that support free knowledge initiatives. Its goal is to empower individuals to contribute to and benefit from a collective pool of knowledge.

San Francisco, CaliforniaHeadquarters
2003Year Founded
$145.9MTotal Funding
GRANTCompany Stage
Social Impact, EducationIndustries
501-1,000Employees

Benefits

Remote Work Options

Risks

Reliance on Nvidia's AI tech may affect Wikimedia's data processing autonomy.
DSA audit could reveal vulnerabilities requiring significant resources to address.
Decentralized platforms like Mastodon may divert users from Wikipedia.

Differentiation

Wikimedia Foundation operates the world's largest free online encyclopedia, Wikipedia.
It supports a diverse range of projects like Wiktionary and Wikisource.
The Foundation is a non-profit, relying on global donations for funding.

Upsides

Nvidia's NeMo Retriever tech reduced Wikipedia processing time from 30 days to 3 days.
Holistic AI's audit under the DSA enhances Wikimedia's platform safety and accountability.
Collaboration with Open Foundation West Africa combats misinformation during Ghana's elections.

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