Job Title:
Manager, People & Culture
Department:
People & Culture / DDH
Job Type:
Full-Time
Location:
Hybrid (Houston, TX)
About Us
Direct Digital Holdings
(Nasdaq: DRCT) is a leading advertising and marketing technology platform that collectively delivers marketing solutions through its two brands in the Digital Advertising and AdTech industry: Colossus SSP and Orange 142. As the 9th Black-owned company to go public in the U.S., we take immense pride in our role as industry trailblazers to help brands, middle market companies, Fortune 500 and agencies deliver successful marketing results that drive return on investment and strategic growth objectives.
Direct Digital Holdings is not just shaping the present; we’re paving the way toward providing Digital Advertising for Everyone.
The Opportunity
The Manager of People & Culture plays a vital role within the People & Culture team, reporting to the Senior Vice President of P&C. This position manages key HR functions such as talent acquisition, onboarding, benefits administration, compensation support, performance management, compliance, employee relations, and offboarding. The Manager supports the design and execution of HR strategies, policies, and processes that align with business goals, enhance employee experience, and ensure organizational effectiveness.
This role collaborates cross-functionally with leadership, managers, and external partners to maintain compliant, data-informed HR programs that reflect the company’s values and growth objectives. Key duties are summarized below, with
detailed accountabilities and deliverables provided on pages 3 and 4.
Core Responsibilities
- Recruitment & Talent Acquisition: Manage recruitment processes, partner with hiring managers, oversee approvals and job descriptions, attract talent through branding and sourcing, coordinate interviews and assessments, support compensation negotiations, ensure compliance, and track recruiting metrics.
- Onboarding: Conduct background checks, manage onboarding tasks and checklists, coordinate new hire communications and data entry in ADP, lead onboarding sessions, and troubleshoot access issues.
- Benefits Administration: Coordinate open enrollment, serve as primary benefits contact, manage qualifying life event tasks, support benefits education and training, prepare benefit summaries, track surveys, and administer leave programs.
- Compensation Support: Conduct market compensation analyses, collaborate on salary/budget decisions, and monitor compensation practices for alignment with trends and company goals.
- Performance Management: Develop onboarding plans, support training materials and performance programs, and coach managers on performance processes including promotions and improvement plans.
- Compliance & Reporting: Generate HR reports, manage ADP access and security, maintain Affirmative Action Plan compliance, analyze workforce demographics, and prepare EEO-1 reports.
- Employee Relations: Serve as HR policy contact, address grievances and conflicts, train managers on discipline and investigations, manage surveys, support career ladder development, and foster a positive work environment.
- Processes & Procedures: Monitor and update HR policies and systems, communicate changes, provide data for decisions, drive process improvements and automation, assist with HR budgeting, and stay current on laws and HR best practices.
- Terminations & Offboarding: Manage termination processes, conduct exit interviews, prepare separation documentation, and oversee offboarding logistics and recordkeeping.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field required; Master’s degree or HR certification (e.g., SHRM-CP/SHRM-SCP, PHR/SPHR) strongly preferred.
- Minimum of 6 years of progressive HR experience, with at least 2 years in a leadership role and relevant experience in HR and technical recruiting.
- Demonstrated ability to operate in a self-directed, self-reporting capacity with minimal supervision.
- Proven experience managing and optimizing full-cycle recruitment, onboarding, benefits administration, compensation programs, and performance management processes.
- Deep understanding of employment law, HR compliance standards, and regulatory reporting requirements (e.g., EEO-1, AAP, FMLA).
- Demonstrated ability to develop, implement, and improve HR policies, procedures, and systems across a growing organization.
- Strong analytical skills with the ability to generate, interpret, and present data-driven insights to guide decision-making.
- Proficiency in HRIS systems, recruitment platforms, and benefits administration tools. Experience with ADP Workforce Now is required.
- Excellent interpersonal, coaching, and communication skills with a track record of building trust and rapport across all levels of the organization.
- Experience in employee relations, conflict resolution, and fostering a positive organizational culture.
- Highly organized with strong project management skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
- Demonstrated initiative in proposing process improvements, automating workflows, and advancing HR technology solutions.
Compensation
Base salary plus annual bonus and benefits.
Benefits
Our “Culture of Care” philosophy is important to us, and we recognize that each member of our team contributes to creating and maintaining an environment of open communication, respect, professionalism, fun, and caring for those we work with.We place a high value on work-life balance and offer a hybrid work environment as well as flexible PTO.We also care about your health and well-being, and strive to deliver above-market health, vision, dental, short- and long-term disability, and life insurance benefits at no cost to our employees.Furthermore, we want to help you financially plan your future by offering a 401(k) plan with a match, and free financial coaching/counseling.
Equal Employment Opportunity
Direct Digital Holdings LLC is an equal opportunity organization. We recruit, employ, train, compensate, and promote without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, age, gender, marital status, disability, protected veteran status, or any other basis protected by applicable federal, state or local law.
