Human Resources Manager (Founding Role)

About Aebly Media

Aebly Media is a unique media organization combining civic technology and comprehensive news coverage. We aggregate stories across the political spectrum—Left, Center, and Right—rating each source's bias to provide a holistic view. Our platform, centered around the Compass, tracks personal beliefs based on real legislative and news engagement rather than static questionnaires. We facilitate informed action by connecting users with candidates aligned with their views and building a nationwide network of local and national voices. Our mission is to empower confidence through full understanding and actionable insights.

Role Overview

We are expanding rapidly and seek a Human Resources Manager to lead people operations, establishing foundational HR systems and scaling support as the company grows. This is a founding contributor position with significant influence over HR policies, onboarding, performance management, and organizational culture at Aebly Media.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and implement the company’s HR framework, including policy creation, onboarding procedures, documentation, team structuring, and overall people operations management.
• Be the main point of contact for team-related inquiries regarding roles, expectations, agreements, workplace issues, and conflict resolution.
• Manage onboarding processes for new contributors, contractors, and interns across departments.
• Develop and maintain an employee and contributor handbook addressing company policies, expectations, conduct, and procedures.
• Assist founders with recruitment tasks including job advertisement, applicant tracking, interview coordination, and offer facilitation.
• Oversee contributor agreements, equity documentation, and role classifications in collaboration with legal advisors.
• Create and refine performance review and feedback systems suited for an early-stage distributed team.
• Ensure adherence to employment laws and labor regulations, including classifications, wages, hours, and equity grants.
• Contribute to cultivating a positive company culture by promoting communication, accountability, conflict management, and employee welfare.

Candidate Requirements

• Proven experience in human resources, people operations, or talent management.
• Ability to develop and scale HR systems to match organizational growth.
• Solid grasp of employment law fundamentals, particularly contractor vs. employee distinctions, at-will employment, and compliance matters.
• Excellent communication skills to build trust with a distributed team of content creators, editors, and operational staff.
• Highly organized with strong attention to detail, capable of handling confidential documentation and sensitive issues.
• Discretion and professionalism when dealing with challenging conversations.
• Comfortable working remotely and asynchronously within a dynamic environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in HR within startups, media companies, or early-stage ventures.
• Knowledge of equity compensation, vesting mechanics, and contributor agreements.
• Familiarity with HR platforms such as Gusto, Rippling, or BambooHR.
• Relevant certifications like SHRM-CP or PHR.
• Experience managing hybrid teams of employees, contractors, and interns.

Compensation and Benefits

This opportunity offers founding equity in Aebly Media with milestone-based vesting and promising growth potential as the company scales. The role provides a chance to lead the entire people function and maintain close collaboration with the founders. There is a clear advancement path from HR Manager to roles such as VP of People or Head of Operations as the organization expands.

Additional Information

This is a founding contributor position without upfront salary. Compensation initially consists of equity ownership, transitioning to a paid salary when the company grows sufficiently. Equity details are finalized through individual agreements. Employment is at-will and does not guarantee future salaried employment. Aebly Media is an equal opportunity employer.