Application Guide

How to Apply for Senior Director of People Operations

at People Power (Talent Agency)

🏢 About People Power (Talent Agency)

Common Defense is the nation's largest grassroots organization of progressive veterans and allies, uniquely blending military experience with social justice advocacy. Working here means joining a mission-driven team that values equity, inclusion, and direct civic engagement, offering a chance to impact democracy from a remote-first, unionized environment.

About This Role

As Senior Director of People Operations, you'll architect HR strategies that balance people-centric care with performance, overseeing talent, compensation, and culture for a distributed, unionized workforce. This role is pivotal in scaling the organization's impact by retaining top talent and fostering inclusive leadership aligned with Common Defense's progressive values.

💡 A Day in the Life

Start your day with a virtual check-in with your remote HR team, reviewing talent acquisition metrics and union collaboration updates. Mid-morning, you might meet with the finance team to refine compensation models or with the union representative to discuss a grievance. Afternoon could involve designing a leadership development program or analyzing engagement survey data, ending with a strategic planning session with the executive director.

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Interview Prep

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🎯 Who People Power (Talent Agency) Is Looking For

  • A seasoned HR leader with 15+ years in organizational development and 10+ years managing teams in nonprofit, unionized settings, ideally with remote workforce experience.
  • Deeply aligned with Common Defense's mission of progressive veteran-led democracy, demonstrating a personal commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
  • A strategic, hands-on operator who can design compensation and career pathways that are both equitable and performance-driven.
  • Skilled in change management and labor relations, able to strengthen union partnerships while driving cultural transformation.

📝 Tips for Applying to People Power (Talent Agency)

1

Highlight your experience in unionized nonprofits: mention specific collective bargaining agreements you've managed or improved.

2

Showcase remote workforce strategies: detail how you've engaged distributed teams through virtual onboarding, development, and culture-building.

3

Emphasize your alignment with progressive veterans' issues: connect your background to Common Defense's mission and values in your resume summary or cover letter.

4

Quantify your impact: use metrics like retention rates, time-to-hire, or employee engagement scores to demonstrate results.

5

Address equity explicitly: include examples of how you've implemented fair compensation or DEI initiatives in past roles.

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

["Your personal connection to Common Defense's mission (e.g., veteran background, family ties, advocacy work) and why it drives you.", 'Specific examples of leading people operations in a unionized, remote nonprofit, including challenges and successes.', 'Your philosophy on balancing people-centric values with performance outcomes, referencing the job description.', "How you'll foster an inclusive culture and strengthen labor-management relations at Common Defense."]

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🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → Read Common Defense's public statements and campaigns (e.g., on voting rights, veteran issues) to understand their current priorities.
  • → Review their website and social media for their stated values and any recent DEI initiatives or union updates.
  • → Look up their leadership team on LinkedIn to understand the backgrounds of key stakeholders you'd work with.
  • → Search for news articles or press releases about Common Defense's growth, remote work policies, or any HR-related challenges.
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💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 Describe a time you managed a significant change initiative (e.g., restructuring, new HRIS) in a unionized environment. How did you handle pushback?
2 How would you design a career pathway program for a remote, geographically distributed workforce with limited promotion opportunities?
3 What's your approach to compensation equity, and how would you audit and adjust Common Defense's pay practices?
4 How do you engage remote employees to build a sense of belonging and alignment with organizational values?
5 Tell us about your experience with collective bargaining. How do you build trust with union leadership while meeting organizational needs?
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⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Don't ignore the union context: failing to mention or show experience with unions can signal a lack of fit.
  • Avoid generic HR platitudes like 'people are our greatest asset' without backing them up with specific, mission-aligned examples.
  • Don't overlook the remote aspect: if your experience is mostly in-office, you must proactively address how you've managed distributed teams.

📅 Application Timeline

This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.

Typical hiring timeline:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

✓

Offer

Congratulations!

Ready to Apply?

Good luck with your application to People Power (Talent Agency)!

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