Why This Job is Featured on The SaaS Jobs
### Why this Role is Featured on The SaaS Jobs
Talent leadership roles in SaaS increasingly sit at the intersection of operating cadence and org design, and this Director of Talent & Performance position reflects that shift. Working directly with the CEO and owning hiring rigor plus a structured performance framework signals a company treating talent density as an operational lever rather than a back-office function—an approach commonly seen in founder-led SaaS teams tightening execution.
For a SaaS career, the value here is exposure to measurable people systems: translating company KPIs into hiring scorecards, calibration mechanisms, and manager coaching that can scale beyond a single team. Experience implementing frameworks like 9-box/top grading, and building feedback routines that influence multiple departments, tends to transfer well across SaaS environments where headcount efficiency and role clarity materially affect retention and delivery.
The section above is editorial commentary from The SaaS Jobs, provided to help SaaS professionals understand the role in a broader industry context.
Job Description
Who We Are
SchooLinks is transforming the future of student success through innovative college and career readiness solutions. We operate with PACE at our core:
- Performance-Driven - We set ambitious goals, measure our progress, and relentlessly pursue excellence to deliver impactful results
- Above & Beyond - We push boundaries and surpass expectations, ensuring that we deliver exceptional value and transformative experiences
- Caring Candor - We foster an environment of radical candor and tough love, encouraging critical thinking and personal growth
- Effort & Ownership - We believe in the power of hard work and taking ownership, driving positive change through dedication and perseverance
We're building a championship team, not a family. That means high expectations, direct feedback, and a relentless commitment to performance. Forget traditional HR. We're not looking for someone to manage compliance checklists and benefits enrollment. We need a Director of Talent & Performance who thinks like a coach, acts like a strategist, and drives results like a GM.
Responsibilities:
The Director of Talent & Performance works directly with the CEO to design and implement people strategies in the following priority areas and has 1 direct report (HR operations manager).
- Talent Acquisition -Rigorous hiring process to recruit A players
- Performance Management - implement top grading framework (9 box talent grit) across the organization
The Director will also support and own these two functions
- HR compliance & HR risk management
- Day-to-day people operations
Required Mindset & Traits
- Operator first, HR second
- Coach up /manage out mindset
- Strong understanding of KPIs across all departments
- Have strong negotiation skills while maintaining diplomacy
- Comfortable with conflict and direct feedback
- Bias toward action and clarity
- Respected for judgment, not just empathy
- Energized by high standards and accountability
- Operates with urgency
Experience That Helps
- Experience implementing 9-box or similar talent frameworks
- Background in high-growth, high-expectation environments
- Track record of:
- Coaching leaders through tough people calls
- Managing out underperformance effectively
- Familiarity with Amp It Up or similar performance-driven philosophies
How Success Is Measured
- Ability to develop trusted relationships across all levels of the organization and is viewed as a credible partner by both employees and leadership.
- Increased talent density across teams
- Clear differentiation between high, medium, and low performers
- Faster resolution of under performance
Strong manager capability in feedback and coaching - A culture where values are lived, not laminated
Bonus Points
- Experience working with founders or executive teams
- Has been part of a company that scaled rapidly
- Has personally made and stood behind difficult people decisions
Requirements:
- 5+ years experience in leading people organizations, ideally in enterprise software and SaaS
- Strong understanding of performance management and top grading philosophy
- Strong sense of fiscal responsibility and understand budget management
- 100% health care coverage for Employee
- 401K with company matching
- Dental & Vision
- Parental Leave
- Subsidized gym membership
- Remote work stipend
- Annual team offsite
A reasonable estimate of the on track earnings range for this position is $145,000 - $165,000 USD. This compensation range is specific to the United States and it incorporates many factors including but not limited to an applicant’s skills and prior relevant experience and training; licensures, degrees, and certifications; specific geographic location; internal equity; internal pay ranges; and market data/range parameters.
SchooLinks is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws.
