Strategic People Initiatives Manager

Circle (NYSE: CRCL) is one of the world's leading internet financial platform companies, building the foundation of a more open, global economy through digital assets, payment applications, and programmable blockchain infrastructure. Circle's platform includes the world's largest regulated stablecoin network anchored by USDC, Circle Payments Network for global money movement, and Arc, an enterprise-grade blockchain designed to become the Economic OS for the internet. Enterprises, financial institutions, and developers use Circle to power trusted, internet-scale financial innovation. Learn more at circle.com .
What you'll be part of:
Circle is committed to visibility and stability in everything we do. As we grow as an organization, we're expanding into some of the world's strongest jurisdictions. Speed and efficiency are motivators for our success and our employees live by our company values : High Integrity, Future Forward, Multistakeholder, Mindful, and Driven by Excellence. We have built a flexible work environment where new ideas are encouraged and everyone is a stakeholder.
What you'll be responsible for:
We are looking for a highly strategic, execution-driven Strategic People Initiatives Manager to join our People & Talent organization. In this pivotal role, you will operate as a force multiplier for People Leadership - leading cross-functional programs, owning operational planning, and driving clarity and alignment across our most critical talent initiatives.
You will lead M&A people workstreams, manage HR budgeting cycles with precision, coordinate OKR development and tracking across the People org, and take ownership of high-impact projects that advance Circle's talent strategy. This role requires exceptional business acumen, structured thinking, and the ability to work across functions with senior-level stakeholders.
This is an ideal role for a builder who thrives in ambiguity, has strong systems-thinking capability, and knows how to turn strategy into disciplined execution.
What you'll work on:
M&A Leadership & People Workstreams

• Serve as the operational lead for People-related M&A activities, including diligence, integration planning, and execution.
• Partner with Legal, Finance, Compliance, and HR functional leads to align scope, timelines, and integration requirements.
• Develop and manage M&A playbooks, checklists, and communication plans to ensure consistent, repeatable excellence.
• Track integration progress, identify risks or gaps, and escalate issues with clear recommendations for resolution.

HR Budget Ownership & Fiscal Management

• Own the annual budgeting process for the People organization, ensuring accuracy, alignment, and timely delivery.
• Partner with Finance to manage forecasting, headcount planning, and cost modeling across HR functions.
• Build scalable frameworks for tracking spend, vendor contracts, and budget performance.
• Support People Leadership in presenting budget insights, tradeoffs, and recommendations to senior executives.

People OKR Strategy, Governance & Tracking

• Lead OKR development cycles for the People organization, partnering with People Leadership to define priorities and measurable outcomes.
• Establish tracking mechanisms, reporting cadences, and accountability frameworks to ensure progress toward objectives.
• Synthesize program updates and risk areas into executive-ready insights and reporting packages.
• Create continuous improvement loops to strengthen focus, alignment, and execution discipline.

Strategic Talent Initiatives & Special Projects

• Manage cross-functional initiatives that advance Circle's talent, culture, and organizational effectiveness strategies.
• Drive high-visibility projects such as capability-building programs, talent infrastructure improvements, policy modernization, or culture interventions.
• Conduct research, analysis, and benchmarking to inform recommendations and strategic decision-making.
• Partner with HRBPs, TA, L&D, ER, and Legal on initiatives impacting the employee experience, leadership capability, and organizational performance.

Operational Excellence & Cross-Functional Partnership

• Establish and maintain project plans, governance frameworks, and communication models that bring alignment and clarity across teams.
• Partner closely with People Leadership to streamline operations, anticipate needs, and remove execution barriers.
• Serve as an integrator across HR functions to ensure initiatives are coordinated, data-informed, and delivered with quality.
• Drive cross-functional collaboration with Finance, Legal, Compliance, IT, and business operations teams to ensure organizational readiness and adoption.

Data, Insights & Executive Reporting

• Build dashboards and reporting mechanisms that track progress across People initiatives, M&A workstreams, and OKRs.
• Analyze data to identify themes, risks, and opportunities - translating insights into action.
• Prepare executive-level briefings, board materials, and strategy updates that communicate impact and priorities with clarity.

What you'll bring to Circle:

• 7+ years of experience in HR program management, HR operations, strategic initiatives, business operations, or related transformational roles.
• Strong experience leading complex cross-functional programs; M&A integration experience strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated success owning budgeting cycles, forecasting, or financial planning in partnership with Finance teams.
• Proven ability to build and manage OKRs or similar strategy execution frameworks.
• Exceptional analytical, organizational, and planning skills; able to drive clarity and momentum across multiple workstreams.
• Strong executive communication abilities - concise, structured, and influence-oriented.
• Ability to shift seamlessly between strategic thinking and hands-on execution.
• High degree of professionalism, discretion, and judgment when handling sensitive and confidential work.
• Comfort working in fast-paced, ambiguous, and evolving environments.
• Proficiency with G-Suite, HRIS, dashboards/analytics tools, and project management systems preferred.
• Bachelor's degree required; MBA or other advanced degree preferred.

Circle is on a mission to create an inclusive financial future, with transparency at our core. We consider a wide variety of elements when crafting our compensation ranges and total compensation packages.
Starting pay is determined by various factors, including but not limited to: relevant experience, skill set, qualifications, and other business and organizational needs. Please note that compensation ranges may differ for candidates in other locations.
Base Pay Range: $140,000 - $185,000
We are an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status, or any other protected status required by the laws in the locations where we hire. Additionally, Circle participates in the E-Verify Program in certain locations, as required by law.
Should you require accommodations or assistance in our interview process because of a disability, please reach out to [email protected] for support. We respect your privacy and will connect with you separately from our interview process to accommodate your needs.
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