Director, People & Culture

| Boston, MA, USA
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Headquartered in Boston, Forward Financing has been recognized as a Best Place to Work by the Boston Business Journal and Built In Boston and is certified as a Great Place to Work.® At Forward, we believe every business deserves financial opportunity. That’s why we provide fast, flexible capital to small businesses that have often been underserved by traditional financing options. Our mission is to build a world-class fintech company so our customers and people can reach their full potential. We’re investing in our employees, technology, and customer experience – with long-term success in mind every step of the way.

The Director of People & Culture will be charged with developing a strategy and plan for the evolution of Forward’s workforce and will be an integral member of the Leadership Team. 

*onsite in Boston 2 days per month at a minimum*

In this role you will:

  • Own a comprehensive People & Culture strategy that positions the company to retain, develop, and empower quality talent at all levels
  • Manage organization-wide programs for all employees driving positive and measurable impact on the culture and performance
  • Serve as a business partner for the technology, underwriting, and sales organizations, understanding department objectives and results, and aligning People programs to business needs
  • Ensure our total rewards programs is comprehensive and motivates our people to achieve our mission
  • Partner with a global People and Culture team driving alignment between our team members
  • Demonstrate excellent program management skills (manage a budget, generate buy-in, exceptional attention to detail, outstanding organization, ability to prioritize, work with various stakeholders across the firm, and take ownership and responsibility)
  • Build relationships across the company with a team of diverse styles, skill sets, and experience levels
  • Be an excellent change leader, with demonstrated ability to support changes across departments, understanding the impact on other teams and the company, and leveraging relationships to build buy-in for the changes

Role Requirements:

(Even if you don’t check every box, but see yourself contributing, please apply.)

  • 8 years of progressively more responsible business and human resources leadership experience
  • Experience partnering with a global people team is a plus
  • Strong communication and interpersonal skills with the proven ability to define and execute strategy
  • Ability to effectively manage complex stakeholder environments and global matrixed environments
  • Ability to manage, organize and prioritize, leading effectively through the dynamics of change in an entrepreneurial environment
  • Bachelor's degree

#LI-TT1 #LI-Hybrid

Forward Financing Core Values:
  • Drive the Mission - We believe in financial opportunity for underserved small businesses. We say “yes” when others say “no.”
  • Keep It Real - We value direct communication, candid feedback, and authenticity. We are an open book.
  • Act With Kindness - We create an environment where caring is cool and helping is the norm. We do the right thing.
  • Shoot for Extraordinary - We are inspired by innovative thinking and continuous improvement. We never settle for yesterday’s best.

About Us:

Forward Financing is a fintech company headquartered in Boston that provides fast, flexible, and reliable capital to small businesses nationwide. Since 2012, Forward has provided over $2.6 billion in financing to more than 58,000 small businesses. Forward has been consistently named by the Boston Business Journal and Built In Boston (and more!) as one of the best places to work in Massachusetts.

Forward actively promotes a focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion in all we do. We encourage a workplace where trust and respect are paramount and all employees feel valued, heard, and accepted. By accepting diversity of thought, background, and identity, we will continue to become a stronger team and a better organization.

Our diverse and driven group of 450 people, with more than 200 based in the U.S., and 240 internationally, is a 100% employee-owned company. Our employees come to work (or log on virtually!) knowing they are helping thousands of small businesses while advancing their own careers. If this sounds exciting to you, learn more about our leadership team and our open opportunities.

Perks & Benefits:

At Forward, our team members are at the heart of our company, and we are committed to taking care of them as people, not just employees. We offer a comprehensive benefits package including but not limited to: medical, dental, vision, and commuter benefits, a flexible time-off policy, 401k match, wellness reimbursement, paid volunteering days, annual professional development budget, and charitable donation match.

At Forward, employee choice means each individual gets to decide where they work. Almost all team members have the choice of where to live and where to work. As a business, we are focused on impact; we are more concerned with your contributions to the success of the company than where you get your work done. If face-to-face time is desired, people managers are empowered to find a cadence that works for their team. 

When we aren’t collaborating to drive business and support our customers, we’re finding virtual and in-person ways to get to know our colleagues, celebrate team wins, and have fun together! 

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Technology we use

  • Engineering
  • Product
  • Sales & Marketing
  • People Operations
    • JavascriptLanguages
    • PythonLanguages
    • RubyLanguages
    • TypeScriptLanguages
    • ElixirLanguages
    • GoLanguages
    • Ruby on RailsFrameworks
    • AWS (Amazon Web Services)Services
    • Google AnalyticsAnalytics
    • MixpanelAnalytics
    • TableauAnalytics
    • TableauAnalytics
    • FigmaDesign
    • IllustratorDesign
    • InVisionDesign
    • MiroDesign
    • PhotoshopDesign
    • SketchDesign
    • UXPinDesign
    • ConfluenceManagement
    • Google DriveManagement
    • Google DocsManagement
    • Google SlidesManagement
    • JIRAManagement
    • Monday.comManagement
    • TrelloManagement
    • WordpressCMS
    • HubSpotCRM
    • SalesforceCRM
    • HubspotEmail
    • SlackCollaboration
    • ZoomCollaboration
    • LatticeCollaboration
    • Google MeetCollaboration
    • Monday.comProject Management
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An Insider's view of Forward Financing

How would you describe the company’s work-life balance?

The work/life balance at Forward Financing is excellent. My projects are challenging, engaging, and require hard work. I am fulfilled knowing the work I do is helping small businesses. I also consider myself lucky that I have the flexibility to manage my time and schedule as needed while raising a family.

Lauren

Senior Product Manager

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What makes someone successful on your team?

Curiosity is key characteristic in being a successful engineer. You're seeking to understand the story behind what the team is building, thinking of new ways to tackle problems, and looking to learn and get feedback from others. This is imperative to a culture of collaboration that will have a meaningful impact on the product and the business
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Brittney

SVP, Engineering
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What is your vision for the company?

We are building a world class fintech company to help one million small businesses achieve their full potential. We are doing this by creating a place where our employees love to work and value both personal and professional growth.
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Justin

Co-founder and CEO

What are Forward Financing Perks Benefits

Forward Financing Benefits Overview

We’re building a place where our people want to run to work every day. It’s not just the great perks and benefits. It’s our people, our purpose, and our passion for what we do that makes Forward Financing unlike anywhere else you’ve worked. But the perks certainly help!

1. Fun-loving culture. We can promise you one thing: you won’t be bored here. You can look forward to building connections with colleagues, participating in team-building events, and feeling a sense of purpose knowing that your work directly impacts thousands of hardworking small businesses.

2. We've got you covered. In addition to comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans, we make sure you feel your best with a monthly stipend that can be used towards wellness, commuting, or home-office expenses.

3. Work / Life Balance. You've got generous paid time off (that we actually want you to take!) and paid parental leave. And, we don't expect you to be connected 24/7. We know you have a life outside of Forward, and we respect boundaries.

4. Competitive Compensation. Our people work hard, and we make sure they feel appreciated with competitive compensation packages and 401K contribution matching.

5. Learning & Development. This is a place to grow your career. Think individual coaching and development, team training workshops, and an annual allowance towards professional growth.

6. Paying it Forward. We’re not just passionate about supporting our small business customers, but also the world around us. We offer paid volunteer days, company-sponsored volunteer events, and charitable donation matching.

Culture
Volunteer in local community
Partners with nonprofits
Open door policy
OKR operational model
Team based strategic planning
Open office floor plan
Employee resource groups
Day off for your birthday
Quarterly engagement surveys
In-person all-hands meetings
Employee awards
Flexible work schedule
Remote work program
Diversity
Documented equal pay policy
Highly diverse management team
Diversity manifesto
Diversity employee resource groups
Hiring practices that promote diversity
Health Insurance Wellness
Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
Disability insurance
Dental insurance
Vision insurance
Health insurance
Life insurance
Wellness programs
Mental health benefits
Abortion travel benefits
Financial & Retirement
401(K)
Forward Financing's 401(k) retirement plan offers a broad selection of stocks, bonds, and international index funds to choose from.
401(K) matching
Company equity
Performance bonus
Forward Financing's performance bonus includes cash rewards and prizes which may vary across departments based on targets and pay structure.
Charitable contribution matching
Child Care & Parental Leave
Childcare benefits
Generous parental leave
Family medical leave
Vacation Time Off
Generous PTO
Paid volunteer time
Paid holidays
Flexible time off
Bereavement leave benefits
Office Perks
Commuter benefits
Company-sponsored outings
Free snacks and drinks
Some meals provided
Company-sponsored happy hours
Fitness stipend
Home-office stipend for remote employees
Mother's room
Professional Development
Job training & conferences
Tuition reimbursement
Lunch and learns
Promote from within
Continuing education stipend
Customized development tracks
Paid industry certifications

Additional Perks Benefits

While we now have team members across the US and in the DR, our culture is still fun-loving and collaborative. We’re always thinking about ways we can engage our dispersed workforce both in-person and virtually. From virtual game nights to small group lunches, we have found ways to keep our team engaged and excited.

For team members who want to come into our downtown Boston office, we have Zoom-equipped conference rooms and host monthly happy hours. And, the kitchen is always stocked with snacks and beverages!

Communication from our leadership team is also a top priority. With bi-weekly all-team huddles for company and department updates, to semi-annual Town Hall meetings for a deeper dive, we value transparency and always Keep It Real.

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