How would you describe your role as Vice President of People Operations?

I would describe my role as a human-of-all-trade. Learning and Development, compensation and benefits, talent acquisition, employee lifecycle, change management, psychosocial wellbeing, and inclusion … it all becomes exponentially more diverse and challenging the larger the company grows and the more widespread we become.

What does your normal day look like?

A lot like a zoo since Covid came – being a working mom in the last year and a half has been a wild ride. Oivan is staunchly family-first in our approach to work-life balance and for that, I am very grateful.

I’m extremely hands-on in our international operations. Because I’m working with my colleagues across time zones, my days start early (very, very early). This allows me to experience the full spectrum of the work we do across all regions as the day goes on.

“I literally get to work all over the world in the scope of one day. It is a unique experience. Highly recommended.”

What are your superpowers as a People Operations Person?

I started my career in education and psychology. My early work with vocational and educational program management and psychosocial wellbeing gave me a strong insight into what careers mean for people. Those experiences steered me into a career in Organization Development and Organizational Psychology.

Work can and should be a source of inspiration, opportunity, and success. Success (in whatever form, not just career-related) is transformative. Part of my job is to create opportunities for success and growth within Oivan. When we succeed as individuals, we thrive together and make great things happen.

“We commit to being the Digital Force For Good and that starts with our People processes.”

What do you love the most about your job?

Driving the people agenda in a post-merger growth company is pretty exciting. I’m obsessed with our core values of Responsibility, Reliability, and Fellowship, and the way our workforce embraces them. Such straightforward values create a realistic framework for us to hold ourselves accountable to in every decision we make. And we do. Oivanites always walk the walk.

I also spend a lot of time in internal and external interviews, which is super because I love meeting people and hearing their stories, and sharing all about Oivan – don’t tell my boss, but I’d totally do that for free!

How would your teammates describe you?

Philosophical, Collaborative, and Humorous. I am easily inspired to try new things and I tend to ruminate on every little detail in order to get things “right for Oivan”. Usually, “right” requires loads of iteration and collaboration, which is perfect because I thrive on interpersonal communication and teamwork. I have a very wry sense of humor and I apply it liberally. If you’re going to work with people all day every day, it’s a requirement for the job.

Autumn’s tips to encourage other People and Culture Professionals.

• HR and people work means supporting people at their best and at their most challenging. The ability and desire to handle the full spectrum of the human condition with grace and empathy (and diplomacy) is necessary.
• Identifying ways to humanize bureaucracy is a critical aspect of this work. The work is about applying theory and ideology to policy and practice to build a culture that works for your organization and workforce, it’s not one size fits all.
• Organizational development and people operations is an exercise in constant growth and evolution. Be willing and excited to embrace change and try new things.
• If you can join a fledgling or growth company, go there. The best opportunities for professionals in this field are those where you can develop, and nurture People processes from the ground up.

Want to join our multicultural team?

Fill out our open application form below and a member of our team will be in touch.