Job Description
CATAMARAN
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Chief of Staff, Head of Operations + People
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Full-time NYC metro Hybrid, 2x/week $175k-$225k + bonus
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THE OPPORTUNITY
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A newly created position at Catamaran, the Chief of Staff, Operations + People sits on the agency’s leadership team and is the person who keeps the agency running at full speed. Reporting directly to the Founder & CEO, this role owns day-to-day operations and oversees resource allocation, marketing and comms, drives special leadership priorities to completion, and serves as a trusted sounding board on the decisions that shape the agency. The ideal candidate brings 15-20 years of experience, much of it inside a PR agency, and understands firsthand the rhythms, staffing models and client-service pressures of agency life.
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WHAT YOU’LL DO
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Leadership Team Member & Partner to the CEO
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- Serve as the CEO’s right hand: anticipate needs, manage priorities and make sure nothing important falls through the cracks.
- Run the leadership team's operating rhythm, including weekly leadership meetings, quarterly planning and follow-through on decisions and owners.
- Translate agency strategy into clear goals, plans and metrics, and track progress across teams.
- Prepare the CEO for key moments (client pitches, Nostos Network conversations, all-hands) with briefings, materials and talking points.
- Lead special projects on the CEO's behalf, from new initiatives and process overhauls to agency growth planning.
- Partner with the Head of Finance on budgets, forecasting and the agency's financial health.
- Act as a trusted sounding board, bringing an honest read on the team, the business and the decisions in front of leadership.
- Represent the CEO internally, and externally when needed, with the judgment to know when to decide and when to escalate.
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Operations & Marketing
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- Oversee day-to-day agency operations, including office management, facilities, relationship with building management, industry memberships, Catamaran website updates, and vendor relationships, building scalable processes as the agency grows.
- Manage agency systems and tools (project management, time-tracking, expenses, HRIS, media databases, and all vendor/platform contracts).
- Oversee IT vendor, including computer hardware setup, onboarding, etc, and managing team access to various agency tools.
- Own staffing and resource allocation planning across account teams in partnership with account leads.
- Identify and implement process improvements to increase organizational efficiency
- Ensure compliance with insurance, licensing, lease, and other administrative/legal requirements.
- Support new business and client onboarding logistics as needed.
- Spearhead industry awards submissions and industry surveys.
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HR & Internal Comms
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- Lead full-cycle talent acquisition, including job postings, interviewing, and negotiation for all agency roles; attend industry networking events to cultivate new talent.
- Develop proactive talent pipelines for current and anticipated hiring needs.
- Champion agency culture and employee engagement programming, including overseeing monthly Lunch+Learns and After Hours initiatives.
- Manage all internal communications, draft contracts for independent contractors.
- Own onboarding and offboarding processes, including orientation, paperwork, and exit interviews.
- Manage employee relations, conflict resolution, and performance management processes, including check-ins, annual performance reviews, and PIPs.
- Administer compensation and benefits programs, including annual reviews, open enrollment, PTO, parental leave, and payroll coordination.
- Develop and enforce HR policies and the employee handbook, ensuring compliance with NY, NYC, California, and federal employment law.
- Oversee logistics for the agency’s scholarship and internship program.
- Partner with leadership team on professional development, training, and mentorship programs.
- Manage HRIS system (Justworks) and maintain accurate employee records.
- Lead planning for company offsites and special events (i.e. Take Your Children to Work Day).
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WHAT YOU BRING
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- 15-20 years of professional experience (required), including significant time at a PR agency in an agency management, practice/department management, or chief of staff role.
- Must be based in, or willing to work from, the New York metro area.
- Experience working directly alongside a CEO, founder or executive team, with a track record of turning priorities into results.
- The ideal candidate is both strategic and highly execution-oriented, comfortable moving between CEO-level priorities, organizational planning, recruiting, employee relations, performance management, and day-to-day people operations.
- Experience with staffing plans, utilization rates, or account team structuring is a strong plus.
- Demonstrated experience managing agency operations, budgets, and vendor relationships.
- Excellent judgment and interpersonal skills; ability to build trust across all levels of the organization; track record of sound judgment and confidentiality.
- Exhibit emotional intelligence and ability to handle team members’ personal matters in a discreet and supportive manner.
- Strong organizational and project-management skills, with the ability to juggle competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
- Proficiency with HRIS platforms and standard office/project-management software.
- Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field (or equivalent experience).
- PHR/SHRM-CP certification is a plus, but not required.
- Comfortable using AI-driven tools and platforms to support initiatives; curiosity to continuously test and adopt new technologies.
- Collaborative, solutions-oriented mindset, consistently monitoring effective initiatives by other communications agencies for potential implementation at Catamaran.
- Exceptional written, verbal and presentation skills.
- Highly organized, self-starter, proactive and adaptable in a fast-paced, high-energy environment; able to work independently while thriving as part of a team.
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COMPENSATION & BENEFITS
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Salary: $175k-$225k, commensurate with experience, plus performance bonus.
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- Comprehensive health, dental and vision coverage
- Paid parental leave
- 401k with company match
- Generous PTO, paid holidays and volunteer time off
- Professional growth and development programs
- Charitable giving benefit
- Flexible hybrid schedule (2 days/week in NYC office for NY metro area-based employees)
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ABOUT CATAMARAN
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Formerly the PR practice at Confidant, Catamaran launched as a 20+ person stand-alone earned-first agency in January 2026. Based in NYC, clients include Amazon, Shake Shack, Chobani, La Colombe, Aura, BARK/BarkBox, Patreon, Nature’s Garden, Michaels, Edible Arrangements, New Belgium Brewing and others.
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As we continue to grow, we're looking for a Chief of Staff, Head of Operations + People to help scale our people practices and operational infrastructure while preserving the culture that makes our agency a great place to work.
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Catamaran is an independent agency in the Nostos Network, and has been recognized with industry awards and shortlists for our work and workplace by PRWeek, PRovoke, PR News, PR Net, and Inc. Learn more at catamarancomms.com
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Sound like you? We’d love to hear from you.
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catamarancomms.com
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Equal Opportunity Employer
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At Catamaran, delivering our best work begins with being accepting of each other. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or veteran status. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements.