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- The PFunc Pulse—Issue #21: This Is Your Sign to Hire a VP of Ops📈👥😃
The PFunc Pulse—Issue #21: This Is Your Sign to Hire a VP of Ops📈👥😃
Your go-to HR brief being read by more than 1,800 industry leaders.
Emma Leeds
January 20, 2026
MESSAGE FROM OUR CEO’S DESK
Hello from India! Today, my family and I are traveling from Agra to Kottayam. How is it possible that this is my second of four weeks traveling in India and the Maldives? Well, we have Adriana’s promotion to VP of Consulting to thank for that, as well as our most recent new hire - the incredible Celeste Shields. For our 21st PFunc Pulse, join me for a short story around how we hired a new VP of Operations.
Within five minutes of meeting Celeste at the VIA Summit last October - over tea and finger sandwiches as we prepared to get our tea leaves read, one of the many fun activities designed by the VIA team to foster intentional connections - I looked at Celeste and through laughs, half-jokingly said, “I think we need to work together.” At the time, People Function had a fractional CFO/COO, and I realized these functions needed to be separated as we grew. I brought on Ursa Consultants, our new fractional finance firm, and I was waiting for the dust to settle to see exactly what operations gap existed.
Celeste had quiet confidence that stood out to me from the moment we met… Her focus on building systems and processes for sustainable growth resonated deeply with where People Function was at the time.
Because, honestly, I didn’t know what I needed. All I knew was that I felt frustrated all of the time. Our systems and processes kept breaking, and I felt like the only one who was catching the mistakes. We had big projects to support our growth to get over the finish line, and, while I had people whom I could delegate pieces to, every project was ultimately my responsibility.
We are very fiscally responsible at People Function. As a service-based business, we are conscious of our margins. I have never felt the pain enough, or seen the potential value or upside, to invest in a full-time person who wasn’t billable. That is, until the last few months.
While I would never condone popping the “work partnership” question within minutes of meeting someone, Celeste had quiet confidence that stood out to me from the moment we met; she was clearly intentional, thorough, and thoughtful. Her focus on building systems and processes for sustainable growth resonated deeply with where People Function was at the time. The immediate connection felt serendipitous! After many conversations across team members, and after exploring a potential fractional project, we brought Celeste on full time.
I am so excited to welcome Celeste to the team. She comes to us with more than 10 years of experience in operations within startups, VC firms, and community-oriented organizations, as well as owning her own fractional operations firm, Celestial Operations. Known for translating high-level strategy into scalable systems, she serves as a trusted partner to founders and executives in fast-paced environments, and she will be transforming our systems to ensure we are prepared to scale. I can’t wait for our community to get to know her the way the team and I have.
Welcome to PFunc, Celeste!! We’re so glad you’re here and can’t wait to see what the team builds together.
Emma and Celeste working IRL the week of the PFunc holiday party last month.
ASK THE EXPERTS 📬
Question: When should a startup founder consider bringing on an operations hire, and at what level should that role be?
Founders often wait longer than they should to bring on operations support - similar to how they often wait to bring on HR! I’m admittedly biased, but I’ve seen time and again that the earlier you invest in operations, the easier it is to build and scale. When you put basic systems, processes, and operating rhythms in place early, growth becomes about improving what already works instead of constantly cleaning things up after the fact. At the earliest stages, this doesn’t have to mean a full-time hire. In fact, fractional or part-time support, or even a team member with strong operational instincts, can go a long way in creating a solid foundation.
That said, many startup founders bring in operations reactively rather than proactively. Things start breaking, communication gets messy, execution slows, and, suddenly, operations become a blocker to growth (which is how Emma felt about PFunc when we met). That’s usually the signal that full-time operations support is needed. In those moments, the role isn’t just about fixing today’s problems, it’s about resetting how the company runs and putting structure in place so growth doesn’t continue to create friction.
 This week’s expert: Celeste Shields, | As for the right level, that really depends on what’s happening in the business. In early stages, you may not need an executive-level operator or even a full-time leader, just someone focused on building the right infrastructure. But once growth accelerates and decisions start cutting across teams, tools, and priorities, having senior operations leadership becomes critical. It’s less about title and more about having the capacity and authority to drive alignment as complexity increases. Operations often run quietly in the background, but it touches everything, from how teams work together, to how deals get closed, to the systems that hold the company together. If growth is on the roadmap, operations must be part of the strategy to sustainably scale. |
If you have any HR- or operations-related questions you’d like to see answered, please submit them here. You may see your queries in an upcoming issue!
THE BRIEFING 📰
HR NEWS TO KNOW
The latest HR headlines and stories, curated with our perspective.
HR Dive: PNC employees will have to work in-office five days a week, starting May 4. The new mandate places PNC alongside other major financial institutions, such as Goldman Sachs and Truist, signaling a broader shift among large employers. While acknowledging that remote work offers clear benefits for employees, PNC CEO Bill Demchak recently claimed that even a hybrid work model ultimately “harms the company,” underscoring the ongoing tension leaders are navigating between flexibility, performance, and cohesion across organizations. Read more about the change here.
Facilitate Magazine: UK managers aren’t doing enough to support stressed-out direct reports. Without access to the right support, 20% of employees take time off due to mental health challenges, and that number climbs to 39% among younger workers aged 18–24. Learn how else stress is affecting workers in the UK here.
A couple other stories we think you’d like:
Phys.org: Workers who feel disrespected by managers work less
Fortune: In 2025, U.S. employees took home the smallest share of capital since 1947 (the year the Taft-Hartley Act passed)
AI NEWS TO KNOW
What’s happening in AI, and why it matters for HR.
↪️ Gartner recently released its “9 Future of Work Trends for 2026,” and unsurprisingly, AI dominates the list. The real story isn’t just about new tools, however, but the ripple effects across industries and broader workforce. From “AI slop” quietly eroding productivity to a reality in which 1 in 4 candidate profiles may be fake, leaders (especially in HR) will potentially be tasked with a much bigger role.
↪️ PFunc’s Take: The challenge will be protecting trust, sustaining morale, and doubling down on “human” skills that don’t expire every two months, e.g. critical thinking. As Emma highlighted in her 2026 trends forecast, the future of work will reward organizations that intentionally build human capabilities alongside evolving technology.
COMPLIANCE CHECK
Stay ahead of compliance with these latest updates.
Multiple federal changes effective in Q1 will affect retirement plans, minimum wage, health insurance, and income tax. Here’s what you need to know:
Required Disclosures and Policies (effective 2/1/26) - By February 1, employers with 11+ employees must post OSHA Form 300A in a visible workplace location until April 30.
Income Tax (effective 2/2/26) - Filing deadlines to keep in mind:
Form 1099-NEC (Nonemployee Compensation): File with the IRS and provide copies to nonemployees (contractors, freelancers) paid $600+.
Form 940: File and pay Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA) taxes for the prior calendar year.
Form W-2: Provide form to employees and file with the IRS.
Form W-3: Employers must file these documents with the SSA.
Health Insurance (effective 3/1/26) - Employers or plan administrators operating a MEWA that provides medical benefits must file Form M-1 with the EBSA, reporting the arrangement’s structure and federal compliance.
Health Insurance (effective 3/2/26) - Employers that physically file Affordable Care Act (ACA) information returns must submit Form 1094-B (under 50 FTEs) or Form 1094-C (50+ FTEs). (The deadline for electronic filers is March 31.)
Learn more about these updates here.
THE OPPORTUNITY EXCHANGE 📈
ROLES ON OUR RADAR
The PFunc job board is packed with open roles across our client companies, making it easier than ever to tap into our network. Hundreds of opportunities, dozens of companies, and a few standout roles highlighted below.
This week, we’re spotlighting roles that opened up this month.
AlphaSense, Head of Strategic Alliances - This senior partnerships role will build and scale strategic relationships to drive long-term growth and value at an AI-powered market intelligence platform.
Oath, Bioprocess Engineer - This role leads the development and scaling of manufacturing processes at this microbial sciences company tackling climate change and sustainable agriculture.
Luminary, Customer Success Manager - Build long-term relationships as you help customers make the most of Luminary’s AI platform, made to assist with estate planning.
See a role you’re interested in? Reply to this email and we’ll try to connect you with the hiring team. Hiring for an open role yourself? Reply to have your job featured in an upcoming PFunc Pulse issue.
RECOMMENDED RESOURCE💡
Check out this resource, vetted and recommended by us.
15five - 15Five uses its AI-powered software to turn insights into action by giving HR leaders clear, data-driven guidance and helping managers become better leaders. The platform brings together performance reviews, engagement surveys, goals and OKRs, manager coaching, and continuous feedback to boost engagement, performance, and retention.
INSIDE PFUNC HQ ⋒
WHERE TO NEXT?
Our team is always on the move, popping up at the HR events, conferences, and summits we actually love.
✈️ Countdown to Transform 2026 in Las Vegas (March 23-25): 62 Days
Not only are we attending, but we’ll be hosting a few fun, non-corporate side events because we all know the real reason we go to Transform is for the people and connections! Will you be there? Do you want to hang out with us? Let us know!
CHRONICALLY ONLINE📱
For your enjoyment, a recent viral social media video from the PFunc team.
@peoplefunction It’s not what it looks like 😅🍑🏒 #iykyk #heatedrivalry #hockey
STAY IN TOUCH 💌
If you’re interested in fractional HR support for your team, reply to this email or contact us to learn more about our offerings, pricing, and how we can support your growing company.
🗣️ Thoughts, feedback, requests? Let us know! 🗣️
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