Director of Remote Operations and People Development
MarcoPolo Learning
Director of Remote Operations and People Development
Location: London, UK
Employment Type: Full-Time, Hybrid
About MarcoPolo Learning
Founded in 2013, MarcoPolo Learning is an award‑winning educational technology company dedicated to advancing early childhood education through innovative, research‑driven solutions and best‑in‑class support. Our products are used in thousands of public and private schools across North America. MarcoPolo Learning is headquartered in New York City, with support offices in Tampa, Houston, and London (UK).
Position Overview
We are seeking an exceptional Director of Remote Operations and People Development to serve as a transformation leader for Marcopolo Learning. This is a high-impact role for someone who thrives on building systems, creating structure, and enabling teams to perform at their highest level in a remote environment.
As we've grown, we need to evolve from startup informality to scalable structure—intentional systems for onboarding, training, performance management, and remote leadership that enable our distributed team to operate with clarity, accountability, and efficiency.
This role is ideal for a strategic operator who combines HR/People Operations expertise with a builder's mentality. You'll design and implement scalable solutions that help every employee succeed—from ensuring new hires get up to speed quickly, to giving managers the tools to lead effectively, to creating fair systems that support performance improvement.
Key Responsibilities
Organizational Structure & Remote Leadership
- Design and standardize core operational processes to create clarity and consistency across the distributed organization
- Develop and deliver a Remote Leadership Training Program for all managers, focusing on effective delegation, oversight, performance documentation, and team engagement
- Select, implement, and drive adoption of a centralized Project Management/Work Visibility Tool to provide transparency into workloads and output
- Partner with leadership to optimize organizational structure and clarify reporting relationships
Training & Development Infrastructure
- Design and implement a comprehensive 30-60-90 Day Remote Onboarding Program ensuring new hires achieve full role proficiency within the first quarter
- Conduct regular skills assessments and develop targeted training interventions to close capability gaps
- Establish metrics to measure training effectiveness and continuously improve based on outcomes
Performance Management & Accountability
- Partner with department heads to revise all Job Descriptions with clear, measurable Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
- Design and implement a Quarterly Goal-Focused Performance Review system enabling proactive management and early intervention
- Own and execute the formal Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) process to address underperformance with fairness and clarity
- Train managers on conducting productive accountability conversations and documenting performance
- Build dashboards providing visibility into individual and team performance trends
What Success Looks Like
You will have successfully transformed how MarcoPolo operates as a remote organization by:
- Launching a complete Remote Onboarding Program with measurable improvement in new hire productivity and retention
- Implementing the Project Management/Work Visibility Tool with strong adoption across all teams
- Rolling out Remote Leadership Training equipping managers to lead distributed teams effectively
- Establishing a Quarterly Performance Review system with clear KPIs enabling early support for struggling employees
- Building a training platform ensuring consistent product knowledge and skill standards
- Measurably reducing staff turnover by addressing root causes: lack of clarity, insufficient training, and inconsistent accountability
Success means building systems that make the organization run smoothly—with less confusion, higher accountability, stronger performance, and better retention.
Required Experience & Skills
- 7+ years of progressive experience in HR, People Operations, Training/L&D, or Management Consulting
- 3+ years focused specifically on remote or distributed workforces
- Proven track record implementing large-scale structural change programs (performance management overhauls, training rollouts, organizational transformations)
- Deep expertise designing modern, measurable training and onboarding programs that drive behaviour change
- Strong understanding of performance management methodologies (OKRs, KPIs, SMART Goals)
- Experience selecting, implementing, and driving the adoption of HR technology and project management tools
- Exceptional project management, documentation, and communication skills
- Ability to work independently and drive initiatives to completion with minimal oversight
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience in SaaS or EdTech business environments
- HR certification (SHRM-SCP, SPHR, CIPD Level 7) or relevant L&D certifications
- Experience in startups or high-growth environments building infrastructure from scratch
- Background in organizational design or change management
- Familiarity with modern HR tech stack (HRIS, LMS platforms, performance management tools)
Personal Qualities
- Systems thinker who designs holistic solutions
- Builder mentality – energized by creating infrastructure from the ground up
- High ownership – delivers on commitments without micromanagement
- Comfortable with ambiguity – thrives when creating the path forward
- Data-driven – uses metrics to inform strategy and measure success
- Change agent – skilled at building buy-in and driving adoption
- Excellent communicator – translates complex concepts into clear, actionable guidance
Compensation & Benefits
- Base Salary: £80,000–£90,000 annually (depending on experience)
- Stock options (equity in a growing company!
- Pension scheme with employer contributions
- 20 days annual leave plus bank holidays
- Flexible Hybrid work arrangement
Why This Role Matters
As Director of Remote Operations and People Development, you'll build the foundation that enables our entire organization to thrive. The systems you create will help new employees onboard faster, give managers the tools to lead effectively, provide clarity on expectations and performance, and create a structured environment that naturally reduces turnover.
This is a rare opportunity to be the architect of organizational transformation—to build systems that will impact every person at MarcoPolo Learning and set us up for sustainable growth. You'll have significant autonomy, direct access to leadership, and the ability to shape how we work for years to come.
If you're someone who loves building systems, driving positive change, and enabling people to do their best work within clear and fair structures, this role offers the scope, impact, and autonomy you're looking for.
Note: This is a UK-based position. Applicants must have the right to work in the UK; visa sponsorship is not available at this time.
MarcoPolo Learning is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, protected veteran status, disability, age, or other legally protected status. We believe diverse perspectives make us stronger and are committed to building a team that reflects the communities we serve.