Head of People & Culture

UK - London / UAE - Dubai

1inch is the DeFi ecosystem building financial freedom for everyone. 1inch products help users and builders trade, hold and track digital assets - with the self-custody, comprehensive security and the intuitive user experience they need to unlock the potential of true crypto ownership. 1inch protocols and APIs provide core infrastructure across the DeFi industry and beyond.

Your mission

As Head of People & Culture, you will own the company’s People strategy and ensure talent, organisational structure, leadership, culture, and People Operations are aligned with business objectives. You will combine strategic leadership with hands-on execution across talent acquisition, organisational design, workforce planning, leadership development, compliance, and employee experience. A key part of the role is driving the adoption of AI and modern People technologies to improve operational efficiency, decision-making, workforce insights, and employee experience while ensuring responsible and compliant use.

What you’ll do

• Define and execute a People & Culture strategy aligned with company goals, operating priorities, and growth plans.

• Advise the Executive Team on organisational, leadership, talent, culture, and workforce matters.

• Lead workforce planning, succession planning, talent forecasting, and organisational design initiatives.

• Improve team effectiveness, reporting structures, role clarity, and decision-making processes in partnership with leadership.

• Own talent acquisition strategy, talent pipelines, hiring process effectiveness, employer positioning, and onboarding excellence.

• Build frameworks for learning, career development, internal mobility, leadership development, and performance management.

• Own People Operations, including employment lifecycle management, compensation, benefits, workforce administration, documentation, policy management, and compliance.

• Drive the adoption of AI-enabled People processes and use AI-driven insights to support talent, leadership, and organisational decisions.

Who you are

• 10+ years of experience in People Operations, Human Resources, Organizational Development, Talent Management, or a related field.

• 8+ years of experience in a senior People leadership role.
  Proven track record in high-growth technology, fintech, crypto, Web3, or similarly fast-moving environments.

• Experience in crypto, Web3, DeFi, fintech, or similarly regulated technology industries.

• Experience leading global, distributed teams across multiple jurisdictions.
  Strong understanding of async work environments and remote-first team dynamics.

• Deep knowledge of global employment practices, workforce compliance, and people governance.

• Experience operating within regulated or compliance-sensitive environments.

• Strong understanding of workforce-related compliance topics, including contractor engagement, cross-border employment, onboarding documentation, background checks, employment classification, and audit readiness.

• Strong experience in organizational design, workforce planning, leadership development, and change management.

• Hands-on experience using AI tools such as ChatGPT, Claude, or equivalent platforms.

• Experience applying AI to recruiting, onboarding, workforce planning, learning, performance management, knowledge management, or People Operations.

• Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and executive advisory skills.

Nice to haves

• Strong network within the crypto, blockchain, fintech, or technology ecosystem.

• Experience with equity, token-based, or alternative long-term incentive programs.

• Experience operating within UAE, DIFC, or other regulated international employment frameworks.

• Professional HR certifications such as Chartered CIPD, SHRM-SCP, or equivalent.

• Additional certifications or practical training in People Analytics, AI for HR, Organizational Development, or Change Management 

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Psychology, Organizational Development, or a related field.