Senior HR Lead

About ABFinance ABFinance is a US-based firm building digital finance for the future. Our vision is to create a full financial ecosystem where digital assets, traditional finance, and everyday money management live in one seamless experience that is made available to everyone. Founded by a team of innovators, traders, and compliance professionals, our mission is to bring digital assets to the mainstream through secure, regulated products. Our flagship ecosystem combines a compliant, security-first crypto exchange serving both retail and institutional clients, alongside a Debit Card that enables everyday spending and smooth bridging between fiat and digital assets, supported by core capabilities such as spot trading and yield generation products. Role Overview We are looking for a senior HR lead to build and scale our HR function in the U.S. from the ground up. This role requires someone who can operate as both a strategic partner to leadership and a hands-on builder, capable of owning the entire HR lifecycle in a fast-moving, high-growth fintech environment. You will be responsible for designing the people infrastructure, ensuring compliance, and enabling the organization to scale efficiently — while maintaining a high-performance, accountable culture. Key Responsibilities 1. HR Strategy & Function Build-Out Own and build the HR function in the U.S. from 0 to 1 Design and implement scalable HR frameworks, policies, and operating models Establish a strong foundation for organizational growth, including workforce planning and org design Partner closely with leadership on people strategy and decision-making 2. Compliance, Risk & Governance Ensure full compliance with U.S. employment laws, regulations, and best practices Own employee classification strategy (FTE vs. contractor) and related risk management Partner with legal advisors on employment matters, contracts, and risk mitigation Establish clear, defensible HR policies aligned with a regulated environment 3. HR Operations & Infrastructure Oversee end-to-end HR operations (onboarding, offboarding, payroll coordination, benefits, vendor management) Own relationships with PEO/EOR and payroll providers Implement HR systems, tools, and workflows to support scale Drive operational excellence and process efficiency 4. Talent & Organization Development Support hiring strategy and headcount planning in partnership with leadership Enable performance management frameworks and accountability mechanisms Coach managers on people management, feedback, and decision-making Build a high-performance, execution-driven culture 5. Employee Relations & Culture Act as a trusted advisor to leadership on sensitive people matters Handle employee relations issues, conflict resolution, and investigations Shape a pragmatic, high-trust, high-accountability culture Balance speed and structure in a startup environment Requirements 7–12 years of HR experience, with at least 2–3 years in a lead / ownership role Proven track record of building HR functions or systems from 0 to 1 Strong knowledge of U.S. employment law and compliance frameworks Experience in fintech, crypto, or regulated financial services is highly preferred Ability to operate independently with strong ownership and judgment Hands-on, execution-oriented, and comfortable working in ambiguity Strong communication skills with the ability to influence senior stakeholders Experience working in multinational, cross-cultural environments