What are the responsibilities and job description for the Director of People position at Phoenix Tailings?
About Phoenix Tailings
Phoenix Tailings is a rapidly growing clean mining and metals production startup focused on building a domestic supply of critical materials.
Our Freedom Facility in Rochester, New York will be a commercial-scale rare earth separation facility designed to expand U.S. capacity to process and separate rare earth materials.
Rare earths are essential inputs for many of the technologies that power modern life. They are used in high-performance permanent magnets found in electric vehicles, wind turbines, robotics, advanced electronics, aerospace systems, and defense applications.
Today, much of the world's rare earth processing and separation capacity is concentrated overseas. Building more of this capability in the United States is important for strengthening domestic supply chains, reducing reliance on foreign processing, and supporting the advanced manufacturing, energy, technology, and national-security industries that depend on these materials.
The Freedom Facility will be designed to produce thousands of tons of separated rare earth oxides annually, making Rochester an important part of Phoenix Tailings' expansion of domestic rare earth processing capacity.
Why Phoenix Tailings
At Phoenix, we believe that nothing great is ever accomplished alone or without the passion of people who push and motivate one another. If you are someone who shares our relentless pursuit of a better future, passion for innovation, and are excited about working with some of the top innovators in the world, then this is the place for you.
Our Values
- You are only crazy if you are wrong, it's ok to be wrong - Say what you think even when it’s uncomfortable
- Lead with Compassion - Show up for your teammates, make the people around you better.
- Be Resourceful - Find a way with what you have, don't wait for more.
- Listen - Understand before you act, ask good questions before deciding.
- Hustle - Put your heart into every interaction, no matter how small.
Who We Are Looking For
As we build toward operations in 2027 and 2028, we are beginning to meet with individuals who may be interested in joining Phoenix Tailings. We encourage interested candidates to apply, learn more about what we are building, and stay connected as we develop our facility.
Phoenix Tailings is looking for an experienced People leader interested in a future Director of People, Rochester opportunity at our Freedom Facility.
The Director of People will build and lead the site's People function so Rochester can onboard, support, and develop a growing workforce. This person will partner with site leadership on workforce planning, organization design, and manager effectiveness while owning employee relations and day-to-day HR support.
This is an opportunity to establish the People practices of a new site, connecting local onboarding and training needs with corporate People systems and programs.
\n- Build and lead Rochester's People function, establishing practical HR processes that support construction, commissioning, and a growing operating workforce
- Partner with site leadership on workforce plans, organization design, and manager effectiveness, aligning People priorities with the facility's deployment schedule
- Own employee relations and day-to-day HR support, applying policies consistently, addressing concerns early, and maintaining accurate and confidential employee records
- Establish site onboarding and training coordination, helping managers prepare employees for their roles and track completion of required learning
- Partner with corporate People teams on HR systems, compensation, benefits, and performance programs, translating company practices into effective site execution
- Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field, or equivalent experience leading People operations in an industrial organization
- Progressive People or HR leadership experience supporting manufacturing, engineering, skilled-trade, or other operational workforces
- Experience building HR processes for a growing or new site, including workforce planning, onboarding, training coordination, and manager support
- Sound employee-relations judgment and working knowledge of employment practices, policy administration, confidential records, and consistent issue resolution
- Ability to connect site workforce needs with corporate People systems, compensation, benefits, and performance programs while building trust with employees and managers
discretionary bonus for this role. Total package may vary based on experience and qualifications.
Pay Range: 142,000-210,000 per year
• Healthcare: 100% Medical, dental, and vision coverage for employee
• Stock Options: Ownership in a fast-growing venture-backed company.
• Time Off: Unlimited PTO.
• Learning: Learning and development opportunities to grow your skills and career.
At Phoenix Tailings, we have an open culture that values learning, and we are looking to grow
the team with enthusiastic individuals who share our vision of sustainable mining.
Phoenix Tailings, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and we value diversity at all levels. All
qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color,
religion, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation, and pregnancy), national origin, age,
disability or genetic information, or any other applicable protected characteristics, and these
characteristics will not be a factor for consideration of any work-related decisions (including but
not limited to hiring, firing, compensation, and discipline).
Please note: This posting is intended to help Phoenix Tailings connect with people interested in future opportunities at our Rochester facility. Hiring timelines, responsibilities, qualifications, and organizational needs may continue to evolve as the Freedom Facility progresses toward startup and operations.