Clifton J.

Empowering Tech Leaders and Transforming Cultures: HR Strategy and Leadership Coaching Expert

A strategic HR leader with a proven track record in scaling high-growth tech companies, including Webflow and Wingspan. Renowned for driving transformational cultural change, coaching C-suite executives, and leading people-centric initiatives that align talent strategy with business success.

With experience from Foursquare to Hinge, I specialize in enhancing organizational effectiveness and fostering inclusive environments. Available for fractional consulting, I bring a decade of experience in talent development and leadership coaching.

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Work

Strategic People Architect at Foursquare
As Director of Recruiting and People at Foursquare, I was a pivotal force in transforming HR operations, focusing on talent preparedness, DEI initiatives, and comprehensive recruiting strategies. My leadership in scaling teams, integrating acquisitions, and refining processes played a key role in aligning Foursquare's people practices with its ambitious growth and technology objectives.
foursquare.com
Compass' Growth Engineer in Talent Acquisition and People Strategy
At Compass, I leveraged my expertise as the second Talent hire, significantly scaling the company from 160 to 1100 employees, focusing on engineering, strategy, and operations. My role involved providing strategic insights to C-level executives, crafting impactful hiring strategies, and guiding the company through a critical growth phase in the competitive real estate technology sector.
compass.com

Experience

Hinge
Principal People Business Partner
Apr 2024 - Present
Hinge is the dating app designed to be deleted. In today’s digital world, singles are so focused on sending likes and looking through profiles that they’re not actually building meaningful connections and going on dates. Hinge is on a mission to change that by designing the most effective app experience.
- Serve as a trusted advisor to leaders and employees, driving the implementation of Hinge's People strategy and ensuring alignment with company principles.
- Lead initiatives to enhance team effectiveness, manage change, and improve employee engagement through targeted coaching and development programs.
- Manage complex employee relations cases, providing coaching and solutions that support organizational and individual growth.
Wingspan
People and Talent
Mar 2023 - Apr 2024
One place for freelancers to manage income, benefits and taxes.
- Established People and Talent function from scratch
- Serve as the first ever People hire directly advising CEO and CTO/Co-Founder on complex People/HR matters
- Achieve a 90%+ growth in company headcount within my tenure with a 90%+ offer acceptance rate
Webflow, Inc.
Technical Recruiting and People Lead
Jun 2022 - Feb 2023
Webflow is the way to design, build, and launch powerful websites visually — without coding.
- Hired as the most senior individual contributor on the technical recruiting team with the goal of building a team focused on talent planning and development strategies to scale engineering leadership but macroeconomic events curtailed this
Foursquare
Director, Engineering + Product Recruitment and Head of Engineering + Product Recruitment
Sep 2016 - Jun 2022
Where Matters: Put the most trusted, independent location data and technology platform to work for your business.
- Functioned as a strategic HR Business Partner, providing thought leadership and coaching to all levels of the organization, ensuring preparedness of talent for critical roles
- Built HR team from 3 individuals to 6+ individuals and recruiting team from 2 individuals to 9 individuals (Analyst to VP level)
- Executed comprehensive recruiting for all engineering and technical roles (typically 30+), from sourcing to negotiations
Compass
Recruiter - Strategic Growth, Engineering, Product and Business Development
Sep 2014 - Sep 2016
Tech Real Estate
- As the second People hire of Compass (Series B), was instrumental in scaling the company from 160 to 1100 individuals