I help tech startups build + scale their people operations.
Fractional HR | Advisory | Coaching
I'm Jessica Donahue, your modern-day fractional HR leader, advisor + coach.
For the past 5+ years, I’ve helped tech startups & early-stage companies build & scale their people operations as a fractional HR leader.
After years of leading HR teams at large companies, I realized that startups needed well-designed People programs just as much as the big names did, and they needed them sooner than later. But most startups aren't ready / can't justify hiring a full-time Chief People Officer. At least, not yet.
As a fractional HR leader or advisor, I bring my clients proven HR expertise from years leading in-house teams, minus the unnecessary corporate complexity. The results are practical, effective People programs that scale alongside your business.
My goal is always to ultimately work myself out of a job by helping the business scale to a point where it needs a full-time, dedicated People leader. At that point, I help my clients interview, hire, and onboard my replacement.
I’ve spent the last 5 years building & scaling People programs at Seed-Series B startups.
As a solopreneur, I intentionally take on fewer clients than firms to provide high-touch, on-demand support.
Unlike working with a firm, you’ll get direct access to the person building your People programs—me!
I know which People programs investors look for as part of due diligence and can help you secure funding.
I am well-versed in SOC 2 compliance and have helped several clients get their SOC 2 certification.
I approach my work through a trauma-informed lens and have the training to back it up.
I am committed to building workplaces where all people feel safe, seen, and supported.
Why Work with Me
Ways to Work With Me
As your fractional HR Leader:
I become an embedded leader serving as an extension of your leadership team, providing strategic guidance AND hands-on execution
I personally build and implement your People programs and processes
I serve as an employee-facing HR resource for your people leaders and their teams
Best for: Companies needing both HR strategy and execution support
Fractional HR
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$7,000 - $12,000k/mo
As your strategic HR Advisor:
I provide strategic HR guidance to the executive team, but your team handles implementation internally
I share expertise, frameworks, and recommendations for YOUR team to execute
I make targeted introductions to HR vendors and talent in my network
Best for: Companies with internal resources who just need expert direction
HR Advisory
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$2,000 - $4,000/mo
Building HR or People Ops tech?
Get feedback from someone who's actually used these tools.
I've implemented dozens of HR tools across industries and know what drives adoption versus what just sounds impressive in demos.
Product Advisory
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Varies based on time commitment.
Things I Help Clients With
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Think of onboarding as your company's user interface—it's your new employees' first interaction with your organizational "software."
Just like an intuitive UI, a well-designed onboarding program drives adoption and engagement from day one. I can help you create an onboarding experience that turns new talent into power users of your culture and processes.
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Your training & development offerings are no different than your product development pipeline—without constant iteration, your talent becomes outdated.
Each training opportunity acts as a new feature release, enhancing your organization's capabilities and the caliber of talent on your team.
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Think of organizational design as your company's codebase architecture.
Just as clean code enables scalability and collaboration, thoughtful org design creates clear roles and efficient workflows. I'll help you build a structure that minimizes "technical debt" and enables seamless growth.
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Similar to tracking user metrics across your product, effective performance management provides real-time insights into your team's productivity and health.
Together, we can implement systems that help you identify top performers, address bottlenecks, and optimize team output. This data-driven approach enables smarter decisions about your most valuable resource—your people.
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Your compensation & benefits [also known as Total Rewards] package is like your product's feature set—base salary is the core offering, while benefits are the premium add-ons that differentiate you from competitors.
I'll help you design a competitive "employment product" that attracts and retains top talent, complete with the right mix of base, benefits, and equity to drive long-term success.
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Employee engagement is your workforce's "stickiness" factor. Just like you want your product to become indispensable to users, I'll help create an environment where employees become deeply integrated into your company culture.
The result? A loyal team of advocates who are excited to contribute to your success every day.
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Think of manager coaching as continuously refining your product-market fit. Like products need iteration based on user feedback, managers need to adapt their leadership style to serve their teams effectively.
I'll coach your People Leaders to help them test new approaches, fix leadership "bugs," and achieve optimal performance from their teams.
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A strong HR tech stack is like the development platform that powers your product. Without the right tools, managing your workforce becomes inefficient and error-prone.
I'll help you build an HR infrastructure that automates processes, unlocks data insights, and scales alongside your growth.
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While not as exciting as your latest product launch, HR compliance is your company's security system. I'll help you navigate labor laws and regulations while collaborating with your Legal Counsel to protect your business so you can focus on innovation without worrying about accidental compliance "bugs."
"If I could clone Jessica, I would! I rely on her for her sound judgment and ability to navigate any employee situation that comes her way. She understands how to balance creating a great employee experience while meeting the needs of the business. As a leader, she is practical, realistic, empathetic, and proactive. I would work with Jessica again in a heartbeat."
The Receipts
— Anna, Operating Partner | VC Firm
“Jessica has been wonderful to work with. She does not just complete something but takes the extra step to explain what she did, and why ensuring that you have the information for future reference or trainings. She is incredibly capable and able to work with minimal guidance. She is also very accessible and responds quickly to questions. We are very lucky to have found her to roll out our performance management process.”
— Jen, COO | Series B, Cybersecurity
"Jessica was a great addition to our team in a time where we needed People Operations leadership. She is a great communicator and passionate about people. Our People Ops functions would not be where it is today without her.”
— Kevin, CFO | Series B, EdTech
As a founding member of the Fractional People People community, if I’m not a fit for your needs, I’m happy to help you find someone who is.
Your Questions, Answered
What is your approach to HR or People Ops?
My approach centers on crafting exceptional employee experiences because I've seen how transformative it can be when team members feel truly valued and supported.
Employees who feel empowered and appreciated consistently go above and beyond—not because they have to, but because they want to. Their enthusiasm and dedication naturally flow into every customer interaction, driving excellence across the business.
When you invest in your people, you're not just building a better workplace—you're laying the foundation for extraordinary business outcomes.
I specialize in partnering with high-growth startups, primarily working with Seed to Series B companies with fewer than 100 employees. While my sweet spot lies in supporting scaling organizations through their crucial growth phases, I selectively collaborate with both smaller and larger companies when there's a strong alignment between their people-focused initiatives and my areas of expertise.
Do you only support tech startups?
15 years leading HR teams
5 years of fractional experience
Bachelor's Degree in Human Resources
Professional in HR (PHR) certified
Trauma-Informed Workplace Practitioner certified
Korn Ferry Leadership Architect certified
Korn Ferry 360 certified
What are your qualifications?
Ready to get started?
Book a free consultation to see if I’m a fit for your team!
Building accessible and inclusive workplaces isn’t just a goal—it’s the foundation of everything I do.
It’s also just smart business.