Build The Systems.
Grow The People.
I'm Jennifer VanderArend, a Bay Area–based consultant helping mission-driven small and mid-size organizations build onboarding programs, develop their managers, and market with clarity, all with one integrated partner.
The Challenge
Growing organizations are stuck in the same trap.
You have big goals but limited bandwidth. The people work, the culture work, and the marketing work all fall on whoever has five free minutes.
New hires lack a real onboarding experience and are thrown in and expected to figure it out.
Managers want to lead well but have no training, frameworks, or support to do it.
Marketing feels scattered with no clear strategy, no alignment with business goals.
The Solution
One partner. Three capabilities. Real results.
Instead of managing three separate vendors for people ops, learning & development, and marketing, you get one integrated partner who builds it all and makes it work together. I’ve spent my career in both HR & staff development and marketing, which means I understand how people strategy and business strategy connect. Everything I build is practical, turnkey, and designed to be used, not filed away.
People Systems Onboarding programs, mentorship design, engagement frameworks, and performance review systems that are built to last.
Leadership development Coaching for managers and leaders that includes feedback frameworks, growth plans, and confidence-building that actually sticks.
Marketing + design Fractional marketing leadership, brand positioning, strategy audits, and execution support so your marketing actually drives the business forward.
Whether you're a founder building people systems for the first time, an HR leader who needs a strategic partner, a marketing director who needs fractional support, or a manager who wants to lead better, this work is designed for you.
My Approach
A clear, structured process from day one.
Everything starts with listening. Everything ends with something you can actually use.
Discover
Listen, learn, baseline your people & systems
Align
Identify gaps, set shared priorities
Design
Build practical tools, programs & strategies
Implement
Roll out with clear accountability and structure
Grow
Measure, reflect, continuously improve
Service Tiers
Ready to build something that actually works?
Let’s start with a free discovery call, no pressure, no jargon. Just a conversation about where you are and where you want to go.
All retainers require a 3-month minimum engagement.
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8-10 Hours/Mth
People Systems
Basic onboarding roadmap
Standardized templates and tools
Employee engagement touchpoints
Monthly implementation doc
Leadership Development
1 strategy call/month
Marketing Strategy
Basic marketing strategy touchpoints
Brand alignment guidance
Scope and pricing are tailored after a discovery call.
Best for organizations beginning to formalize people systems and needing light marketing direction.
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15-20 Hours/Mth
People Systems
Custom onboarding framework
Mentorship program design
Engagement surveys + follow-up
Progress tracking tools
Leadership Development
Manager coaching (1–2 people)
2 strategy calls/month
Marketing Strategy
Marketing strategy audit
Channel alignment + prioritization
Employer brand touchpoints
Scope and pricing are tailored after a discovery call.
Best for scaling teams that need structured people programs, leadership support, and marketing direction from one integrated partner.
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30-35 Hours/Mth
People Systems
Fractional People & Dev lead
Full onboarding redesign + rollout
Performance system buildout
Direct implementation
Leadership Development
Leadership coaching - 3–4 calls/month (strategy + implementation)
Leadership presentations + metrics
Marketing Strategy
Fractional marketing leadership
Brand positioning + strategy
Marketing advisory + design
Internal communications strategy
Custom pricing
Best for organizations that need embedded, hands-on senior leadership across people and marketing.
Ad Hoc Services
Not ready for a retainer? Let's tackle one thing at a time.
Sometimes you don't need an ongoing partner; you just need one problem solved well. These standalone projects are scoped individually and delivered without a monthly commitment.
Pricing is scoped after a discovery call. No 3-month minimum required.
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Onboarding design workshop
30-60-90 day plan toolkit
Employee handbook rewrite
Performance review system design
Talent mapping session
Mentorship program design
Employee engagement survey (design + analysis)
HR strategy audit
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Leadership and manager enablement session
Core values development workshop
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Marketing strategy audit
Brand positioning session
Employer brand/recruiting campaign
Website design/launch
Digital marketing (social media, email, SEO)
Content strategy & development
Graphic design
Event strategy/sponsorship & partnerships
Get in Touch
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She is an exceptional leader who excels at planning, organizing, and executing projects with precision. Jennifer's ability to develop and implement effective strategies while keeping everything on track is truly impressive.
Vitina Mandella, Associate Vice President, BKF Engineers
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Jennifer was able to bring her leadership to staff development, mentoring, on-boarding, recruiting campaigns, training processes, and internal communication strategies. She helped me move some progressive ideas to the forefront of our company culture discussion and is a great resource, advocate and educator for developing my own leadership skills.
Bill Sowa, Principal, HMH
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She built and managed both the HR and marketing departments, introduced a performance review framework that improved feedback and growth, and implemented onboarding tools that strengthened team development.
Thuy Fontelera, Founder, Element Structural Engineers
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I had a great experience working with Jennifer. She led proposal and BD efforts for our firm across projects small and large. She excelled at weaving many loosely connected thoughts into compelling stories and cohesive arguments, strengthening our proposals and presentations. More importantly, Jennifer brought a livelihood and energy that was contagious and a desire to always do better and out perform prior efforts.
Jon Cacciotti, P.E. President/CEO
HMH -
Jennifer brought strong leadership, mentorship, and organizational skills to her role as head of our marketing team. She was deeply committed to developing her team and was a trusted mentor who helped others grow professionally. She also excelled at building effective marketing systems and processes, bringing greater structure and consistency to the department. Her ability to combine responsive leadership with operational thinking was a real strength and an important contribution to our organization.
Karen Parolek, Principal and CFO
Opticos Design -
Jennifer brings a rare balance of hearing and seeing, asking the right questions, and offering coaching towards growth. She helps you anchor ideas in reality so you can move forward and achieve your objectives.
Taissia Belozerova, Head of Commercial Operations, Bidease Works
FAQs
Who do you work with?Mission-driven small and mid-size organizations, typically 15–250 employees, that are growing faster than their people systems. Many are B Corps, nonprofits, and professional services firms such as engineering and architecture.
What does a people systems consultant do?I design the structures that help employees ramp up and grow: onboarding programs, 30-60-90 day plans, mentorship programs, performance review frameworks, and manager development.
Do I need a retainer?No. Retainers start at a 3-month minimum, but you can also hire me for a single project, like an onboarding redesign or a brand positioning session.
Where are you located?I'm based in the Bay Area, California. I work in person across the greater Bay Area, and remotely with clients anywhere in the U.S.
How do we get started?Book a free 30-minute discovery call. We'll talk through what's working, what isn't, and whether a project or retainer makes sense.
Why combine people development and marketing?Because your culture and your brand are the same story. Organizations that onboard and develop people well are easier to market, recruit for, and grow.