Head of People Operations
San Francisco, CANew York, NYPeople OpsOnsite8+ YOE
Summary
Own People Ops end-to-end at a fast-scaling AI company: HRIS (Rippling), compliance, global employment, benefits, policy, and automations. Report to VP of People and build a small team.
About the role
Responsibilities
- Own People Ops end-to-end: HRIS integrity, benefits administration, leave and accommodations management, compliance, onboarding and offboarding programs
- Build and maintain compliance layer: US multi-state requirements, global employment law, contractor vs. FTE classification, immigration case coordination, audit readiness (I-9, ERISA Wrap, Flex Plan)
- Own Rippling as system of record: workflow configuration, data integrity, onboarding/offboarding automation, payroll coordination
- Lead global employment operations: EoR provider relationships, international contractor agreements, scalable infrastructure for US, UK, EU, and beyond
- Architect and govern People policies: employee handbook, leave frameworks (medical, parental, personal), STD/LTD administration, outside activity and IP policies
- Build People Ops automations and workflows using Zapier, Make, or LLM-assisted tools
- Own employee relations and accommodations with appropriate confidentiality and documentation
- Contribute to People data and reporting: headcount data integrity, turnover reporting, onboarding metrics
- Evaluate and govern AI tools used in People Ops for accuracy, data handling, fairness, and auditability
- Support SOC2 and audit readiness: document people-related controls and maintain readiness
- Build a small team of 1-2 People Ops coordinators as the company grows
Requirements
- 8+ years in People Ops or HR Operations, with meaningful time owning a People Ops function at a high-growth technology company through a significant scale-up phase
- Deep, hands-on Rippling experience — workflow config, data integrity, reporting, onboarding flows
- Global employment experience across multiple regions — EoR coordination (Rippling Global, Multiplier, Remote, Deel, or similar), international contractor structuring, cross-border compliance
- Built automations and workflows yourself using Zapier, Make, or LLM-assisted workflows
- Strong working knowledge of California employment law and multi-state compliance, including leave administration, accommodations, and contractor classification
- Proven track record building compliance and policy infrastructure from near-zero, including leave frameworks, employment policies, and handbook governance
- Benefits administration and vendor management experience — brokers, carriers, EoR providers, background check vendors
- Comfort operating at multiple altitudes — advise on policy architecture and fix broken workflows
- High ownership orientation
- AI tool fluency — actively use AI tools, have opinions on leverage in People Ops, bring judgment to governance
Nice-to-Haves
- Experience at a high-growth AI or developer tools company
- Have used or experimented with LangChain, LangSmith, or LangGraph
- Opinion on what an AI-native People Ops function looks like
- Experience standing up STD/LTD, 401(k) match, or similar benefits programs from scratch
- Direct experience engaging outside employment counsel on policy or ER matters
- SOC2 or similar compliance audit experience on the People side
Compensation & Benefits
- Competitive compensation including base salary, meaningful equity, and benefits
- Health, dental, and vision coverage
- Flexible vacation
- 401(k) plan with employer match
- Phone and wellness stipends
- Life insurance
- Team members in the EU, UK, and APAC receive locally competitive benefits aligned with regional norms and regulations
Skills
RipplingHRISGlobal EmploymentEoRComplianceCalifornia Employment LawZapierMakeWorkflow AutomationSOC2Benefits AdministrationEmployee Relations