Reporting directly to the CEO, the Associate Director of HR Operations serves as the sole HR resource managing day-to-day international HR operations and will be a member of the executive leadership team. This is a high-impact, strategic role that spans the full human resources lifecycle from talent acquisition and compensation design to compliance, benefits, and optimizing HR systems and processes across the HRIS infrastructure. The ideal candidate is an experienced, execution-oriented HR professional who thrives on change, can operate as a department of one with the ability to select and leverage external support resources, and will advise the CEO and executive team on workforce strategy and management.
Location: Emeryville, CA. This position requires on-site daily attendance in Emeryville, California.
Responsibilities:Strategic HR Partnership & Organizational Design- Serve as primary HR Business Partner to the CEO and C-suite, advising on workforce strategy, organizational design, performance, compensation, and risk management.
- Partner with the CEO and board on headcount planning, reduction-in-force design, and organizational restructuring, including communication strategy and change management execution.
- Advise functional leaders (Sales, R&D, Operations, G&A) on employee relations, performance management, and talent development.
Talent Acquisition & Onboarding- Own end-to-end recruiting across all functions, including job description development, sourcing strategy, interview coordination, offer preparation, and ATS management; partner with external recruiting firms to support high-priority searches.
- Design and execute inclusive, high-quality onboarding experiences, including background checks, I-9/E-Verify compliance, and new hire systems setup.
Compensation, Benefits & Total Rewards- Maintain and evolve the company's compensation philosophy and leveling framework, including market benchmarking, pay equity reviews, and offer, merit, and promotion documentation with defensible, board-ready language.
- Lead annual open enrollment and ongoing benefits administration in partnership with our benefits broker and carriers; evaluate plan competitiveness and oversee equity program administration and annual merit, bonus, and equity cycles.
HRIS, Operations & Compliance- Own HRIS strategy, administration, and continuous process improvement, partnering with Finance and Operations to optimize people systems as the HRIS stack evolves.
- Improve and Maintain comprehensive employee records and ensure compliance with California, federal, and international employment laws; manage international employment infrastructure via Employer of Record for globally distributed employees.
- Improve and Maintain audit-ready HR documentation and support legal counsel on employment matters, including investigations, separations, and related QA responsibilities.
Employee Experience & Policy- Improve and Maintain the Employee Handbook, HR policies, and labor & human rights documentation.
- Direct the performance management infrastructure, including semi-annual review cycles, calibrations, promotions, and coaching support for managers, along with employee engagement, training, and development initiatives.
- Own employer branding and reputation initiatives; manage offboarding, including exit interviews, separation documentation, and benefits continuation.
Requirements:- Minimum 6+ years of progressive HR generalist or HR business partner experience, ideally in a life sciences, biotech, or regulated environment.
- Demonstrated experience as a solo HR practitioner or department of one, with the ability to operate both strategically and administratively.
- Strong working knowledge of International (UK/EU) and California employment law, federal regulations, and international employment considerations (EU/UK a plus).
- Experience with HRIS systems (NetSuite SuitePeople) and ATS platforms (Greenhouse) are highly desired, with a demonstrated track record of driving HR process improvement and systems optimization.
- Proven ability to design and communicate compensation frameworks using market benchmarking data (Carta or equivalent).
- Experience with organizational change management, including planning and execution of workforce restructuring and reductions, .
- Executive-level communication skills; able to advise C-suite and middle management with sound judgment and well-reasoned recommendations.
- Highly organized, detail-oriented, and capable of managing multiple workstreams simultaneously.
Salary and Benefits:Our salary ranges are calculated by role and level. Your position within that range will be determined by your job-related knowledge, skills, experience, relevant education, and training/certifications. In addition to those factors, we also examine internal equity as well as consider current market rate, and title may be assessed one level lower or higher accordingly. After you join the company your performance, contributions, and results along with business and organizational needs will affect your base salary. The base salary range for this full-time position is between $120,000 - $140,000 + benefits.
