Title: People Business Partner (HRBP)
Location: Austin, TX / Dallas, TX (hybrid)
Reports To: Principal, Sr. People Strategy Partner
About You:You are a credible, independent People Business Partner who thrives in complex, customer-facing environments. You bring hands-on experience supporting Sales, Service, or Claims organizations - and you understand the pace, accountability culture, and people dynamics that come with them. You manage the full HRBP cycle without day-to-day oversight: diagnosing org health issues, navigating employee relations (ER) with sound judgment, and translating business problems into people solutions that land.
You're as comfortable coaching a frontline manager through a difficult performance conversation as you are synthesizing engagement data to brief a senior leader. You hold a high bar for consistency and confidentiality, and you build trust quickly - with the people in the room and the ones who aren't. You bring a working knowledge of insurance, financial services, or a similarly regulated industry, and you're not looking to be handed a playbook.
What You'll Do: - Serve primarily as the People Business Partner for customer-facing functions including Sales, Service, and/or Claims - advising leaders on org health, talent, performance, and workforce planning
- Translate business challenges into people recommendations; anticipate people risks before they become operational problems and bring a clear point of view to leadership
- Coach frontline and mid-level managers on performance management, difficult conversations, and team development with consistency and practical guidance
- Partner with L&D to strengthen manager and leadership effectiveness; connect managers to the right resources and close capability gaps within your client groups
- Drive culture and engagement within your client groups by identifying issues early, facilitating solutions, and tracking measurable progress
- Execute ER case management across Hippo from intake through resolution, with disciplined documentation and risk-aware judgment
- Advise managers on policy interpretation, conduct matters, and performance actions; ensure consistent and legally compliant application across client groups
- Partner with People Operations, Talent Acquisition, People Programs, and Total Rewards (compensation & benefits) to deliver integrated people programs; interpret workforce data to surface trends and actionable recommendations
- Contribute to cross-functional People initiatives and support the Director, People Business Partnerships on enterprise priorities as needed
Must Haves: - Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field; advanced degree a plus
- 5+ years of progressive HR Business Partner experience with demonstrated depth in employee relations and performance management
- Experience supporting Sales, Service, or Claims organizations - you understand the pace and accountability culture of customer-facing, operationally intensive functions
- Strong analytical capability; able to interpret workforce data, identify trends, and translate findings into clear recommendations
- Demonstrated ability to manage ER matters independently and in a consistent, risk-aware, and legally sound manner from intake through resolution
- Exceptional judgment, confidentiality, and the ability to build trust quickly with managers and leaders at all levels
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills; able to advise with clarity and hold a position under pressure
- Experience in insurance, financial services, banking, or a similarly regulated industry strongly preferred; familiarity with technology-enabled or operationally complex environments a plus
Nice to Haves: - Property & Casualty insurance experience
- HR certifications a plus: SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, SPHR, or GPHR
Benefits and PerksHippo treats its team members with the same level of dedication and care as we do our customers, which is why we're fortunate to provide all of our Hippos with:
- Healthy Hippos Benefits - Multiple medical plan options, 100% covered dental and vision for you and your family, and a wellness program that rewards healthy habits. We also offer a 401(k)-retirement plan, short & long-term disability, employer-paid life insurance, Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) for health and dependent care, and an Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
- Equity -This position is eligible for equity compensation
- Training and Career Growth - Training and internal career growth opportunities
- Flexible Time Off - You know when and how you should recharge
- Little Hippos Program - We offer 12 weeks of parental leave for primary and secondary caregivers
- Hippo Habitat - Snacks and drinks available and catered lunches for onsite employees
