The HR Manager (HRM) is a hands-on people partner who can flex across the full employee lifecycle while operating as a trusted business partner to a select client group. Reporting to the Sr. Director of HR, this role works alongside the HR Operations Manager supporting ~250 employees globally. This position is a hybrid role located in Palo Alto, CA.
The HRM is an owner/operator with range. This role runs employee relations cases end to end, partners with managers on performance and coaching, own lifecycle programs from orientation through offboarding, and co-leads people programs like engagement and performance cycles. The right person is comfortable moving between tactical execution and advisory work on the same day.
What You'll Do
Employee Lifecycle
- Own new hire Day One orientation and the onboarding experience across global time zones, partnering with Talent Acquisition, IT, and hiring managers; continuously improve content to reflect company strategy and culture.
- Manage offboarding and terminations case by case: exit logistics, severance tracking, exit interviews, etc. Partner with IT and legal holds to ensure a smooth, compliant and complete transition.
- Ensure lifecycle events (transfers, promotions, manager changes) are handled consistently and documented accurately.
Employee Relations & Business Partnership
- Serve as the primary HR partner for a select client group: coach on performance conversations, team dynamics, and difficult situations.
- Own employee relations cases end to end (intake, investigation, documentation, resolution), escalating to the Sr. Director of HR and Legal as appropriate.
- Own leave management: coordinate leaves of absence (via Tilt), accommodations, and return-to-work plans.
- Act as a trusted, approachable first point of contact for employee questions on policies, time off, and workplace concerns.
Payroll (Domestic & Global)
- Own payroll execution by managing external Payroll Consultant across the US and international geos.
- Partner with Finance and the HR Operations Manager for accurate, timely processing.
People Programs
- Co-lead culture and engagement programs with the HR Operations Manager: All-Hands logistics, recognition, employer branding, and the engagement calendar/roadmap.
- Manage engagement and benefits surveys; analyze trends and bring recommendations to the People team.
- Support performance review cycles alongside the Sr. Director of HR, including manager enablement and communications.
- Recommend and lead new initiatives to enhance culture and communication across the organization.
Compliance & Operations Flex
- Support accurate employee records in Rippling HRIS and support audits, documentation, and compliance reporting.
- Support multi-state and global employment compliance in partnership with the HR Operations Manager and Legal.
- Flex into HR operations projects (systems, workflows, vendor coordination) as needed.
What You'll Bring
- 5-8+ years of progressive HR experience, including time as an HR Generalist or HRBP in a high-growth tech or startup environment.
- 2+ years demonstrated experience as a HR business partner to select client groups, preferably with technical teams (manager coaching, performance management, organizational guidance, etc)
- Hands-on experience managing employee relations cases and leaves of absence with sound judgment, discretion, and clean documentation.
- Working knowledge of US multi-state employment practices and exposure to supporting employees internationally (UK, AU, CA, or via EOR).
- Experience with payroll coordination and HRIS administration; Rippling experience strongly preferred.
- Program management experience: able to run engagement, survey, and performance-cycle programs end to end.
- Comfort with ambiguity and context-switching on a lean team: equally effective owning a sensitive ER case and setting up a new hire's Day One.
- Ability to handle confidential information with integrity and build trust at every level of the organization.
Nice to Have
- SHRM-CP/SCP or PHR/SPHR certification.
- Experience in cybersecurity or B2B SaaS.
- Experience supporting manager training or L&D programming.
- Familiarity with tools in our stack: Rippling, Tilt, AllVoices, Envoy, Pave.