Director, People Operational Excellence & AI

Rivian•Palo Alto, CA

About The Position

Rivian is on a mission to keep the world adventurous forever. This goes for the emissions-free Electric Adventure Vehicles we build, and the curious, courageous souls we seek to attract. As a company, we constantly challenge what’s possible, never simply accepting what has always been done. We reframe old problems, seek new solutions and operate comfortably in areas that are unknown. Our backgrounds are diverse, but our team shares a love of the outdoors and a desire to protect it for future generations. We are seeking a Director, People Operational Excellence & AI to evolve and scale how work gets done across the People organization. This role sits at the intersection of HR operations, process design, digital enablement, and AI, with a clear mandate: simplify, standardize, and modernize People processes so our teams can move faster, with more clarity and impact. You will lead a small, high-impact team focused on mapping work, redesigning end-to-end People journeys, and embedding AI-enabled capabilities into the way we deliver services to candidates, employees, managers, and leaders. As a critical connector between People and IT, you will translate People needs into platform requirements and help shape how Workday, ServiceNow, iCMS and emerging AI solutions work together to support a scalable, data-driven People ecosystem.Why This Role Matters Design the People Operating System: You will define how core People work is structured, standardized, and executed—from COEs to Shared Services to People Partners—so that Rivian can scale without losing clarity or quality. Unlock Capacity with AI & Automation: By thoughtfully applying AI, workflow automation, and better knowledge management, you will help teams move from manual, reactive work to proactive, strategic impact. Connect People, Process, and Platforms: You will act as a bridge between People, IT, and Systems, ensuring that our technology stack (Workday, ServiceNow, iCMS, and new AI tools) actually reflects how work happens on the ground. Drive Change at a Pivotal Moment: As Rivian grows and our footprint expands, this role will be central to how we standardize global practices, enable Shared Services, and build the People infrastructure that supports long

Requirements

10+ years of experience in People Operations, HR transformation, operational excellence, or related fields within complex, scaling organizations.
Demonstrated experience leading process redesign, work transitions, shared-services enablement, or HR operating model changes.
Strong working knowledge of People technology ecosystems, including Workday and ServiceNow, and familiarity with ATS platforms (e.g., iCMS) and how workflows, data, and integrations support People processes.
Familiarity with AI and automation concepts (e.g., workflow automation, knowledge management, agent assist, analytics) and their application within service delivery or operational environments.
Proven systems thinker who can connect strategy, operations, experience, and technology into coherent, actionable roadmaps.
Experience partnering closely with IT and digital teams to define requirements, evaluate solution options, and prioritize work across platforms.
Excellent communication, facilitation, and storytelling skills, with the ability to synthesize complex operational and technical inputs and guide cross-functional decision-making.
Proven ability to set direction, delegate effectively, and manage capacity across a team during periods of high change.
Track record of building inclusive, high-trust team cultures that balance performance, growth, and well-being.
Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree or equivalent experience preferred.

Nice To Haves

Experience in high-growth technology, EV, manufacturing, or similarly complex environments.
Background in Lean, Six Sigma, design thinking, or service design applied to People/HR processes.
Prior responsibility for global HR operations, shared services, or HR service delivery models.

Responsibilities

Lead and develop a small team responsible for work mapping, process redesign, and new ways of working across the People organization.
Set clear goals, operating rhythms, and standards for the team, including diagnostics, pilots, and scaled rollouts.
Coach and performance-manage team members, creating opportunities for growth, stretch assignments, and cross-functional exposure.
Lead initiatives that re-balance and realign work across the People organization, identifying what should be standardized, centralized, or redesigned to improve scale, clarity, and experience.
Partner with COEs, People Partners, and Shared Services to determine where work should live over time and guide transitions, ensuring continuity, quality, and readiness.
Support the evolution of the People operating model, focusing on how work actually gets done—not just how the org chart is drawn.
Own end-to-end process redesign for priority People journeys (e.g., onboarding, job changes, performance, rewards) especially where work crosses teams, systems, or regions.
Establish common standards for process design, documentation, and handoffs to reduce variability and enable smoother execution.
Ensure processes are clearly documented and accessible, supporting training, adoption, and ongoing improvement.
Identify friction points, inefficiencies, and avoidable demand, and lead simplification efforts with measurable impact on experience and throughput.
Identify high-value opportunities to apply AI, workflow automation, and knowledge management to People processes to improve experience, quality, and capacity.
Translate transformation goals into clear requirements and priorities for People platforms (Workday, ServiceNow, iCMS) and AI initiatives.
Partner closely with IT, People Systems, and Data teams to ensure solutions are designed around real People workflows, with strong measurement and feedback loops.
Lead change management, communication, and adoption strategies for work transitions, process redesign, and new digital capabilities.
Build strong partnerships with COEs, People Partners, Shared Services, and IT to align priorities, sequencing, and messaging.
Coach and influence leaders and teams through periods of transition, helping them navigate trade-offs, clarify roles, and embed new ways of working.