Founding People Partner Manager

Allocate•Palo Alto, CA

2d•$160,000 - $190,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Allocate is seeking its first People Partner to build the People and Talent function from the ground up. This role designs and leads people and talent operations, initiatives, and programs that support employees throughout their time at Allocate and align with company business goals. The position combines strategic planning with hands-on operational work, and calls for someone comfortable with ambiguity, systems thinking, and connecting people initiatives to measurable business outcomes. The role encompasses employee lifecycle programs, organizational insights, HR technology, process improvement, scalable workflows, and advising managers and employees. The People Partner will help establish a smooth experience from candidate operations and onboarding through employee development and performance, while supporting the company’s growth across multiple geographies. The position is hybrid onsite in Palo Alto, California. Travel may be required for company offsites, and a broadband internet connection is required. All I-9-eligible candidates will be considered. Compensation is $160,000–$190,000 base, with bonus and equity eligibility. The role is full-time.

Requirements

At least 8 years of progressive HR/People experience.
At least 5 years operating in a dedicated People Operations Lead role in a fast-paced, high-growth startup environment.
At least 3 years of experience as an HR Business Partner or People Partner.
Proven experience building people and talent/recruiting operations processes and workflows from scratch.
Experience designing and leading people programs across the employee lifecycle, especially onboarding, talent development, and engagement, during significant growth.
Ability to translate complex initiatives into clear narratives, priorities, and actionable next steps.
Deep familiarity with modern HR and recruiting platforms and tools.
Demonstrated success leading complex cross-functional initiatives and partnering with managers and stakeholders to diagnose needs and develop company-wide programs.
Strong project management, prioritization, and stakeholder management skills, with operational and organizational problem-solving ability.
Ability to operate autonomously in ambiguous, fast-paced environments and exercise sound judgment balancing empathy, risk, and business needs.
Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to simplify complex issues and adapt communication to different audiences and situations.
Broadband internet connection required.
All candidates must be I-9 eligible.

Nice To Haves

Experience leading an RFP for HRIS evaluations.
Experience implementing an HRIS.
Familiarity with tools such as Ashby, TriNet, Rippling, CultureAmp, Complete, Lattice, and Vanta.

Responsibilities

Help define the roadmap for building the People and Talent organization in alignment with business goals and employee lifecycle needs.
Design and lead employee lifecycle initiatives, including learning programs, rewards and recognition, talent planning, and engagement.
Analyze key metrics and team feedback to provide leaders with insights and recommendations on organizational health, engagement, and retention, and use those insights to improve initiatives.
Help architect and implement the HR technology stack across talent and people operations, including HRIS, ATS, performance management, onboarding, compensation, and benefits platforms.
Evaluate internal processes and workflows to identify automation and efficiency opportunities, ensure data integrity, and improve scalable employee self-service across geographies.
Build repeatable, scalable workflows that create a smooth employee experience from candidate operations and onboarding through development into a high-performing team member.
Advise managers on people issues, team effectiveness, and issue resolution with sound judgment and empathy.
Support employees with concerns such as leaves and benefits.
Integrate AI-assisted tools into daily work and stay current with evolving technology.