Founding People Partner Manager

Allocate•Palo Alto, CA

4h•Hybrid

About The Position

Allocate is seeking its first People Partner to build its People and Talent function from the ground up. This role combines strategic planning with hands-on operational work, designing and leading people and talent processes, initiatives, and programs that support employees throughout their time at Allocate and align with the company’s business goals. The ideal candidate is comfortable with ambiguity, systems thinking, and connecting people initiatives to measurable business outcomes. The role will help define the People and Talent roadmap and lead initiatives across the employee lifecycle, including learning, rewards and recognition, talent planning, engagement, talent operations, onboarding, and employee support. It will use employee feedback and organizational metrics to advise leaders on organizational health, engagement, and retention, and to continuously improve programs. The People Partner will also help select and implement the HR technology ecosystem, improve workflows and data integrity, and build scalable processes that provide a smooth employee experience as Allocate grows across multiple geographies. The position partners with managers on people issues, team effectiveness, and issue resolution, using sound judgment and empathy. It also supports employees with practical concerns such as leaves and benefits. The role is hybrid and onsite in Palo Alto, California; travel may be required for company offsites, and a broadband internet connection is required.

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 as an HR Business Partner or People Partner.
Demonstrated experience building People and Talent/recruiting operations processes and workflows from scratch.
Experience designing, building, and leading employee lifecycle programs, especially onboarding, talent development, and engagement initiatives 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 in fast-paced, high-growth environments and partnering with managers and stakeholders to turn team needs into company-wide programs.
Strong project management, prioritization, and stakeholder management skills.
Operational and organizational problem-solving capabilities, including moving from ambiguity to execution and following through.
Ability to work autonomously in ambiguous, fast-paced environments with agency, urgency, and sound judgment.
Ability to balance empathy, risk, and business needs in decision-making.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to simplify complex issues and adapt communication to different audiences and organizational levels.
Broadband internet connection required.

Nice To Haves

Experience leading an RFP for HRIS evaluations.
Experience leading an HRIS implementation.

Responsibilities

Help define a roadmap for building the People and Talent organization in alignment with company goals and employee needs.
Design and lead strategic people initiatives across the employee lifecycle, including learning programs, rewards and recognition, talent planning, and engagement.
Translate organizational metrics and team feedback into insights and recommendations for leaders on organizational health, engagement, and retention.
Use feedback and insights to iterate on people initiatives to meet employee and business needs.
Help architect and implement the HR technology ecosystem across talent and people operations, including HRIS, ATS, performance management, onboarding, compensation, and benefits tools.
Evaluate internal processes and workflows to identify automation opportunities, improve operational efficiency and data integrity, and enhance scalable employee self-service.
Build repeatable, scalable processes for a seamless employee lifecycle, from candidate experience and talent operations through onboarding, orientation, and employee performance.
Advise managers on people issues, team effectiveness, and resolving issues with sound judgment and empathy.
Support employees with concerns such as leaves and benefits.
Stay current on technological change and integrate AI-assisted tools into daily workflows.