Global People Operations Partner

Saildrone • Alameda, CA

4h • $165,000 - $210,000 • Onsite

About The Position

Saildrone is seeking a Staff Global People Ops Partner to join its People Operations team. Reporting directly to the Director, People Ops & Total Rewards, this role will integrate newly established international entities with headquarters systems and lead People Operations buildout for emerging regions worldwide. The role serves as a global compliance expert and bridge between external Employer of Record (EOR) partners and internal Recruiting and Operations teams, ensuring adherence to international employment laws, U.S. export controls, and regional mandates.

The People Operations team drives the people strategy that enables Saildrone to scale globally. It establishes scalable, culturally integrated, and legally compliant international employment frameworks in support of the company's autonomous platforms and work in a complex maritime and defense environment. The role is based at the Alameda headquarters and requires domestic and international travel.

Requirements

• 10+ years of progressive experience in Global People Operations, Global Mobility, or International HR Compliance within a rapidly scaling hardware, defense, or maritime technology company.
• Deep expertise in the legal and compliance structures of Employer of Record platforms and ability to partner with Recruiting on safe, legal international hiring.
• Proven experience executing HR operations and establishing new entities in diverse international markets, with knowledge of regional work authorizations and labor laws.
• Demonstrated ability to integrate international subsidiaries into U.S.-headquartered organizations, including HRIS and payroll systems and cultural alignment through onboarding and training.
• Strong working knowledge of U.S. export control regulations (ITAR/EAR) as they apply to global hiring and technology transfer.
• Exceptional cross-cultural communication skills and ability to translate complex regulatory constraints into actionable strategies for hiring managers.
• Ability to work in the office five days per week at the Alameda headquarters.
• Willingness to travel domestically and internationally 10–25% of the time.

Nice To Haves

• Experience managing employment frameworks for maritime personnel, offshore workers, or commercial seafarers.

Responsibilities

• Lead People Operations strategy for emerging markets across global regions, including local recruitment frameworks, culturally and legally compliant benefits packages, and adherence to regional labor laws.
• Serve as the bridge between international entities and Alameda headquarters, standardizing HRIS, payroll, and performance management systems and designing onboarding and training programs that integrate global employees into Saildrone's culture.
• Act as the primary compliance authority for hiring through EOR partners, ensuring contracts correctly classify workers and comply with local labor laws to mitigate misclassification risks.
• Partner with Recruiting to integrate EOR solutions into talent acquisition and advise recruiters on regional legal and compliance requirements before offers are extended.
• Oversee compliance for transitioning international independent contractors to EOR employees where required by local regulations, including liability and insurance requirements.
• Manage the end-to-end immigration lifecycle for global transfers and localized hires, partnering with external counsel on work visas.
• Partner with Legal to develop screening processes for international applicants and EOR hires that comply with U.S. export controls (ITAR/EAR) regarding foreign nationals' access to technology.
• Partner with consultants on employment of seafarers operating in international waters, alignment with maritime labor conventions and regional maritime law, and specialized expatriate and maritime medical plans.

Benefits

• Competitive paid time off accrual, annual holiday schedule, and paid sick leave.
• Medical, dental, and vision plans with significant company contributions for employees and dependents.
• Equity grants.
• 401(k) retirement plan with pre-tax and Roth payroll contribution options.
• Annual professional development reimbursement program.
• Relocation assistance for eligible roles.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: No Education Listed