Head of People

Eka • Cambridge, MA

5d

About The Position

Eka Robotics is seeking a Head of People to build and lead its People function. The role partners closely with the leadership team on organizational and people-related questions as the company grows, including team structure, compensation and rewards, manager development, culture, and scalable People systems. The successful candidate will help create practical processes that support employees without unnecessary bureaucracy, including improving hiring and onboarding and establishing appropriately sized performance management and feedback practices.

This is a highly hands-on role combining strategic direction with direct execution. The Head of People will own the day-to-day People function and help develop programs and systems suited to a growing company, while advising leadership on organizational effectiveness and employee matters.

Requirements

• Broad experience across the People function, including People operations and employment/compliance fundamentals, as well as compensation, performance management, organizational design, and manager development.
• Firsthand experience at a fast-growing startup, ideally helping the organization scale through a meaningful stage of growth and change.
• Experience building or materially improving People programs and processes, rather than only operating within established systems.
• Strong working knowledge of compensation and equity in a venture-backed company, including the ability to help leadership develop a coherent employee rewards philosophy.
• Experience advising leadership on organizational and employee matters while also working directly with employees and handling day-to-day issues.
• Strong judgment and communication skills, particularly when navigating sensitive or ambiguous situations.
• Hands-on, low-ego operating style and judgment about when a growing company needs more structure and when it does not.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in robotics, AI, deep technology, or another highly technical environment.
• Experience helping technical individual contributors transition into first-time management roles.
• Experience supporting international or geographic expansion.
• Experience working with a PEO or similarly outsourced HR infrastructure.

Responsibilities

• Partner with leadership on organizational design, headcount planning, and how teams should evolve as the company scales.
• Refine compensation, leveling, and rewards philosophy, including salary structures, bonuses, equity grants, and refresh programs.
• Build practical approaches to performance, career development, manager training, and employee growth.
• Help define and strengthen Eka’s culture and employee experience.
• Own day-to-day People operations, including HR policies and processes, benefits, payroll, compliance, employee relations, and employee support, working with external partners where appropriate.
• Build lightweight, scalable People systems and work with the talent team to align recruiting and People strategy.
• Develop manager training and support, particularly for first-time managers and technical leaders.
• Advise leadership on employee relations, retention, organizational effectiveness, and other complex People matters.

What This Job Offers

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