Manager, People Operations

Rivian • Normal, IL

11d

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.

Role Summary

We are seeking a Manager, People Operations to lead the centralized delivery of People Team services across Rivian. In this role, you will oversee the day-to-day operations of our Tier 1 employee support model—ensuring requests are handled with consistency, speed, and care while building scalable, technology-enabled processes that grow with the company.
You will manage a team of employee experience specialists, partner closely with HR Centers of Excellence and HR Technology (Workday, ServiceNow), and use data to continuously improve how employees experience People services.
Why This Role Matters
Shape the Front Door of HR: This role defines how employees first experience People support—setting the tone for trust, responsiveness, and quality across Rivian.
Enable Scale Through Shared Services: You will build and refine a Tier 1 model that allows HR to scale efficiently while maintaining high standards of service and employee care.
Drive Technology-Enabled Excellence: By leveraging platforms like ServiceNow and Workday, you will help automate and streamline workflows, freeing teams to focus on more strategic work.
Turn Data into Better Experiences: Your use of SLAs, CSAT, and demand trends will directly influence how we prioritize investments, simplify processes, and resolve recurring pain points.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field.
• 5+ years of progressive experience in HR, Shared Services, or Employee Experience roles, with at least 2 years in a leadership or people-management capacity.
• Proven track record of successfully leading HR or shared-services projects and driving measurable improvements in service delivery.
• In-depth, hands-on experience with HR technologies, particularly ServiceNow and Workday, with a demonstrated ability to leverage technology for process optimization.
• Strong strategic thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills, with a data-driven approach to decision-making and prioritization.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to engage and influence stakeholders at all levels of the organization.
• Demonstrated ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
• Experience building, developing, and inspiring high-performing teams.
• Commitment to continuous learning and professional development in HR best practices, shared services, and enabling technologies.

Nice To Haves

• Advanced degree (e.g., MBA or Master’s in HR/OD) is preferred.
• Prior experience in a high-growth, technology, automotive, or manufacturing environment.
• Experience designing and scaling Tier 1 / HR Shared Services or Employee Experience functions.

Responsibilities

• Lead Tier 1 Operations: Oversee the day-to-day delivery of centralized People services, ensuring workload is balanced and requests are handled in a timely, fair, and consistent manner.
• Manage escalations and troubleshoot issues to resolve service gaps and remove friction for employees and managers.
• Own Performance & Service Standards: Monitor and manage key performance indicators (e.g., SLAs, CSAT, volume trends, first-contact resolution) to ensure service quality, timeliness, and cost effectiveness.
• Analyze service data, trends, and demand patterns to inform prioritization and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Drive Continuous Improvement & Automation: Lead continuous improvement projects aimed at streamlining, automating, and simplifying Tier 1 processes.
• Partner with HR Technology and COEs to enhance end-to-end service delivery and support scalable solutions leveraging platforms like ServiceNow and Workday.
• Enhance Employee Experience: Identify opportunities and implement strategies that improve the overall employee experience across HR touchpoints.
• Collaborate with HR Centers of Excellence to ensure knowledge articles, workflows, and responses are clear, accurate, and aligned with policies and programs.
• Build & Develop the Team: Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing Employee Experience (Tier 1) team.
• Identify skill gaps and provide training, feedback, and development opportunities to ensure the team can support both current needs and future growth.

Benefits

• The successful candidate may be eligible for annual performance bonus and equity awards.
• We offer a comprehensive package of benefits for full-time and part-time employees, their spouse or domestic partner, and children up to age 26, including but not limited to paid vacation, paid sick leave, and a competitive portfolio of insurance benefits including life, medical, dental, vision, short-term disability insurance, and long-term disability insurance to eligible employees.
• You may also have the opportunity to participate in Rivian’s 401(k) Plan and Employee Stock Purchase Program if you meet certain eligibility requirements.
• Full-time employee coverage is effective on their first day of employment.
• Part-time employee coverage is effective the first of the month following 90 days of employment.
• More information about benefits is available at rivianbenefits.com.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees