People Operations Lead

Handshake • San Francisco, CA

9d

About The Position

We’re looking for a hands-on, operationally excellent People Operations leader to build, scale, and run the systems that make our team thrive. This is a high-impact, roll-up-your-sleeves role for someone who loves building structure in fast-moving environments, thrives in ambiguity, and is comfortable both diving into the work and partnering across the organization. You’ll own the end-to-end employee experience - from onboarding to offboarding - and partner closely with HRBPs, Talent, Finance, and IT to ensure our people programs are seamless, compliant, and scalable as we grow.

Requirements

• 5+ years of experience in People Operations or HR, ideally in a fast-scaling tech company.
• Strong operational mindset - you get stuff done, anticipate needs, and streamline chaos into clarity.
• Experience owning and improving HR systems and data flows (Workday, Ashby, Lattice, etc.).
• Proven ability to lead small teams and work cross-functionally with senior stakeholders.
• Deep understanding of core HR processes, compliance, and employee lifecycle management.
• Comfort operating in ambiguity - you build as you go and don’t wait for perfect.
• A bias for action, systems thinking, and a healthy dose of scrappiness.

Responsibilities

• Lead and scale People Ops: Drive the improvement and delivery of core people processes (onboarding, offboarding, data, systems, compliance, payroll/benefits operations). Provide operational leadership and strategic direction for execution partners.
• Drive execution: Own the day-to-day operations that keep the People function running - ensuring accuracy, speed, and great employee experience.
• Build systems: Improve and optimize our HRIS (Workday, Ashby, others) and connected systems for automation, efficiency, and data accuracy.
• Partner cross-functionally: Collaborate with Finance, IT, Legal, and business leaders to align people processes with company goals.
• Ensure compliance: Maintain compliance with employment laws and regulations across states/countries, while keeping our approach simple and scalable.
• Scale programs: Support rollout and execution of key People programs - performance cycles, engagement surveys, compensation reviews, etc.
• Be a builder: Spot process gaps and fix them fast. Implement lightweight, tech-enabled solutions that grow with us.

Benefits

• Ownership: Equity in a fast-growing company
• Financial Wellness : 401(k) match, competitive compensation, financial coaching
• Family Support: Paid parental leave, fertility benefits, parental coaching
• Wellbeing: Medical, dental, and vision, mental health support, $500 wellness stipend
• Growth: $2,000 learning stipend, ongoing development
• Remote & Office: Internet, commuting, and free lunch/gym in our SF office
• Time Off: Flexible PTO, 15 holidays + 2 flex days, winter #ShakeBreak where our whole office closes for a week!
• Connection: Team outings & referral bonuses

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed
• Number of Employees: 501-1,000 employees