People Strategic Programs Manager

Apollo.io•San Francisco, CA

About The Position

Apollo's People team is scaling rapidly across new geographies, business models, and technologies. We're managing M&A integration, building employment infrastructure in new markets, evaluating new tech stacks (ATS, HRIS), and pioneering how AI can make People work simpler and smarter. The SVP of People oversees all of this, but we need someone who can be the operational and strategic backbone: handling the cadence, shepherding multi-quarter projects, partnering with IT/Legal/Finance, and most importantly, becoming an extension of the SVP so she can operate at the strategy level rather than in the weeds of execution. The People Strategic Programs Manager will own: The operating rhythm of the People team (meetings, planning cycles, offsites, headcount strategy) Execution of strategic initiatives (M&A playbook, UK infrastructure, ATS transition, HRIS evaluation) Identifying and rolling out AI efficiencies across People workflows while working with IT/Legal on governance Being a thought partner pulling projects, ideas, and execution off the SVP's plate. This is an individual contributor role that leads through expertise, sound judgment, influence, and clear operating mechanisms, not direct management authority.

Requirements

7+ years of varied experience across G&A (General & Administrative) functions—could include HR, People Operations, HR technology, BizOps, special projects, or Chief of Staff roles
Demonstrated ability to design, plan, and execute multi-quarter initiatives end-to-end
Strong business and process design skills: requirements gathering, problem-solving, implementation, and change management
Experience managing across organizational boundaries without direct authority, aligning stakeholders, driving decisions, and measuring impact
Comfort with ambiguity and ability to operate in a fast-moving, high-growth environment
Experience with technology evaluation, implementation, and vendor management (at least exposure to ATS, HRIS, or People tech)
Understanding of People data, reporting, workflows, and interest in how AI/automation can improve People processes
Program/project management skills and execution bias (more important than HR domain expertise)
Comfort operating as a thought partner to senior leaders and influencing without authority
Intellectual curiosity about People operations, technology, and AI
Adaptability and ability to shift between strategic thinking and tactical problem-solving
Track record of building processes, systems, and solutions that scale

Responsibilities

Coordinate and run the People team's recurring cadence: all-hands, leadership meetings, quarterly planning cycles (OKRs), annual strategy planning, and offsites
Design and implement a documented, repeatable planning process that removes ad hoc coordination and reduces SVP time spent on operations
Own headcount planning and forecasting: build scenarios, identify HC needs by function, and feed strategic planning cycles
Own execution on major, multi-quarter initiatives: M&A integration playbook, UK equity/visa sponsorship infrastructure, ATS (Ashby) transition, HRIS evaluation, and emerging ad hoc projects
Partner with Director of People Operations on prioritization, scope, and sequencing
Map People team workflows to identify where AI and automation can create real efficiencies
Conduct a comprehensive workflow audit within 6 months; identify 3–5 high-impact AI opportunities
Build one-team solutions (like the org health dashboard) instead of siloed, one-off tools
Partner with IT and Legal to establish clearer, more reasonable guardrails for AI/Claude usage
Advocate for a revised AI usage policy that enables People team to work effectively
Be a thought partner and ideator on People strategy, new initiatives, and challenges
Pull execution and project leadership off the SVP's plate so she operates at the VCE/strategy level