Principal, HR Business Partner

Rivian•Riverdale, GA

20h•$184,000 - $263,200

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. We are seeking a Principal, HR Business Partner (HRBP) to serve as a senior strategic advisor and operator across multiple departments within our G&A Organization. Building on the Sr. Lead HRBP scope, this leader will own the end-to-end people strategy for a large, complex portfolio of organizations delivering high‑impact solutions. You will partner with senior and executive stakeholders to design and implement full‑lifecycle HR and leadership programs that drive engagement, retention, performance, and talent development. You’ll bring deep business insight, coaching expertise, and strong HR execution to support Rivian G&A functional organizations, while also shaping enterprise people strategies. This role is built for a seasoned HR leader ready to deliver measurable impact on the ground and influence decision‑making at the most senior levels. Why This Role Matters Drive Business‑Critical Talent Strategy at Scale: Lead HR partnership with executive and senior leadership to ensure organizational structure, performance, and talent strategies align with production priorities and long‑term capacity plans. Champion Leadership Growth: Design and oversee leadership, coaching, and talent development programs that shape the next generation of Rivian manufacturing leadership, including succession and bench‑strength planning across multiple sites or large business units. Build a Best‑in‑Class Plant Culture: Architect and sustain a workplace that is inclusive, dynamic, and aligned with Rivian’s mission, with a strong emphasis on safety, continuous improvement, and accountability. Lead with Courage and Credibility: Serve as a trusted advisor, sounding board, and change agent to senior leaders, providing data‑driven recommendations and challenging constructively to drive the right outcomes for people and the business.

Requirements

15+ years of progressive HR Business Partner or HR leadership experience, with at least 5 years directly partnering with senior/executive leaders.
Bachelor’s degree in HR, Business, or a related field (or equivalent practical experience).
Demonstrated success leading HR strategy for complex, matrixed organizations, including org design, talent management, and change leadership at scale.
Experience advising and influencing senior leaders using data, insights, and strong business acumen.
Proven track record building, leading, and developing HRBP or HR Generalist teams.
Executive presence and the ability to influence across multiple levels with clarity and empathy.
Exceptional judgment and discretion with sensitive information; trusted advisor to senior leaders.
Courageous, direct communicator who is willing to challenge and debate constructively while maintaining strong relationships.
Optimistic, proactive, and highly collaborative; able to align diverse stakeholders around clear priorities.
Deep commitment to building an inclusive culture and psychologically safe, accountable teams.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree or executive-level HR/OD certification/continuing education.
Prior experience driving organizational change in large, complex environments (e.g., greenfield launches, significant scale‑up or transformation).
Strong familiarity with strategic workforce planning.
Comfort navigating ambiguity in a fast-moving, high-growth company, with a bias toward action and experimentation.

Responsibilities

Serve as the primary HRBP for G&A on talent strategy, organizational design, workforce planning, and change initiatives for a large, complex portfolio (e.g., multiple manufacturing areas or an entire plant).
Translate business strategy into a multi‑year people roadmap, including org design, capability building, workforce planning, and leadership pipelines.
Lead, coach, and develop a team of HRBPs and HR Generalists, providing direction, feedback, and thought partnership.
Partner closely with COEs to co‑create integrated solutions that improve performance, safety, engagement, and retention.
Use data, insights, and dashboards to diagnose issues, identify trends, and drive targeted interventions.
Own talent management cycles for assigned organizations, including performance management, succession planning, leadership assessment, and high‑potential development.
Design and drive strategies to improve attraction, onboarding, development, internal mobility, promotion, and retention for hourly and salaried populations across assigned areas.
Provide guidance on complex employee relations matters, investigations, and sensitive performance situations, ensuring sound judgment and risk mitigation.
Partner with leaders to build meaningful career paths and development plans for critical roles and future leaders.
Ensure HR programs, policies, and practices are implemented consistently and effectively, with a focus on accessibility for frontline leaders and employees.
Provide high‑impact leadership coaching to senior leaders and people managers, reinforcing Rivian’s leadership expectations and behaviors.
Lead cultural and organizational change efforts, including restructuring, integration, transformations, and plant‑wide initiatives.
Facilitate leadership team effectiveness sessions, offsites, and org health discussions that surface issues, align priorities, and drive action.
Serve as a cultural ambassador for the People Team and the broader business, modeling courageous communication, empathy, and accountability.