Principal People Partner

Familiar Machines & Magic•Woburn, MA

About The Position

We are seeking a Principal People Partner to serve as FM&M’s senior People Team lead and strategic business partner. In this role, you will shape and operationalize the People strategy across a fast-moving, high-growth consumer AI & robotics startup. You will partner closely with senior leadership to lead critical people initiatives, build scalable frameworks, drive organizational health, and ensure a best-in-class employee experience. You will operate with autonomy and influence, owning the design and execution of People Operations as FM&M grows; overseeing hiring; identifying, prototyping, and embedding AI and automation opportunities into FM&M; and providing the data and insights to support effective executive decision-making. The ideal candidate is a seasoned generalist who thrives in ambiguity, is energized by building from zero-to-one, and is passionate about innovation, execution, and a culture-forward workplace.

Requirements

8–12+ years of progressive HR/People leadership experience, including work as an HR Business Partner or People Partner.
Prior experience in a high-growth environment; startup or early-stage company experience strongly preferred.
Demonstrated generalist experience across people operations, employee relations, organizational design, talent programs, and leadership coaching.
Experience advising senior leaders and driving cross-functional, strategic initiatives.
Track record of applying AI, automation, and modern HR tools to enhance HR workflows and decision-making.
Highly proficient in Google GSuite and Slack.

Nice To Haves

Experience with tools like Notion or Coda is preferred.

Responsibilities

People Operations Ownership: Lead day-to-day HR operations, including onboarding, employee relations, compensation cycles, performance processes, and people systems, ensuring they scale effectively.
AI-Forward HR Innovation: Champion the integration of AI and automation across HR processes, experimenting with new tools to improve efficiency, consistency, and employee experience.
Culture Stewardship: Support and Help cultivate FM&M’s Mission, Vision, Culture Principles, and Ways of Working "high-expectations + high-care” culture.
Strategic Business Partnering: Serve as a trusted advisor to FM&M executive leaders, translating business goals into actionable people strategies that support scale, speed, and innovation.
Organizational Design & Workforce Planning: Support org design decisions, conduct scenario planning, and guide org evolution as FM&M rapidly grows.
Talent Acquisition Management: Oversee contract recruiters and external partners to drive an efficient, high-quality, and equitable end-to-end hiring process that supports FM&M’s growth.
People Programs: Design and execute cyclical programs (performance, compensation, promotions, engagement) and ad hoc initiatives that align with FM&M’s culture and goals.
Org Health: Use data and qualitative insights to assess organizational effectiveness, identify gaps or friction points and recommend solutions to senior leadership.
Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with Finance, Operations, Talent Acquisition, and technical teams to ensure seamless processes and a cohesive employee experience.
Perform other responsibilities as assigned