Vice President of People

Pano AI

21h•Hybrid

About The Position

Pano AI is a 175+ person growth-stage hybrid-remote start-up, headquartered in San Francisco, and a leader in early wildfire detection and intelligence. The company combines advanced hardware, software, and artificial intelligence (AI) into an easy-to-use, web-based platform, leveraging a network of ultra-high-definition, 360-degree cameras and other data feeds to provide real-time threat pictures and actionable intelligence for fire professionals. Pano AI has received significant recognition for its innovation in AI and sustainability, serving customers across 16 U.S. states, five Australian states, and British Columbia, Canada, monitoring over 30 million acres of land. The company has raised $89 million in venture capital. As Vice President of People, this role is pivotal in shaping and scaling Pano’s people strategy during a critical growth phase. The leader will own and evolve the People function, encompassing People Operations, Talent, and “Connectedness” Initiatives for a hybrid-remote workforce, including Workplace Experience in physical office(s). The goal is to attract, develop, and retain exceptional talent while maintaining a strong, values-driven culture. The ideal candidate is a strategic operator and hands-on leader who thrives in dynamic, high-growth environments and brings a forward-looking approach to leveraging technology, data, and AI in People teams. This role will be a pragmatic player-coach and trusted partner to the CEO and executive team, aligning people strategy with business objectives to enable thoughtful scaling and preservation of Pano's culture.

Requirements

10+ years of experience in People/HR, including 3–5+ years in a senior leadership role
Experience building and scaling People functions in high-growth startup or scale-up environments
Proven experience partnering closely with founders and executive teams
Strong expertise across people operations, talent strategy, and organizational development
Track record of building and developing high-performing teams and leaders
Ability to balance strategic thinking with hands-on execution
Comfortable leveraging modern HR technologies, data, and emerging AI tools to improve efficiency, decision-making, and employee experience
Data and metrics-driven; comfortable building dashboards and using analytics to guide strategy
Curious and experimental mindset—willing to test, learn, and iterate on new approaches to recruiting, people programs, and workplace experience
Excellent judgment, communication skills, leadership skills, and a high degree of integrity
Passion for building mission-driven, high-performing teams and contributing to climate and impact-focused work

Responsibilities

Define and execute a company-wide people strategy aligned with business goals and growth plans
Partner closely with founders and executive leadership on organizational design, leadership development, and culture
Drive initiatives that reinforce Pano’s values: Impact, Service, Excellence, Speed, and Innovation
Build, scale, and lead the People Operations function, ensuring operational excellence across systems, policies, compensation, and benefits for the global Pano team
Oversee the development of scalable programs across performance management, engagement, and career development that enable accountability and high performance
Establish and monitor key people metrics across hiring, retention, and organizational health
Lead the Workplace Experience function in delivering a best-in-class employee experience across remote, hybrid, and in-office environments
Ensure events, programs, and spaces foster connection across distributed teams
Coach and lead the scaling of a high-performing recruiting function that contributes to a strong employer brand that attracts top-tier talent across technical, operational, and GTM roles
Align hiring strategy, processes, and outcomes with company growth objectives
Lead, coach, and develop a small but mighty People Ops, Workplace Experience and Talent team
Build a high-performing, aligned People, Talent and Workplace function that scales with the company