People Operations Manager

Job description

THE ROLE: This isn’t a standard People Ops role- it’s an opportunity to build the operating system for a 10x company. As Granica scales from a world-class startup into a generational company, this person will architect the systems, programs, and culture that make that possible. You’ll own the full employee experience, from onboarding and operations to engagement and development, serving as the connective tissue that helps every Ninja (our teammates) do their best work. You’ll operate as both architect and builder: strategic enough to design for scale, yet hands-on enough to roll up your sleeves daily. This is a high-impact, in-office role based in Mountain View, blending tactical execution with strategic influence as we grow from ~40 to 80 employees across multiple locations. You’ll partner closely with leadership to ensure our people programs are not only compliant and efficient, but also reflect our values of ownership, curiosity, and excellence. If you’ve ever admired what Laszlo Bock built at Google in its early years, this is your chance to play a similar role at Granica. WHO YOU ARE: - The ability to work full time out of our new Mountain View office - 5–8+ years of People Operations or HR experience in a fast-scaling tech company (ideally Series A–C), including 2+ years in a leadership or management role. - Proven ability to build structure from scratch while staying hands-on in day-to-day execution. - Knowledge global employment law, compliance, and HR systems - Experience managing benefits, compensation, and immigration processes - Exceptional communication skills, with the ability to engage and influence at all levels of the organization - A systems-oriented, resourceful mindset — you see gaps, design solutions, and move fast. - Comfort operating in high-velocity, high-ambiguity environments where priorities evolve quickly. - A player-coach mentality — strategic enough to architect for scale and tactical enough to be hands-on and detail-oriented. Unafraid to dive into execution. - Deep passion for building a human-centered, high-performance culture where people can do their best work. WHAT YOU'LL OWN: People Strategy & Operations - Build and maintain the People Ops infrastructure — optimizing systems, data integrity, and processes for efficiency and scale. - Partner with leadership on organizational design, workforce planning, and change management to support business goals. - Use people analytics and insights to inform strategic decisions and measure organizational health. - Ensure HR compliance and documentation across multiple states and global jurisdictions. Talent Lifecycle Management - Lead the end-to-end employee lifecycle — from seamless, high-touch onboarding to performance management, mobility, and offboarding. - Manage performance cycles, including goal-setting frameworks (OKRs/KPIs), calibrations, and reviews. - Oversee benefits, compensation, and wellness programs, benchmarking regularly to ensure competitiveness and alignment with our values. Employee Experience & Engagement - Design and execute programs that foster connection, growth, and long-term retention, turning engagement into measurable impact. - Partner with the Admin team to bring the culture to life through company events, celebrations, and recognition programs. - Champion Granica’s culture of ownership, curiosity, and excellence, embedding it into every touchpoint of the employee experience. - Provide leadership with actionable insights on engagement, retention, and organizational health. Immigration & Global Mobility - Manage immigration and sponsorship processes (H-1B, O-1, STEM OPT, TN, Green Card), partnering with legal for compliance and timely filings. - Support international employees through documentation, onboarding, and relocation logistics. - Maintain accurate records and proactively manage renewals and compliance across jurisdictions. COMPENSATION & BENEFITS - Competitive salary and meaningful equity - Unlimited PTO + quarterly recharge days - Fully covered premium health, vision, and dental - Lunch & Dinner provided - Team offsites, deep tech talks, and learning stipends - Help build the foundational infrastructure for the AI era Granica is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. COMPENSATION & BENEFITS - Competitive salary, meaningful equity, and performance bonus for top performers - 401(k) with company match, comprehensive health coverage, and unlimited PTO - Daily catered meals in our Mountain View office - Support for research, publication, and conference participation At Granica, you'll help build the next generation of enterprise AI—from exabyte-scale data infrastructure, Large Tabular Models (LTMs), and stateful AI agents. Together, we're creating the infrastructure that enables enterprises to own their data, own the intelligence built on it, and scale both efficiently.