Chief People, Payroll & Compliance Officer

Heron Power Inc.; Scotts Valley (CA); On-site; USD 195,000 - 251,000; Full time

Job summary

Heron Power Inc. is seeking a Head of People Operations, the first dedicated HR hire, to build the people operations foundation as the company scales from R&D into manufacturing.

You will own HR operations, payroll administration, benefits, compliance, employee relations, and manager support, while implementing systems and policies to support a growing hourly workforce. This is a hands-on, high-impact role.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience.
• 7+ years of progressive HR / people operations experience, including senior-level responsibility at a high-growth company.
• Hands-on payroll experience for non-exempt/hourly staff.
• Experience owning HRIS and payroll systems, including implementations and integrations with third-party tools.
• Strong knowledge of federal and California employment law.

Responsibilities

• Own HR operations, payroll administration, benefits, compliance, and employee relations.
• Lead onboarding/offboarding, performance cycles, promotions, and salary adjustments.
• Partner with Finance and Leadership to manage payroll and timekeeping ahead of manufacturing ramp.
• Serve as the first point of contact for employee relations and manager coaching.
• Maintain HR policies, employee records, and compliance calendar.

Skills

Payroll management

Employee relations

HR operations

Compliance

HRIS

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience

Tools

HRIS software

Payroll systems

Job description

Heron Power Inc. is seeking a Head of People Operations, the first dedicated HR hire, to build the people operations foundation as the company scales from R&D into manufacturing.

You will own HR operations, payroll administration, benefits, compliance, employee relations, and manager support, while implementing systems and policies to support a growing hourly workforce. This is a hands-on, high-impact role.