Director, HRBP

Harbinger Motors; Garden Grove (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 220,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Stock options

Retirement savings plan (401k)

PTO & parental leave

Vacation bonus

Wellness benefits

Cell phone stipend

Complimentary meals

Job summary

Harbinger Motors is seeking a Director, HR Business Partner to scale the HRBP function during hypergrowth. You will bridge business objectives with people initiatives, owning critical HR programs and partnering with People Ops and Recruiting for an exceptional employee experience.

You will lead with ownership, drive program design from scratch, and influence senior leaders while fostering empathy and growth across the organization.

Qualifications

• Experience in progressive HR roles with emphasis on HRBP, People Ops, L&D and program launches.
• Ability to translate business goals into scalable HR programs from scratch.
• Strong understanding of hypergrowth environments and scaling challenges.

Responsibilities

• Own company‑level HR programs as a top priority and measure impact.
• Serve as the main HRBP for multiple orgs as the team scales.
• Collaborate with People Ops and Recruiting to attract and develop top talent.
• Solve business problems with ownership and HR expertise to navigate roadblocks.
• Influence outcomes with senior leadership through trust-based relationships.
• Foster empathy, feedback, and humility as teams evolve with the business.

Skills

HRBP

People Ops

L&D

Program launches

Hypergrowth

Emotional intelligence

Executive stakeholder management

Job description

About Harbinger

Harbinger is an American commercial electric vehicle (EV) company on a mission to transform an industry starving for innovation. Harbinger’s best‑in‑class team of EV, battery, and drivetrain experts have pooled their deep experience to bring a first‑of‑its‑kind EV platform to support the growing demand for medium‑duty EVs and hybrids. Harbinger: Familiar Form, Revolutionary Foundation.

Role Overview

As the Director, HR Business Partner, you will play a critical role in scaling our HRBP function from the ground up during a period of hypergrowth. You will act as the strategic bridge between our business objectives and our people, taking absolute ownership of business‑critical HR programs. Joining our People team and reporting directly to the VP People, you will partner closely with People Ops and Recruiting to ensure a seamless employee experience. We are looking for an empathetic, humble leader who leads with extreme ownership, understands the granular programmatic needs of the business, and has the influence to solve complex organizational challenges.

Key Responsibilities

• Own company level programs as a top priority which includes designing, launching, and measuring impact
• Be the main HR Business Partner for multiple organizations as the team scales (later becoming the leader of the group)
• Collaborate closely with the People Ops and Recruiting teams to ensure we are attracting, retaining, and developing top‑tier talent efficiently.
• Solve business‑critical issues by demonstrating extreme ownership and utilizing deep HR expertise to navigate organizational roadblocks.
• Influence outcomes and drive change management across the organization by building deep trust and relationships with senior leadership on the executive team.
• Foster a culture of empathy, continuous feedback, and humility, ensuring our teams evolve alongside the business.

Required Skills & Experience

• 10–15 years of experience in progressive HR roles, with a heavy emphasis on HRBP, People Ops, L&D, and program launches.
• Proficiency in translating high‑level business goals into actionable, scalable HR programs from scratch.
• Strong understanding of hypergrowth environments and the unique scaling challenges faced by fast‑paced startups.
• Excellent emotional intelligence, humility, and communication skills; you must be highly receptive to feedback and lead with deep empathy.
• Strong desire and acumen for getting deep into Harbinger’s business and building programs from those principles.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with commercial EV, automotive, or hardware manufacturing organizations.
• Familiarity with the distinct challenges of scaling technical, engineering, and manufacturing teams.
• Proven track record of strategic pedigree—you have either scaled successfully with a high‑growth startup OR you have navigated company downfalls and possess a deep, analytical understanding of why things go wrong and how to prevent it.

Key Benefits & Perks

• Comprehensive Health, Dental & Vision (HDV) – 100% employee covered
• Early‑stage Stock Options
• Robust Retirement Savings (401k, HSA, FSA)
• Generous Paid Time Off (PTO) & Parental Leave
• Annual Vacation Bonus
• Wellness & Fertility Benefits
• Cell Phone Stipend
• Complimentary Meals & Stocked Kitchens

California Pay Range

$180,000—$220,000 USD

Equal Opportunity

Harbinger is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local fair employment practices laws. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information or characteristics, physical or mental disability, marital/domestic partner status, age, military/veteran status, medical condition, or any other characteristic protected by law. Harbinger is committed to ensuring that our hiring process is accessible for persons with disabilities. If you have a disability or limitation, such as those covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act, that requires accommodations to assist you in the search and application process, please email us at [e-mail].