Director of People

Ladders; Emeryville (CA); On-site; USD 215,000 - 280,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity options

Health benefits

Flexible work arrangements

Professional development opportunities

Cross-functional team engagement

Job summary

Ladders is seeking a Director of People for our client in Emeryville, CA. This role leads people operations, designs scalable HR systems, and aligns employee programs with growth and regulatory needs.

You will balance strategic partnership with hands-on execution across benefits, payroll, compliance, and organizational development. Location is Emeryville, CA, with compensation ranging from $215,000 to $280,000 annually, plus equity.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of progressive People leadership, ideally in high-growth tech companies.
• Direct experience in People Operations within hardware or manufacturing sectors.
• Proven capability in building People infrastructure and systems.
• Strong expertise in benefits, payroll, compliance, and HRIS.
• Experience transitioning from PEO to in-house administration, especially multi-state.
• Mastery of California employment law and familiarity with other states' regulations.
• Ability to incorporate AI tools wisely while maintaining a human touch.

Responsibilities

• Own the full operational employee lifecycle from onboarding to offboarding.
• Transition benefits and payroll systems from PEO to in-house management.
• Design scalable processes to manage an increasing headcount.
• Develop and manage a comprehensive benefits strategy and compensation administration.
• Ensure compliance and readiness across multiple states, including California.
• Lead the HR Business Partner function to align with business strategies.
• Drive organizational development and manage learning initiatives.

Skills

People leadership

HRIS

Payroll

Benefits

Compliance

Organizational development

AI tools

Strategic partnering

Tools

HRIS

Payroll systems

Job description

For our client, we are seeking a Director of People to join the team of a leader in the Manufacturing & Automotive space.

This leader will own the people operations infrastructure that supports a growing organization in a highly regulated, fast‑scaling environment. The role will shape scalable HR systems, strengthen employee programs, and ensure the people function can keep pace with headcount growth and operational complexity. It is well suited for someone who can balance strategic partnership with hands‑on execution across benefits, payroll, compliance, and organizational development.

Location: Emeryville, CA

Compensation: $215,000 – $280,000 annually

Responsibilities

• Own the full operational employee lifecycle from onboarding to offboarding
• Transition benefits and payroll systems from PEO to in-house management
• Design scalable processes to manage an increasing headcount
• Develop and manage a comprehensive benefits strategy and compensation administration
• Ensure compliance and readiness across multiple states, including California
• Lead the HR Business Partner function to align with business strategies
• Drive organizational development and manage learning initiatives

Qualifications

• 8+ years of progressive People leadership, ideally in high‑growth tech companies
• Direct experience in People Operations within hardware or manufacturing sectors
• Proven capability in building People infrastructure and systems
• Strong expertise in benefits, payroll, compliance, and HRIS
• Experience transitioning from PEO to in-house administration, especially multi‑state
• Mastery of California employment law and familiarity with other states' regulations
• Ability to incorporate AI tools wisely while maintaining a human touch

Benefits

• Equity options in addition to salary
• Comprehensive health benefits
• Flexible work arrangements
• Professional development opportunities
• Engagement with cross‑functional teams

Our client is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage you to apply even if you don’t meet every qualification—your background could be exactly what this team needs.