Manager, People Operations

Planet; Washington (District of Columbia); Hybrid; USD 113,000 - 141,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental and Vision plans

HSA with company contribution

Paid Time Off + holidays

Parental Leave (16 weeks)

Wellness Program

Home Office Reimbursement

Phone and Internet Reimbursement

Tuition Reimbursement

Equity

Commuter Benefits

Volunteering Paid Time Off

Job summary

Planet is seeking a People Operations Manager to lead US immigration, manage EOR relationships, and support global mobility and HRIS initiatives. This role partners with Talent Acquisition, Legal, and cross‑functional teams, reporting to the Director of People Operations.

It is a full-time, hybrid role based in Arlington, VA, requiring in-office presence three days per week. You will develop and maintain immigration processes, monitor state labor law changes, and drive scalable operations across

Qualifications

• Experience in HR/People Operations managing operations across countries and states.
• Proven ability to manage US immigration processes and policies.
• Strong knowledge of multi-state US labor law and SOX/compliance.
• Experience with global Employers of Record and vendor relationships.
• Data-oriented mindset with Excel/Sheets proficiency.
• Effective communication with diverse stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead US immigration matters and coordinate with employees, managers, and partners.
• Manage Employers of Record operations and onboarding for EOR hires.
• Ensure US labour law compliance across states and update the handbook as needed.
• Improve processes, document SOPs, and align with global mobility and HRIS initiatives.
• Support onboarding and hire-to-retire activities for US-based teams.
• Collaborate on global expansion, HRIS projects, and data reporting.

Skills

HR Operations

People Management

US Immigration

US Multi-State Labor Law

Global Employers of Record

Vendor Management

Attention to Detail

Excel/Sheets

Clear Communication

Tools

HiBob HRIS

Jira

Job description

Welcome to Planet. We believe in using space to help life on Earth.

Planet designs, builds, and operates the largest constellation of imaging satellites in history. This constellation delivers an unprecedented dataset of empirical information via a revolutionary cloud-based platform to authoritative figures in commercial, environmental, and humanitarian sectors. We are both a space company and data company all rolled into one.

Customers and users across the globe use Planet's data to develop new technologies, drive revenue, power research, and solve our world’s toughest obstacles.

As we control every component of hardware design, manufacturing, data processing, and software engineering, our office is a truly inspiring mix of experts from a variety of domains.

We have a people-centric approach toward culture and community and we strive to iterate in a way that puts our team members first and prepares our company for growth. Join Planet and be a part of our mission to change the way people see the world.

Planet is a global company with employees working remotely world wide and joining us from offices in San Francisco, Washington DC, Germany, Austria, Slovenia, and The Netherlands.

About the Role:

Planet’s People Operations team manages a wide variety of areas, including compliance, HRIS/hire-to-retire transactions, immigration and global mobility, people data/analytics, and payroll. We’re looking for a People Operations Manager who will play a key role in supporting US compliance (including US immigration), managing our Employers of Record, and supporting global mobility and expansion. This hands‑on role will also be involved in other areas of People Operations, including strategic projects such as the implementation of a new HRIS.

This role will report to the Director of People Operations and will partner closely with roles across the People Team and beyond, particularly on the Talent Acquisition, People Business Partnership, and Legal teams.

This is a full-time, hybrid role that will require you to work from our Arlington, VA office 3 days per week.

Impact You’ll Own:

• Spearhead operations related to Planet’s Employers of Record, including coordination of new EOR hires with the Talent team, entering contract information and amendments, educating internal stakeholders on EOR processes, escalating any issues, and participating in vendor calls.
• Lead US immigration matters as the primary liaison.. This role will be responsible for keeping internal immigration records and policies up-to-date, educating stakeholders on the processes and timelines, and coordinating with employees, managers, and People Business Partners on immigration-related matters. This role will also work on non-US immigration matters (i.e., for Planet’s other entities) as needed.
• Ensure US multi-state compliance by monitoring changes in labor law and recommending any actions, assisting with annual updates to the US Employee Handbook, and partnering with the Legal team and within the People team on any employee issues.
• Continuously improve upon existing processes and policies by proposing and implementing ways to optimize and streamline our operations at scale; and create and maintain documentation such as SOPs for use within the team and to educate stakeholders.
• Manage US-based People Operations Partners and provide support with onboarding and hire‑to‑retire processes as needed.
• Work across other areas of People Operations to support strategic initiatives, such as global expansion, HRIS, and data/reporting.

What You Bring:

• 4+ years of experience in a related HR/People Operations role that directly handled HR operations for multiple countries and states
• 2+ years of experience as a people manager
• Direct experience with managing the US immigration/visa processes and deep knowledge of different visa types and immigration regulations
• Extensive knowledge of multi-state US labor law, including California-specific requirements, federal contractor compliance, and SOX compliance
• Experience working with global Employers of Records
• Experience managing relationships with vendors
• Exceptional attention to detail, organizational skills, and process adherence
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and/or Google Sheets (including LOOKUP formulas and pivot tables) and a data-oriented mindset
• Ability to effectively communicate complex topics to a wide variety of stakeholders

What Makes You Stand Out:

• Experience in other areas of HR such as employee relations or HR business partnership
• Experience setting up HR operations for an entity in a new country
• Administrative experience with HiBob or other HR systems
• Experience with Jira or other ticketing systems
• Experience with AI tools such as Gemini and incorporating AI tools into workflows

Application Deadline:

November 4, 2026 at 11:59p PT

Benefits While Working at Planet:

These offerings are dependent on employment type and geographical location, based upon applicable law or company policy.

• Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision plans
• Health Savings Account (HSA) with a company contribution
• Generous Paid Time Off in addition to holidays and company-wide days off
• 16 Weeks of Paid Parental Leave
• Wellness Program and Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Home Office Reimbursement
• Monthly Phone and Internet Reimbursement
• Tuition Reimbursement and access to LinkedIn Learning
• Equity
• Commuter Benefits (if local to an office)
• Volunteering Paid Time Off

Compensation:

The US base salary range for this full-time position at the commencement of employment is listed below. Additionally, this role might be eligible for discretionary short-term and long-term incentives (bonus and equity). The final salary range is determined by job related experience, skills and location. The range displays our typical hiring range for new hire salaries in US locations only. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your preferred location during the hiring process.

US National Salary Range: $112,900 – $141,100 USD

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Why we care so much about Belonging.

We’re dedicated to helping the whole Planet, and to do that we must strive to represent all of it within each of our offices and on all of our teams. That’s why Planet is guided by an ultimate north star of Belonging—dreaming big as we approach our ongoing work. If this job intrigues you, but you’re thinking you might not have all the qualifications, please... do apply! At Planet, we are looking for well-rounded people from around the world who can contribute to more ways than just what is listed in this job description. We don’t just fill positions, we aspire to fulfill people’s careers, most excited about folks who are motivated by our underlying humanitarian efforts. We are a few orbits around the sun before we get to where we want to be, so we hope you’re excited to come along for the ride.

EEO statement:

Planet is committed to building a community where everyone belongs and we invite people from all backgrounds to apply. Planet is an equal opportunity employer, and committed to providing employment opportunities regardless of race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding, age, sexual orientation, military or veteran status, or any other protected classification, in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. Know Your Rights.

Accommodations:

Planet is an inclusive community and we know that everyone has their own needs. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation during the hiring process, please reach out to [e-mail] or contact your recruiter with your request. Your message will be confidential and we will be happy to assist you.

Privacy Policy

I acknowledge that I have read the Planet Data Privacy Notice for California Staff Members and Applicants, and hereby consent to the collection, processing, use, and storage of my personal information as described therein.

Privacy Policy (European Applicants)

I acknowledge that I have read the Candidate Privacy Notice GDPR Planet Labs Europe, and hereby consent to the collection, processing, use, and storage of my personal information as described therein.

AI in Our Interviewing Process

Planet is committed to providing an exceptional interview experience for all candidates. We currently use Metaview to better focus on candidates and less on trying to capture notes. As such, with the candidate's consent, select interviews may be recorded and include a "Planet AI Notetaker" for transcription and summarization purposes. Should an interview involve use of AI interview technologies, the candidate will receive notification and have the ability to opt out both in advance and/or real-time. Opting out will not affect one's candidacy.

Candidate AI Policy

Planet embraces Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools, and we encourage its responsible use. We understand that candidates may use various resources, including AI tools, to prepare for interviews and assessments. However, during any live interview stage or when actively completing assessments for this position, the use of AI tools—e.g. Large Language Models (LLMs), deep fake technology, etc.—is strictly prohibited unless explicitly prompted by an interviewer or assessment instructions. If you are unsure about acceptable use, please contact your recruiter for clarification. If an AI tool or similar technology is desired as an accommodation, please contact [e-mail] with your request for assistance. Your message will be confidential, and we will be happy to assist you. Violation of this policy may result in disqualification of your application.