People Manager (Human Resources) Strategy & Ops

Front Door Defense; El Segundo, Northern (CA, KY); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity incentives

Relocation assistance

Medical, Dental, Vision coverage

Job summary

Varda is seeking a People Manager (Human Resources) to build and scale the People infrastructure for rapid growth in El Segundo, CA. You will own core People processes end-to-end, partner with leaders, and drive operational excellence in a fast-scaling aerospace environment.

The role requires an 8+ year HR track record, startup experience, and hands-on execution across compensation, equity, and organizational design. This is a builder role with a strong emphasis on impact.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of progressive HR experience including HRBP/People Operations roles.
• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field.
• Startup experience or building new groups within a larger company.
• Hands-on, hands-down execution mindset in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to partner with senior leaders on organizational strategy, talent management, and change management.
• Experience with compensation planning, promotions, and equity administration.
• Strong knowledge of California employment law and HR compliance.

Responsibilities

• Act as the primary People Business Partner for assigned business units.
• Lead talent processes including performance reviews, calibration, promotions, and succession planning.
• Drive compensation, equity programs, and people initiatives aligned with company philosophy.
• Oversee day-to-day People operations: onboarding, offboarding, transfers, and changes.
• Develop scalable processes, workflows, and SOPs across the employee lifecycle.

Skills

HRBP

People Operations

Leadership coaching

Org design

Data analysis

HRIS

California employment law

Strategic partnering

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR or related field

Tools

HRIS

Job description

People Manager (Human Resources)

Build and scale the People infrastructure to support rapid company growth

Location: El Segundo, California

Compensation: $140,000 - 170,000 USD / year

About The Role

People Manager (Human Resources)

Reporting to the People Director, the People Manager will build and scale the People infrastructure that powers Varda's mission and rapid growth. This role owns the systems, processes, and programs that create clarity, accountability, and operational excellence across the company —while serving as a strategic People partner to assigned business units.

This role is deeply hands-on and execution-focused. You will personally run core People processes end-to-end, fix operational gaps, build workflows from scratch, and ensure day-to-day People operations run smoothly in a fast-scaling aerospace environment. This is not a strategy-only role — it requires a builder mentality, operational rigor, and a willingness to roll up your sleeves daily.

You'll partner closely with People leadership, Finance, Legal, Payroll, Recruiting, and business leaders across Varda.

Responsibilities

Strategic Business Partnership

• Serve as the primary People Business Partner for assigned business units.
• Build trusted relationships with leaders to understand priorities and translate them into People strategies.
• Partner on organizational design, workforce planning, team effectiveness, and organizational change.
• Coach managers on leadership effectiveness, performance, development, and building high-performing teams.
• Provide practical guidance on talent decisions, promotions, organizational changes, and manager effectiveness.
• Balance strategic partnership with hands‑on execution, ensuring People strategies translate into operational results.
• Anticipate organizational needs and proactively develop People solutions that support business growth.

Talent & Organizational Effectiveness

• Lead annual talent processes: performance reviews, calibration, promotions, succession planning, and development planning.
• Support leaders in identifying, developing, and retaining top talent.
• Build leadership capability through coaching, feedback, and manager development.
• Drive consistency and accountability across People programs and leadership practices.

Compensation, Equity & People Programs

• Support managers with compensation recommendations aligned with Varda's philosophy and market practices.
• Partner on equity program administration and communication.
• Lead rollout and adoption of company‑wide People initiatives (performance management, leadership development, engagement, recognition, talent programs).
• Develop manager communications, training, and resources to ensure successful program implementation.
• Gather feedback and continuously improve People programs based on business needs.

People Operations & Operational Excellence

• Execute core People processes directly — onboarding, offboarding, transfers, promotions, and employee changes — ensuring accuracy and speed.
• Own day‑to‑day People operations and resolve issues quickly with a bias toward action.
• Build, document, and continuously improve workflows, SOPs, and People systems.
• Identify operational gaps and personally drive fixes, improvements, and process simplification.
• Manage high‑volume operational tasks with precision and urgency.
• Partner with Payroll, Recruiting, Finance, and Legal to ensure seamless execution of People processes across the employee lifecycle.
• Maintain accurate employee data and support workforce reporting, metrics, and organizational insights.
• Conduct periodic audits of People processes and data to ensure accuracy, consistency, and compliance.
• Ensure People programs comply with federal, state, and local employment laws while simplifying and scaling operational processes.

Basic Qualifications

• 8+ years of progressive HR experience, including HRBP and/or People Operations roles.
• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Accounting, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Startup experience required (or experience building new groups within a larger company).
• Demonstrated ability to operate as a hands‑on People operator in a fast‑paced environment.
• Comfortable managing both high‑level strategy and day‑to‑day execution without relying on large teams or administrative support.
• Proven track record of building processes, fixing broken systems, and driving operational outcomes directly.
• Experience partnering directly with senior leaders on organizational strategy, talent management, and change management.
• Solid experience supporting compensation planning, promotions, and organizational design.
• Experience implementing and scaling People programs in a growing organization.
• Ability to use People data and metrics to support workforce planning and influence decisions.
• High knowledge of HRIS systems, compensation practices, and equity administration.
• Excellent understanding of California employment law and HR compliance.
• High business acumen with the ability to balance strategic thinking and hands‑on execution.

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Experience in high‑growth technology, aerospace, or pharmaceutical/life sciences environments.
• Experience managing, coaching, and mentoring direct reports.

What Success Looks Like

• People systems and operational processes are scalable, accurate, and efficient.
• Leaders feel supported, challenged, and empowered by an exceptional People partner.
• Performance management processes are consistent, clear, and actionable.
• Reporting and workforce data drive better business decisions.
• Processes become simpler, faster, and more effective as the company scales.

Pay Range

• Salary range: $140,000 - $170,000/per year
• This role is on‑site in El Segundo, CA
• Leveling and base salary is determined by job‑related skills, education level, experience level, and job performance
• You will be eligible for incentives in the form of stock options and/or long‑term cash awards

Benefits

Varda offers a comprehensive benefits package designed to support health, financial well‑being, and a high‑quality workplace experience. Below is an overview of what full‑time employees receive (at this time, interns receive a subset of benefits):

Health & Wellness

• Flexible PTO policy + 12 paid holidays
• 100% company‑paid Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance plans for employees and dependents with FSA and employer‑matched HSA options
• Voluntary accident, hospital, critical illness, and pet insurance
• $120/month wellness reimbursement for gym and fitness expenses
• 12 weeks of parental leave (with supplemental disability leave for CA mothers)
• Family building, pregnancy, parenting and menopause benefits via Maven Clinic
• Sponsored One Medical memberships for employees and their dependents

Financial & Retirement

• Substantial incentive equity in a fully funded space start‑up
• 401(k) retirement plan with 6% employer match (immediately vested)
• $20/pay period cell phone reimbursement
• Relocation support for new hires, if needed

Workplace Experience & Perks

• Fully stocked kitchen with lunch provided daily and dinner provided twice weekly
• Company and team‑bonding events, happy hours and mission‑success celebrations
• Complimentary EV charging

ITAR Requirements

Varda, like all employers, must ensure that its employees working in the United States are lawfully authorized to work in the U.S. Additionally, our employees are exposed to and have access to certain export‑controlled items. Because our employees are provided access to export‑controlled items, our policy is to only hire 'U.S. persons' who are permitted to have access to our technology without an export license. 'US person' means: U.S. citizen, U.S. lawful permanent resident, or protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3) (i.e., individual admitted to the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum).

E-Verify Statement

Varda