People Operations Lead

Botrista, Inc.; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Fully company-paid Medical for employees

99% company-paid Dental and Vision Insurance

Cell Phone and Internet reimbursement

Job summary

A pioneering beverage technology company based in San Francisco is seeking a People Operations Lead to build and optimize HR processes in a rapidly growing environment. The ideal candidate will have over 5 years of experience in HR, preferably in a startup, and is passionate about fostering an inclusive culture. Responsibilities include managing employee lifecycle processes, compliance, and performance development. This role is crucial to supporting the company's growth trajectory.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of HR experience, including 2 years in a manager-level role.
• Proven experience in high-growth startups.
• Exceptional communication and organizational skills.

Responsibilities

• Oversee onboarding, offboarding, and employee transitions.
• Manage health, wellness, and leave programs.
• Ensure compliance with employment laws and policies.

Skills

HR experience

Communication skills

Problem-solving skills

Organizational skills

Ability to influence

Education

HR certification (e.g., PHR, SHRM-CP)

Tools

HRIS systems

ATS

Job description

Join to apply for the People Operations Lead role at Botrista, Inc.

At Botrista, we are revolutionizing beverage culture with intuitive, Nature-guided drink-making technology. By empowering restaurants and establishments to expand their menus without added complexity, we are driving growth and innovation at the touch of a button. Awarded as one of the Best California Startups in 2023, our solutions create a new industry category, applicable to any cuisine, demographic, and business. With rapid deployment of our machines nationwide, we are delivering extraordinary beverage experiences to customers everywhere.

We’re seeking a hands‑on People Operations Lead to partner with leadership on the unique opportunity to help build our function from the ground up, establishing processes and systems to scale with our rapid growth. This role will be instrumental in shaping the employee experience, building scalable people programs, and supporting leaders as we grow. This individual is primarily responsible for daily HR generalist duties. The ideal candidate is a builder who thrives in a high‑growth startup, is comfortable wearing multiple hats, and is passionate about fostering an inclusive and engaging culture.

What You’ll Do

• Employee Lifecycle Management – Oversee onboarding, offboarding, and employee transitions to ensure a seamless and supportive experience.
• Benefits & Leave Administration – Manage health, wellness, and leave programs, ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local regulations.
• HR Systems & Processes – Maintain and optimize HRIS (ADP), and performance management tools to support data accuracy and reporting.
• Compliance & Policy Development – Ensure compliance with employment laws; draft, update, and communicate company policies and handbooks.
• Performance & Development – Support performance review cycles, feedback processes, and career development initiatives such as salary calibration, compensation, and raise strategy.
• Employee Relations – Serve as a trusted resource for managers and employees, addressing questions and concerns with professionalism and care.
• Data & Reporting – Track and analyze HR metrics (turnover, retention, engagement) to inform decisions and support business goals.
• Scaling People Operations – Build scalable processes and frameworks to support the company’s growth from 150 employees and beyond.
• Cross‑Functional Collaboration – Partner closely with Finance, Legal, and Operations teams to ensure seamless integration of people processes with business operations. The role will work very closely with Botrista’s Director of Talent, who is responsible for recruiting.

Requirements

• 5+ years of HR experience, including at least 2 years in a manager‑level or business partner role and building HR functions from scratch in start‑up environments where you were the primary or sole HR resource.
• HR certification (e.g., PHR, SHRM‑CP).
• Proven experience in a high‑growth startup or technology environment strongly preferred.
• Must be comfortable with navigating ambiguity and able to design scalable processes from scratch.
• Self‑starter mentality with proven ability to work independently and drive initiatives to completion without extensive oversight.
• Exceptional communication, problem‑solving, and organizational skills.
• Experience with HR tools such as ATS, HRIS systems, Performance Management, Salary Data sources, etc.
• Strong knowledge of California and federal employment law.
• Demonstrated ability to influence and build trust with employees and leaders at all levels.
• Hands‑on, collaborative, and excited to roll up your sleeves.

Nice to Have

• Experience in high‑growth technology startups.
• Experience using AI tools to streamline and accelerate HR service delivery.
• Fully company‑paid Medical (for employees) and 99% company‑paid Dental and Vision Insurance.
• Cell Phone and Internet reimbursement.