Director of People Operations

Ridealso
Palo Alto, CA
On-site

Who this role is best for

Candidates with global HR experience and a focus on total rewards will find this high-impact, lean People Operations role at a pre-IPO EV company.

Best fit for

  • Candidates with a background in global compensation and benefits design and a builder mindset will thrive here.
    — “You'll likely bring: 8–12 years of progressive People or People Ops experience”
  • Individuals who excel in translating complex data and policies into actionable insights for leadership are ideal.
    — “Translate complexity into clarity — whether that's communicating a new comp framework to the team”
  • Candidates with a track record of scaling People infrastructure in fast-growing, pre-IPO environments are a strong fit.
    — “we're not building for headcount, we're building for impact”

Things to consider

  • The role requires full-time, in-office presence for most of the week, with limited remote flexibility.
    — “This is an onsite position requiring attendance in the office 5 days per week”
  • The role demands managing compliance across multiple geographies, which may require nuanced legal understanding.
    — “Ensure compliance across federal, state, local, and international employment law requirements”

How to stand out

  • Highlight experience in designing compensation frameworks for multi-state or international teams.
    — “Deep knowledge of compensation design ... in a multi-state and/or international context”
  • Showcase your ability to partner with leadership and translate data into strategic decisions.
    — “Use people data and surveys to surface insights that help leadership make better decisions”
Pace · SteadyCollaboration · MediumAutonomy · HighDecision Impact · Company

Derived from job-description analysis by Serendipath's career intelligence engine.

What success looks like

  • Evolved compensation philosophy
  • Led compensation cycles
  • Built scalable People Ops processes
Typical background
Experience in People Operations or HR

Skills & requirements

Required

Total RewardsHRISPeople OperationsEmployee Lifecycle ProcessesComplianceEmployee ExperienceEngagement ProgramsPeople Data Analysis

Preferred

Experience In A Startup Environment

Stack & domain

Total RewardsCompensation PhilosophyBenefits StrategyHRISPeople Ops ProcessesEmployee LifecycleCompliancePeople InfrastructureEmployee EngagementPeople DataFeedback LoopsLeadershipStrategic PartnershipStrategic ThinkingTeam BuildingOperational ExcellenceCommunicationProblem-solvingDecision-makingCollaborationTeam DevelopmentPeople OperationsCompensationBenefitsPeople Ops

About the role

Original posting from Ridealso via Ashby

About ALSO.

We’re ALSO, an electric mobility company originally conceived as a part of Rivian. We’re a passionate team of builders, dreamers, doers and innovators, focused on creating entirely new (not to mention, innovative and delightful) vertically integrated, small EVs designed to meet the global mobility challenges of today and tomorrow. Our mission is to inspire everyone to ride ALSO—replacing many local car, truck and SUV miles with ones on vehicles that are more affordable, more enjoyable and 10-50x more efficient.

We’re bringing on a Director of People Operations to be the operational engine of our People function, driving the full spectrum of people programs. Total rewards is your core strength and the capability that complements our existing People team, but this role goes well beyond comp and benefits. You’ll build and scale the processes, infrastructure, and programs that support a fast-moving, global business, and you’ll do it with direct access to business leaders. This is a lean, high-trust role: you’ll report to our VP of People, lead a small team, and operate with the autonomy that comes from being close to the decisions that matter. If you’re energized by building the machine, not just running it, this is your kind of role.

What You'll Do

Total Rewards - Your Core Strength

  • Evolve and steward ALSO's compensation philosophy — job architecture, salary bands, leveling frameworks, and equity programs that work across our US and global teams
  • Lead compensation cycles on a regular cadence: merit, bonus, and additional equity grants, in close partnership with Finance and the VP of People
  • Own benefits strategy end-to-end — plan design, broker and vendor relationships, open enrollment, and ongoing benchmarking to ensure we remain competitive as we grow into new markets
  • Partner with the People Partner and Talent Acquisition on compensation for new hires and promotions, maintaining consistency and fairness at every level

People Operations & People Infrastructure

  • Partner with our People Ops Manager to evolve our HRIS and broader People tech stack, building on the deep investment of these systems and experience on the team — data integrity, system integrations, and self-service tooling that makes life easier for employees and managers alike
  • Build and maintain scalable People Ops processes across the full employee lifecycle: onboarding, offboarding, leave administration, performance cycles, and internal mobility
  • Ensure compliance across federal, state, local, and international employment law requirements — with a particular focus on our growing global footprint
  • Keep our people infrastructure lean and smart; we're not building for headcount, we're building for impact

Employee Experience & Engagement

  • Partner with the People Partner to develop and run employee engagement programs, recognition initiatives, and feedback loops that reflect ALSO's culture and values
  • Use people data and surveys to surface insights that help leadership make better decisions about our team

Team Leadership & Strategic People Partnership

  • Serve as a trusted advisor to the VP of People and senior leadership on compensation, org design, and people operations
  • Translate complexity into clarity — whether that's communicating a new comp framework to the team or presenting a benefits recommendation to the exec team
  • Lead and develop a small, high-impact team: setting clear priorities, modeling operational excellence, and creating an environment where people do their best work
  • Be a player-coach: you set direction and you also do the work, and you're proud of both

What You’ll Bring

We're looking for someone with deep roots in total rewards and the breadth to hold everything else that comes with running People Ops at a global, pre-IPO company. You'll likely bring:

  • 8–12 years of progressive People or People Ops experience, with at least 5–7 years focused specifically on compensation, benefits, or total rewards
  • Experience leading people and programs in a high-growth or startup environment — you know what it means to build, not just maintain
  • Deep knowledge of compensation design, equity programs (ISOs, RSUs), and benefits administration in a multi-state and/or international context
  • Comfort operating across multiple geographies and navigating the compliance complexity that comes with global teams
  • Strong analytical skills — you can build a comp model and you know how to use data to tell a story that lands with leadership
  • High emotional intelligence and discretion; people trust you with sensitive information at every level of the org
  • A builder's mindset: you're energized by creating structure where there isn't any, and you don't need a large team to do great work

Nice to Have

  • Experience in EV, or consumer product companies
  • Familiarity with pre-IPO equity compensation and the complexity that comes with it
  • Experience supporting global market entry and the people infrastructure it requires
  • CCP, SHRM-SCP, or CEBS certification

The salary for this position ranges from $180,000 - $230,000 per year, depending on experience, qualifications, and location.

This is an onsite position requiring attendance in the office 5 days per week. Once fully ramped and in alignment with their manager, employees may have the opportunity for limited flexibility, including the potential to work remotely up to two days per week, based on business and team needs.

Perks & Benefits

  • Robust health coverage — excellent health, dental and vision insurance covered up to 100% by ALSO with FSA & HSA options
  • One Medical membership and dedicated insurance advocates
  • Rich fertility and family building benefits with Progyny
  • Flexible time off
  • 401(k) match

Why ALSO.

We’re passionate about helping the world find a better way to get there—wherever it is you’re headed.

We’re located in the heart of Silicon Valley and have brought together a world-class team from some of the biggest brands in the technology, automotive, cycling, outdoor recreation and retail spaces. 

Together we’re working hands-on to imagine, design and build an entirely new solution to a global set of transportation challenges.

Source: Ridealso careers (Ashby)

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