Director, People Operations

About the role

Shield AI, a venture-backed defense-tech company, is looking for a Director of People Operations to lead and grow its People Operations function as it scales. The role shapes the employee experience by building efficient, technology-enabled and AI-powered processes across the employee lifecycle, working with HR, Payroll, Finance, IT, Legal and business leaders.

Key responsibilities

• Define and run a People Operations vision, operating model and multi-year roadmap covering hiring, onboarding and the employee lifecycle
• Lead day-to-day operations and scale the function, setting team structure, capacity, KPIs and operating rhythms
• Turn People Operations into a self-service-first, AI-enabled model with automation, case management and digital channels
• Own service performance (SLAs, response times, quality, satisfaction) and set governance for AI use
• Own end-to-end workforce lifecycle processes, from interviews and onboarding to offboarding, and lead process redesign and automation
• Ensure data accuracy, security and compliance, working with HRIS, Payroll, Legal and Finance
• Build the technology roadmap with HRIS, IT and Talent Acquisition teams, supporting platforms such as UKG, Jira Service Management and Ashby
• Set service metrics, dashboards and reporting, and drive continuous improvement

Required profile

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration or a related field
• 15+ years of HR or People Operations experience in complex or high-growth environments
• 7+ years leading People Operations or HR Shared Services teams
• Proven track record of operational transformation, including automation and AI-enabled solutions
• Preferred: Master's degree or MBA, experience in technology, aerospace, defense or high-growth industries, and experience with UKG, Ashby and Jira

Required skills

• Employee lifecycle operations, compliance and data governance
• Experience partnering with HRIS and enterprise technology teams
• KPIs, SLAs and operational reporting
• Preferred: Lean, Six Sigma, Agile or ITIL, and certifications such as SHRM-SCP, SPHR, PMP or Lean Six Sigma