People Operations Lead

Arena

People Operations Lead designing and scaling HR programs for a high-growth AI startup. Collaborating with leadership to enhance employee experience and organizational design.

Posted 6/9/2026full-timeBay Area • California • 🇺🇸 United StatesSeniorWebsite

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Build and evolve foundational programs including onboarding, performance management, compensation, career development, and other initiatives that support company growth.
Serve as a trusted advisor to leaders, providing guidance on team effectiveness, organizational design, employee relations, and people decisions.
Create lightweight systems and processes that improve consistency while preserving speed and flexibility.
Help shape an environment where employees can do their best work, driving initiatives that strengthen engagement, communication, and team health.
Ensure the fundamentals are operating smoothly, from policies and documentation to compliance and employee lifecycle management.
Partner with leadership on headcount planning, organizational structure, and evolving team needs.
Identify gaps before they become bottlenecks, building the frameworks and tools needed to support a growing organization.

Requirements

What you’ll need

6+ years of experience building People programs in an early stage or high growth environment where adaptability and execution mattered as much as expertise.
Strong HR business partnering skills and the ability to translate business goals into practical people strategies.
Sound judgment when navigating sensitive employee situations, balancing empathy with accountability.
A builder's mindset. You enjoy creating systems from scratch and improving them as the organization evolves.
Comfort operating in ambiguity and making progress without waiting for perfect information.
A practical approach to People Operations that focuses on outcomes rather than process for process's sake.
Familiarity with modern AI tools and a curiosity about how technology can improve internal workflows is a plus.

Benefits

Comp & perks

Comprehensive health and wellness benefits, including medical, dental, vision, and additional support programs.
The opportunity to work on cutting-edge AI with a small, mission-driven team.
A culture that values transparency, trust, and community impact.

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills & Tools

people programsperformance managementemployee relationsorganizational designcomplianceemployee lifecycle managementheadcount planningteam effectivenesssystems creationprocess improvement

Soft Skills

HR business partneringsound judgmentempathyaccountabilityadaptabilityexecutionbuilder's mindsetcomfort in ambiguitypractical approachcommunication