Director, Head of People

Director, Head of People

Location: North Bay / Greater Sacramento Area, CA (Onsite)
Employment Type: Full-Time

A growing organization is seeking a Head of People (Director level) to rebuild and lead the U.S. HR function during a critical period of organizational growth.

This role is ideal for a senior HR leader who thrives in hands-on, build-from-scratch environments and is comfortable establishing structure where limited infrastructure currently exists. The successful candidate will partner closely with executive leadership to design scalable people programs and strengthen organizational culture.

Key Responsibilities

• Build and implement foundational HR infrastructure including job leveling, compensation frameworks, and performance management

• Establish and enforce HR policies, compliance processes, and governance

• Improve employee engagement, communication, and cross-functional collaboration

• Partner with leadership to strengthen manager effectiveness and accountability

• Support workforce planning, hiring strategy, and onboarding improvements

• Lead and develop a lean HR function while planning for future growth

Ideal Candidate Profile

We are seeking a leader who has:

• 10+ years of progressive HR experience, ideally within biotech, pharmaceutical, or life sciences organizations

• Proven experience building HR infrastructure from the ground up

• Experience working in early-stage, scaling, or under-structured environments

• Strong ability to influence leadership and establish clear HR standards

• Deep knowledge of California labor law and HR compliance