Director of HR Operations

ABOUT THE ROLE At Hippocratic AI, we move fast, operate with intention, and hold an incredibly high bar for excellence. As our Director of HR Operations, you will be the heartbeat of the People engine. You will architect the systems, policies, programs, and processes that ensure the company scales rapidly without compromising on culture, trust, compliance, or mission. You will act as a critical bridge between the executive team and the broader workforce, responsible for turning people-strategy into actionable, repeatable, and scalable operations. This is a role for someone who loves the craft of People Operations. You are energized by building from scratch, thrive when the stakes are high, and bring calm, precision, and sound judgment to complexity. You combine hands-on execution with strategic leadership, and you see operational rigor as the foundation of an exceptional employee experience. If you want to shape the HR infrastructure of a hypergrowth, mission-driven organization—and care deeply about trust, clarity, and operational excellence—this is the place for you. WHAT YOU'LL DO HR Operations & Systems Ownership - Fully own and administer the People tech stack (e.g., HRIS such as Rippling), ensuring workflows, automations, integrations, data integrity, and reporting are reliable and scalable. - Design processes that feel intuitive, reduce friction, and give every employee confidence that things “just work.” - Manage the full employee lifecycle: onboarding, internal transitions, performance changes, promotions, and offboarding. - Maintain confidential employee records and ensure data accuracy and compliance for reporting and audits. - Supervise and mentor any HR or People Ops staff — providing leadership, coaching, and development for the HR team. - Your work will help reinforce a culture of clarity, organization, and operational excellence across the entire company. Compliance, Policies & Risk Management - Ensure organizational compliance with all relevant federal, state, and local labor laws, regulations, and employment standards — particularly critical as the company grows and operates across states. - Own the employee handbook, develop and maintain HR policies and procedures. Update policies as laws change or the company's needs evolve. - Oversee regulatory filings, audits, and HR-related reporting requirements. Total Rewards Operations - Manage benefits administration, compensation workflows, payroll coordination, and rewards programs. Ensure accuracy, consistency, and confidentiality to build trust across the organization. - Use market data and internal analytics to design competitive compensation and benefits plans. Employee Experience & Support - Serve as a trusted, empathetic point of contact for employees — mediating disputes, supporting performance management, advising on disciplinary actions, and fostering an environment of fairness and openness. - Build self-service resources, documentation, and tools so employees feel empowered and supported. Strategic People Operations & Scaling - Collaborate with Finance on headcount planning, budgets, compensation, and growth forecasting. - Work with leadership to align People strategy with business goals, growth trajectories, and scaling plans. - Spot bottlenecks early, propose solutions, and introduce automations that let us scale fast while staying aligned to our core values. - Your work will directly influence how we grow, how we collaborate, and how we maintain a high-performance culture during hypergrowth. Reporting, Data & Analytics - Maintain accurate HR reporting (headcount, turnover, compensation, benefits, compliance metrics, demographics, trends). - Leverage data analytics to inform strategy, detect potential issues (e.g., turnover risk, engagement gaps), and drive continuous improvement in People operations. Location Requirement We believe the best ideas happen together. To support fast collaboration and a strong team culture, this role is expected to be in our Palo Alto office five days a week, unless otherwise specified. WHAT YOU BRING Must-Have: - 7+ years in People/HR Operations with at least 2+ years in leadership roles, with meaningful experience in fast-paced, high-growth startups - Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field (advanced degree preferred). - Experience in regulated industries (healthcare, AI, biotech, fintech) - Deep functional knowledge across HR sub-functions: HR operations, total rewards, performance & talent management, compliance, HRIS, employee relations. - Strong expertise with HRIS/People systems, especially Rippling — ability to design workflows, manage integrations, handle automations, and maintain data integrity. - A deeply hands-on approach—you love rolling up your sleeves and building clean, reliable processes - Strong foundation in multi-state employment (including hourly workf