Director, People Operations

San Mateo, California / San Diego, California / Dallas, TexasPeople Experience Division – People Experience /Full Time Employee /On-siteShield AI is a venture-backed defense-tech company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. Its products include Hivemind autonomy software, V-BAT and X-BATaircraft, and Aechelon simulation and synthetic reality technologies. With offices and facilities across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, Shield AI’s technology actively supports operations worldwide. For more information, visit. Follow Shield AI onLinkedIn,X,Instagram, andYouTube.Shield AI is seeking a Director of People Operations to lead and evolve our People Operations function as we continue to scale. In this role, you'll shape how we deliver an exceptional employee experience by building efficient, technology-enabled, and AI-powered processes that support every stage of the employee lifecycle. You'll balance strategic transformation with hands-on operational leadership, partnering closely with HR, Payroll, Finance, IT, Legal, and business leaders to create a high-performing, scalable People organization that enables our employees—and our business—to thrive.What you'll do:Strategic Leadership & Team ManagementDefine and execute a unified People Operations vision, operating model, and multi-year roadmap spanning candidate interviewing, hiring, employee onboarding and employee lifecycle operations.Lead day-to-day operations, ensuring consistent, high-quality service delivery across the employee lifecycle.Lead and scale a rapidly growing People Operations function through direct leadership, with full accountability for team performance, service quality, and outcomes across the candidate and employee lifecycle.Establish team structure, capacity planning, KPIs, and operating rhythms to support hiring velocity, onboarding effectiveness, and ongoing operational excellence.Serve as a strategic advisor to executives on workforce operations, hiring experience, service delivery, and AI enablement.Service Delivery & AI EnablementTransform People Operations into a self-service-first, AI-enabled support model.Design and implement service delivery architecture, including automation, case management, and digital support channels to support rapid company scaling and global expansion.Lead enterprise knowledge management to enable self-service and improve consistency and AI effectiveness.Own and drive service performance, including SLAs, response times, quality, and employee satisfaction.Establish governance for AI-enabled execution and support, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and appropriate escalation.Continuously improve services through analytics, feedback, and process optimization.Select and manage external vendors and platforms specific People Operations.Operational Excellence & Process DesignOwn end-to-end workforce lifecycle processes, from interview coordination and candidate logistics through onboarding, employee changes, and offboarding.Ensure seamless handoffs between recruiting and employee operations to deliver a cohesive, high-quality experience.Lead process redesign initiatives to improve hiring efficiency, onboarding speed, service quality, and risk reduction.Establish policies, documentation, controls, and service standards.Drive automation strategies to reduce manual effort and improve quality.Ensure operational continuity and audit readiness.Lead change management and adoption for new processes, tools and capabilities.Data Governance & ComplianceEnsure accuracy, security, and integrity of employee data and workforce transactions.Establish governance, audit, and validation practices to reduce risk.Partner with HRIS, Payroll, Legal, and Finance to maintain compliance and alignment with internal controls.Drive enterprise accountability for data quality across People systems.Technology & EnablementPartner with HRIS, IT, Talent Acquisition, and Digital teams to define and execute the People Operations technology roadmap.Support adoption and optimization of platforms such as UKG, Jira Service Management, Ashby, and automation tools.Translate business needs across the People Operations function into scalable systems and workflows.Analytics & Continuous ImprovementEstablish related service metrics, dashboards, and reporting frameworks.Monitor SLAs, KPIs, and operational health indicators.Use data to identify trends, inefficiencies, and opportunities for automation.Drive continuous improvement and data-informed decision-making.Measure service effectiveness, employee experience, and AI performance.Evaluate emerging technologies, industry trends, and evolving best practices to continuously modernize and scalePeople Operations.Required qualifications:Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field.15+ years of progressive HR or People Operations experience in complex or high-growth environments.7+ years leading People Operations or HR Shared Services teams.Experience designing and scaling shared services and service delivery models.Proven track record of operational transformation, including automation and AI-enabled solutions.Strong expertise in employee lifecycle operations, compliance, and data governance.Experience partnering with HRIS and enterprise technology teams.Demonstrated success with KPIs, SLAs, and operational reporting.Strong leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills.Preferred qualifications:Master’s degree or MBA in a related field.Experience in technology, aerospace, defense, or high-growth industries.Experience building AI-enabled service models and knowledge management systems.Experience with UKG, Ashby and JiraBackground in service management, digital transformation, or operational excellence.Knowledge of Lean, Six Sigma, Agile, or ITIL methodologies.Experience supporting multi-state or global workforce operations.Relevant certifications (e.g., SHRM-SCP, SPHR, PMP, Lean Six Sigma, ITIL).$160,000 - $250,000 a year#LI-AD7Full-time regular employee offer package:Pay within range listed + Bonus + Benefits + EquityTemporary employee offer package:Pay within range listed above + temporary benefits package (applicable after 60 days of employment)Salary compensation is influenced by a wide array of factors including but not limited to skill set, level of experience, licenses and certifications, and specific work location. All offers are contingent on a cleared background and possible reference check. Military fellows and part-time employees are not eligible for benefits. Please speak to your talent acquisition representative for more information.###Shield AI is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. We are committed toequal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know.We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.