Principal People Business Partner, R&D Engineering

Secure Every Identity, from AI to Human

Identity is the key to unlocking the potential of AI. Okta secures AI by building the trusted, neutral infrastructure that enables organizations to safely embrace this new era. This work requires a relentless drive to solve complex challenges with real-world stakes. We are looking for builders and owners who operate with speed and urgency and execute with excellence.

This is an opportunity to do career-defining work. We're all in on this mission. If you are too, let's talk.

We are seeking a Principal People Business Partner to provide strategic partnership to the CTO and 10 VP/SVP+ leaders within the global Okta R&D Engineering organization. While supporting a broader workforce of 1,200+ employees (including 730 in AMER), this role’s primary mandate is to deliver high-impact executive consulting. By offloading routine tactical and transactional work to Center of Excellence (COE) partners through our Pod model, the Principal PBP serves as a dedicated strategic advisor and coach to the most senior technical leadership to drive critical business objectives.

Job Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide strategic advice, counsel, and consultative solutions to technical leadership on people management aspects of the Engineering organization, including driving organizational design, team effectiveness, executing change management strategy, and employee engagement solutions.
• Collaborate and consult on the design and delivery of People programs with the COEs to deliver effective solutions to the business.
• Lead the "AI-augmented" workforce transformation by consulting on role redesign, skill evolution, and strategic talent density to ensure humans and AI agents work together effectively.
• Orchestrate structural unification and complex organizational design for the VP+ population, optimizing spans, layers, and global delivery models for maximum operational effectiveness.
• Provide high-impact strategic consulting to executive leadership on organizational design, change management, and team effectiveness, utilizing the Pod model to delegate routine People programs to COEs.
• Deliver data-driven talent insights through Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs), identifying trends to influence long-term workforce planning and executive decision-making.
• Partner with team members throughout the People organization to communicate and educate on policies, procedures, and compliance.
• Understand the Engineering client groups strategy, technical challenges, innovation initiatives, and global delivery model.
• Lead the execution of critical talent management cycles, including annual performance reviews, calibration sessions, talent talks, and annual rewards planning. Partner with executive leadership to leverage these processes as strategic levers to cultivate a high-performance culture, drive AI-driven innovation, and ensure rigorous talent density within the organization.

Required Skills and Experience:

• 10+ years of relevant experience with a Bachelor's degree, or an equivalent combination of education and experience
• Experience supporting large-scale technical organizations of 1,000+ employees across global regions.
• Demonstrated experience coaching and mentoring senior technical leadership (VP and SVP levels).
• Advanced proficiency in organizational design for complex, global engineering structures and matrixed environments.
• Exceptional communication skills combined with demonstrated problem solving ability are critical for this role.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a team environment.
• Viewed as a resource for advice and guidance by peers and senior leaders.
• Good understanding of matrix structures and politically savvy.
• Ability to cope with pressure maintaining a high standard of deliverables.
• Excellent organization and follow-through skills.
• Ability to analyze and utilize data to make informed short and long term business decisions.
• Ability to work in a fast moving and changing environment.
• Ability to effectively communicate in various mediums to a wide variety of audiences.
• Able to build relationships, develop credibility with internal clients and mentor HR colleagues.
• Strong ability to multi-task and respond effectively to changing priorities and demands.
• Strong experience working with high-growth technology companies and R&D functions.

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The annual base salary range for this position for candidates located in the San Francisco Bay area is between: $179,000—$246,000 USD

Below is the annual base salary range for candidates located in California (excluding San Francisco Bay Area), Colorado, Illinois, New York and Washington. Your actual base salary will depend on factors such as your skills, qualifications, experience, and work location. In addition, Okta offers equity (where applicable), bonus, and benefits, including health, dental and vision insurance, 401(k), flexible spending account, and paid leave (including PTO and parental leave) in accordance with our applicable plans and policies. To learn more about our Total Rewards program please visit: .   

The annual base salary range for this position for candidates located in California (excluding San Francisco Bay Area), Colorado, Illinois, New York, and Washington is between: $160,000—$220,000 USD

The Okta Experience

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Okta is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, ancestry, marital status, age, physical or mental disability, or status as a protected veteran. We also consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and convictions records, consistent with applicable laws.

If reasonable accommodation is needed to complete any part of the job application, interview process, or onboarding please  use this Form to request an accommodation.

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