Director of Human Resources

Director Of Human Resources

Sakuú is reinventing manufacturing via a total process shift. The transformative Kavian platform technology enables mass-scale, cost-effective, and sustainable production to meet global demands in various industries. Today, Sakuú focuses this expertise in 3D print technology and process knowledge to redefine battery and energy storage manufacturing with our Kavian platform for dry electrode manufacturing. With increasing interest in dry technology in battery manufacturing and a need for scale and cost-effective solutions, we are accelerating our scaling efforts and getting tools on our customers' manufacturing floors.

The Director of Human Resources will serve as a strategic and hands-on leader responsible for building and scaling Sakuu's people function as the company transitions through its next stage of growth and commercialization. This person will own core HR operations while partnering closely with leadership to strengthen culture, improve organizational effectiveness, and ensure Sakuu can attract and retain top talent in a highly competitive market.

This role requires a blend of strategic thinking and execution, operating as a trusted advisor to leadership while also driving day-to-day HR processes in a fast-paced, high-accountability environment.

Key Responsibilities Include:

• Own and execute Sakuu's HR strategy, aligning people initiatives with business priorities and scaling plans.
• Partner with executive leadership to support organizational design, workforce planning, and hiring strategy as the company grows.
• Lead and improve talent acquisition processes, ensuring Sakuu can hire high-performing technical and operational talent efficiently.
• Build scalable onboarding and employee lifecycle programs to support retention and employee engagement.
• Develop and implement performance management processes, including goal setting, feedback cadence, and leadership coaching.
• Support managers with employee relations matters, performance issues, conflict resolution, and compliance guidance.
• Own compensation and benefits administration, including benchmarking, equity considerations, and annual review cycles.
• Establish HR policies, processes, and systems to ensure compliance with California labor law and federal regulations.
• Drive culture-building initiatives that support Sakuu's values, accountability, and high-performance execution.
• Own HR reporting and key metrics, including headcount tracking, attrition, engagement, and hiring performance.
• Support the development of training programs and leadership development initiatives as management layers evolve.
• Ensure HR infrastructure is built to support scaling, including HRIS implementation and process standardization.

What You Bring – Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Organizational Psychology, or a related field.
• 8-12+ years of progressive HR experience, including leadership responsibility in high-growth environments.
• Proven experience building HR processes and infrastructure in a scaling organization (ideally under 150 employees).
• Strong working knowledge of California employment law, compliance, and HR best practices.
• Experience supporting technical teams (engineering, manufacturing, operations, or R&D) in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to operate as both a strategic advisor and a hands-on executor.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build trust and influence across all levels of the organization.
• Experience leading performance management processes, employee relations, and manager coaching.
• Strong organizational ability, attention to detail, and ability to manage competing priorities.

Nice to Haves

• Prior experience in cleantech, battery manufacturing, advanced manufacturing, or other high-tech hardware environments.
• Experience supporting organizations through commercialization, scaling production, or customer deployments.
• HRIS implementation experience (Rippling, BambooHR, Workday, UKG, etc.).
• Experience designing equity and compensation structures for growth-stage companies.
• Familiarity with building structured hiring processes, competency frameworks, and leadership development systems.
• Experience working directly with founders and executive teams in an ambiguous, high-growth setting.

Why Join Sakuu

• Opportunity to help build and shape the people function at a company transforming the future of manufacturing.
• Work alongside a highly technical and mission-driven leadership team.
• Direct impact on Sakuu's culture, organizational structure, and long-term growth.
• Collaborative and dynamic environment with meaningful ownership and leadership responsibility.

Additional Details

Sakuu will expect candidates to work onsite at the South San Jose location. Remote work schedules are not available.

The estimated compensation range for a new hire in this position is $170,000 to $200,000. Actual compensation may vary depending on job-related factors, which may include candidate's knowledge, skills, and experience. In addition to a competitive base salary, discretionary target cash bonus, Sakuú offers full-time employees a comprehensive benefits package including health, life, and disability insurance, paid time off, and a 401(k) plan.

We aspire to have a culture where people are first. We strive to attract and retain a diverse workforce; therefore, all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status. Sakuú is an equal opportunity employer and by doing so, we will sustain and promote an inclusive culture that supports future growth for all.