Senior Manager, People Operations

Breeze Bio is a rapidly-growing, early-stage company pioneering a proprietary delivery platform with the potential to transform genetic medicine. Our interdisciplinary team collaborates across chemistry, payload, formulation, screening, and preclinical development to drive the next generation of gene therapies. We foster an exciting, dynamic work environment and are expanding across all functions. Join us at our Brisbane, CA headquarters to shape the future of genetic medicine. Position Summary Breeze Bio is seeking a full-time Senior Manager of People Operations to build and run the HR function end-to-end. This is an execution-first role reporting directly to the Chief Operating Officer. Day-to-day execution is the heart of this job. You will personally run payroll, process onboarding and offboarding, screen candidates, answer employee questions, and keep our compliance documentation current - not oversee others who do. Alongside that hands-on work, you will own the design of the systems and policies that make it scale: compensation structure, HRIS, benefits, and leveling. We are looking for someone who has done this work before at a venture-backed company scaling through roughly 50 to 200 employees, and who genuinely enjoys the operational side of HR. As the company grows, this role has a clear path to build and lead a People team. We are open to leveling this role at Associate Director for candidates with deeper experience who remain excited to operate hands-on. Key Responsibilities HR Operations - Own all day-to-day HR operations end-to-end, including employee records, HR documentation, onboarding, offboarding, and the design and administration of company HR policy. Talent Acquisition - Run full-cycle recruiting: partner with the COO and hiring managers on headcount planning, write and place job postings, design interview loops, conduct screens, and manage offers through close. Payroll - Own bi-weekly payroll processing in Rippling, ensuring accuracy and timeliness in partnership with Finance and external vendors. Compliance and Reporting - Own compliance with federal, state, and local labor laws, including FMLA and CFRA leave administration. Maintain employee files, prepare compliance documentation, and lead audit responses. Prepare the company for EEO-1 and California pay data reporting as we approach the applicable thresholds. Employee Relations - Serve as the trusted point of contact for all employees. Lead employee relations matters and investigations to resolution, and coach managers through performance management and difficult conversations. Benefits and Compensation - Own benefits and compensation in full: design and administer the benefits program, run open enrollment, manage broker and carrier relationships, resolve employee issues directly, and lead compensation benchmarking, leveling, and the annual review cycle. HR Systems and Process - Own Rippling as our system of record. Build out the modules and workflows we are not yet using, keep employee data clean and reportable, and continuously improve HR processes as headcount grows Culture - Partner with the COO and leadership team to shape a positive, compliant, and efficient workplace through a period of rapid growth. Qualifications Experience - 7-10 years of hands-on HR experience, including at least 2 years as the primary HR owner at a startup or small company where you personally executed the work. Biotech, life sciences, or tech experience strongly preferred. Breadth - Demonstrated ownership across multiple HR functions: recruiting, onboarding, payroll, benefits, compliance, and employee relations. Judgment - Sound working knowledge of U.S. and California labor law, and the judgment to know when to escape to outside counsel. Systems - Proficiency with HRIS and payroll platforms (Rippling preferred); experience implementing or migrating an HRIS is a plus. Skills - Excellent organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills, with the discretion required to handle confidential matters. Operating style - Able to walk into an unstructured environment, diagnose what needs fixing first, and set priorities independently. You are equally comfortable designing a compensation framework and running a payroll cycle, often in the same day, with high attention to detail across competing demands. Education - Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience. Preferred Qualifications Korean fluency, which would be a plus in supporting our Seoul-based R&D team. Experience supporting a hybrid or global workforce. Experience standing up an HR function from scratch at a small or midsize company going through rapid growth. Breeze Bio is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. #J-18808-Ljbffr BreezeBio Inc.