Head of People Operations and Rewards

Role Overview

We are seeking a Head of People Operations and Rewards to architect and lead the operating system behind our People organization by connecting strategy, talent, programs, processes, data, and technology so the function operates as one integrated system.

This is not a traditional People Operations or Shared Services role. It is an enterprise transformation leadership role with the mandate to rethink how work gets done across People: where work should sit, how it should flow, what should be automated, how decisions get made, and where we invest capacity.

As the horizontal integrator across the People organization, this leader will connect People Business Partners, Talent, Operations, Programs, Systems, Insights, and business leaders by breaking down traditional functional boundaries and turning a collection of People programs into a cohesive operating model.

The role will lead a multidisciplinary organization spanning People Operations, People Programs & PMO, and Total Rewards, with a mandate to simplify work, strengthen accountability, and use AI, automation, and data to fundamentally improve how People operates. Ultimately, this leader will build the infrastructure that allows the People organization to move faster and create greater business impact without adding organizational complexity.

What You'll Own

Architect the People operating system. Design how the People organization works end to end by connecting strategy, processes, decision rights, governance, systems, data, technology, service delivery, and employee experience. Eliminate fragmented ownership and create an operating model where work moves seamlessly across functions.

Redesign how work gets done. Continuously challenge where work sits, how it flows, and whether it should exist at all. Simplify processes, remove unnecessary handoffs and layers, clarify accountability, and leverage technology to scale capacity.

Increase organizational metabolism. Build the planning, prioritization, and execution mechanisms that allow the People organization to move with greater speed. Connect business priorities, the People roadmap, capacity, and dependencies so leaders can make deliberate decisions about what to accelerate, simplify, automate, defer, or stop.

Build an AI-first People function. Move beyond layering AI onto existing processes to fundamentally redesigning work around AI and automation. Identify opportunities to eliminate transactional work, increase self-service, augment decision-making, and materially improve productivity and employee experience.

Transform People Operations. Build scalable global operations across the employee lifecycle. Create an operating backbone that delivers exceptional service while continuously reducing friction, manual intervention, and complexity.

Modernize People Programs & Total Rewards. Ensure critical People programs, from compensation and benefits to enterprise-wide talent initiatives, are designed as integrated business systems with clear ownership, disciplined execution, and measurable outcomes.

Build exceptional execution capability. Develop leaders and Drivers who can take ambiguous, cross-functional business problems from strategy through implementation. Raise the bar for systems thinking, program leadership, AI fluency, data fluency, financial acumen, and accountability.

What Success Looks Like

Within 6 months, the People Team operates as one connected system with clear decision rights, seamless handoffs, and shared priorities. Leaders have visibility into capacity, investments, and outcomes. Manual and transactional work has been materially reduced through AI, automation, and self-service. Programs are simpler, faster, and increasingly measurable.

The Ideal Leader

• Led a broad People Operations/People Transformation/Total Rewards organization in a complex, global technology company at meaningful scale.
• Combines the strategic range of a transformation leader with the operating depth to bring the change to life.
• Has deep systems thinking, strong business and financial acumen, and experience using AI, automation, and modern People technology to redesign work.
• Strong portfolio/PMO discipline with a track record of managing competing priorities, capacity, and cross-functional dependencies.
• Strong business and financial acumen, including the ability to evaluate investments based on ROI.
• Executive presence and the ability to operate credibly with senior business leaders while also going deep enough to drive execution.