People Lead - Palo Alto, CA, United States

Originally posted 20 September 2026 by the employer — open 0 days.

About the role

This role involves owning the human resources function and related systems including HR, payroll, benefits, insurance, and operations for River AI. You will be instrumental in setting up and running these systems as the company grows.

What you'll do

• Own HR operations end-to-end: HRIS administration (Rippling), onboarding and offboarding, benefits administration, and employee records.
• Run payroll operations end-to-end, including benefits–payroll integration; review benefits charges and invoices for accuracy.
• Own company insurance and benefits programs — health, wellness, and business — sourcing providers and comparing quotes as needs change.
• Coordinate closely with Legal and IT on compliance activities.
• Handle sensitive employee matters and information with professionalism and sound judgment.
• Own workspace and commercial real estate: lease administration and negotiations, workspace and equipment setup, utilities, physical security, and vendors for networking, deliveries, and the cafeteria program.

What you'll need

• At least 7 years of experience in HR and having run HR/People operations at a startup or scale-up.
• Knowledge of HR platforms like Rippling.
• Ability to handle sensitive situations and information discreetly and build trust across the company.
• Familiarity with modern software and AI tooling, and quick to evaluate and adopt new systems.
• Ability to work full-time on-site.

Nice to have

• Familiarity with equity management platforms (e.g., Carta).
• IT training or background.