People Ops Specialist

About Us

At Hayden AI, we are on a mission to harness the power of computer vision to transform the way transit systems and other government agencies address real-world challenges.

From bus lane and bus stop enforcement to transportation optimization technologies and beyond, our innovative mobile perception system empowers our clients to accelerate transit, enhance street safety, and drive toward a sustainable future.

Job Summary :

As a People Team Specialist, you will be a key member of our People Operations team, driving operational excellence and helping to deliver an outstanding employee experience from onboarding through offboarding. You will balance operational excellence and empathy while managing critical programs in compliance, compensation, and engagement events that bring our culture to life.

This is a dynamic role for someone who thrives in the details but never loses sight of the people behind the process. You will help us build systems that are efficient, scalable, and people-centered.

This position is based in San Francisco and follows a hybrid schedule, with a requirement to be in the office at least three days per week to collaborate with team members and engage in person with employees.

Responsibilities :

Employee Lifecycle Operations

Manage seamless onboarding and offboarding processes that reflect our culture and values.

Coordinate with IT, Finance, and hiring managers to ensure all onboarding / offboarding logistics, including equipment, system access, and communications, run smoothly.

Compliance & Data Integrity

Maintain accurate employee data in HR systems, ensuring compliance with company policy and employment regulations.

Support audits, reporting, and documentation related to employment, immigration, and compensation compliance.

Compensation & Total Rewards Support

Assist in administering compensation programs, including salary reviews and benchmarking efforts.

Partner with People Leadership and Finance to ensure alignment with Radford leveling and market data.

Events & Engagement

Plan, coordinate, and execute company-wide and team-level events, both virtual and in-person, that strengthen connection and culture.

Lead logistics and coordination for All Hands meetings, including scheduling, agenda management, content collection, and post-event follow-up.

Partner with internal stakeholders to manage event logistics, communications, and budgets.

Support recognition and engagement initiatives that celebrate employee milestones and foster belonging.

Project Planning & Continuous Improvement

Lead or contribute to People Ops projects that improve efficiency, data accuracy, and the employee experience.

Create and maintain process documentation, workflows, and playbooks.

Identify opportunities for automation and system optimization.

Required Qualifications :

35 years of experience in People Operations, HR, or a related field.

Strong working knowledge of HR processes, compliance standards, and people systems such as HRIS or ATS.

Proven ability to manage complex logistics and deliver high-quality employee events, including All Hands meetings.

Requires intermediate proficiency in Microsoft Excel as a minimum, including the ability to use formulas, pivot tables, charts, and functions like VLOOKUP / XLOOKUP for reporting and data analysis. Candidates should be comfortable cleaning and managing data, applying conditional formatting, and generating people-related reports.

Proficiency with Mac OS and Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Slides, Drive, Calendar, etc.) is required.

Exceptional attention to detail and organizational skills.

Collaborative communication style with the ability to work cross-functionally and maintain confidentiality.

A creative and continuous improvement mindset with a focus on making processes smoother, smarter, and more engaging.