Job Title

Senior HR Manager

About The Role

We are seeking an experienced Senior HR Manager to lead our HR function as Avicena continues to grow. Reporting directly to the CEO, this individual will serve as the primary HR leader supporting approximately 100 employees across the U.S. and international locations. This is a hands-on role requiring strong ownership, independence, and the ability to manage complex employee matters, recruiting, compensation, and HR operations in a fast-paced startup environment. The ideal candidate is confident, direct, practical, and comfortable making difficult decisions while maintaining fairness and professionalism.

Key Responsibilities

HR Operations & Employee Relations

• Own day-to-day HR operations and serve as the primary HR resource for employees, managers, and leadership.
• Develop and improve HR policies, processes, and programs to support company growth.
• Independently manage employee relations, including performance concerns, workplace conflicts, investigations, disciplinary actions, and terminations.
• Advise and coach managers on employee relations and effective people management.
• Manage onboarding, offboarding, benefits, employee records, and HR workflows through Rippling.
• Ensure compliance with employment laws, particularly California regulations, including leaves, accommodations, workers' compensation, and required training.
  
  

Performance Management, Compensation & Equity

• Manage the company's semiannual performance review process, including collecting and calibrating ratings and finalizing company-wide performance bonuses.
• Oversee salary reviews and recommend adjustments to maintain internal fairness and market competitiveness.
• Coordinate annual merit increases and other salary adjustments based on performance and company priorities.
• Monitor employee equity refresh eligibility and coordinate grants to ensure fair and consistent equity distribution across the organization.
  
  

Recruiting & Talent Acquisition

• Own full-cycle recruiting, with a strong focus on technical, engineering, and leadership positions.
• Manage external recruiters, staffing agencies, and executive headhunters, including monitoring performance, agreements, and recruiting costs.
• Maintain visibility into open positions, candidate pipelines, and hiring progress.
  
  

Payroll, Benefits & International HR

• Oversee payroll and benefits administration through Rippling, ensuring accurate and timely processing.
• Oversee international HR operations for employees in the UK, Canada, and India, primarily through Rippling and external partners.
• Coordinate with Finance and external providers to resolve payroll, benefits, and employment-related issues.
  
  

Time Off & Company Policies

• Oversee the company's unlimited PTO policy, ensuring fair use and addressing excessive time off in coordination with managers.
• Ensure proper tracking of employee time off through Rippling.
• Establish and maintain the annual company holiday calendar.
• Review and update employee policies and handbook provisions as needed.
  
  

Immigration

• Coordinate employment-based immigration matters with outside immigration counsel.
• Collect and provide all required employee and company documentation to support visa applications, transfers, and renewals.
• Ensure compliance with immigration-related employment requirements.
  
  

Strategic HR Partnership

• Partner with the CEO and leadership on workforce planning, compensation, employee retention, and organizational changes.
• Provide practical recommendations on HR matters while balancing business needs, employee fairness, and compliance.
• Support initiatives that strengthen accountability, company culture, and employee engagement.
  
  

Qualifications

• 8+ years of progressive HR experience, including independent ownership of HR operations, employee relations, recruiting, and compliance.
• Experience in a startup or high-growth technology company strongly preferred.
• Strong knowledge of California employment laws and HR practices.
• Experience managing performance reviews, compensation planning, bonuses, and employee equity programs.
• Strong full-cycle recruiting experience, preferably for technical and engineering roles.
• Experience managing external recruiters and executive search firms.
• Experience overseeing payroll, benefits, HRIS systems, and international HR operations.
• Hands-on experience with Rippling strongly preferred.
• Experience coordinating immigration matters with outside counsel.
• Strong judgment, discretion, communication skills, and the ability to handle difficult employee situations independently.
• Confident, direct, organized, and comfortable working closely with executive leadership.
• SHRM, PHR, SPHR, or similar certification is a plus.