Senior Lead, HR Business Partner
About Us:
As a company, we constantly challenge what’s possible, never simply accepting what has always been done. We reframe old problems, seek new solutions and operate comfortably in areas that are unknown. Our backgrounds are diverse, but our team shares a love of the outdoors and a desire to protect it for future generations. Role Summary:
Rivian is committed to ensuring that our hiring process is accessible for persons with disabilities. If you have a disability or limitation, such as those covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act, that requires accommodations to assist you in the search and application process, please email us at candidateaccommodations@rivian.com.
Rivian may share your Candidate Personal Data with (i) internal personnel who have a need to know such information in order to perform their duties, including individuals on our People Team, Finance, Legal, and the team(s) with the position(s) for which you are applying; (ii) Rivian affiliates; and (iii) Rivian’s service providers, including providers of background checks, staffing services, and cloud services.
Rivian may transfer or store internationally your Candidate Personal Data, including to or in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the European Union and in the cloud, and this data may be subject to the laws and accessible to the courts, law enforcement and national security authorities of such jurisdictions.
Please note that we are currently not accepting applications from third party application services.
Rivian is on a mission to keep the world adventurous forever. This goes for the emissions-free Electric Adventure Vehicles we build, and the curious, courageous souls we seek to attract.
As a company, we constantly challenge what’s possible, never simply accepting what has always been done. We reframe old problems, seek new solutions and operate comfortably in areas that are unknown. Our backgrounds are diverse, but our team shares a love of the outdoors and a desire to protect it for future generations.
The Sr. Lead, HR Business Partner is the executive people advisor to senior leaders across the CTO and COO pillars. You’ll own the people strategy for multiple global orgs, lead a small team of Business Partners, and drive outcomes in organization design, workforce & location strategy, leadership & succession, compensation governance, and culture/engagement. You’ll combine hands-on delivery with strategic influence, using data and AI-enabled tools to inform decisions and scale great management. This role is Flex onsite 3 days a week and is located in our Palo Alto, California office reporting to the Sr. Manager, HR Business Partner & People Operations.
Responsibilities:Executive partnership & org strategy
- Advise VPs/SVPs on org shape, spans/layers, leadership bench and succession; facilitate quarterly talent & org reviews with measurable actions.
- Translate product/engineering roadmaps into headcount, skills, and build/buy/borrow plans.
Workforce & location strategy
- Lead multi-quarter workforce planning (skills forecasting, site strategy, internal mobility), in partnership with Finance and TA.
- Optimize footprint across US/Canada/EU (incl. Germany), balancing cost-of-talent, time zone overlap, and works council considerations.
Org design & change leadership
- Architect and implement re-orgs, team merges/splits, and operating-model changes; run stakeholder maps, risk logs, and comms plans.
- Drive change management for platform and process transformations (incl. AI/automation in engineering workflows).
Leadership, talent & DEI
- Run succession/bench planning and leadership development for critical roles; coach senior leaders and managers to raise bar on inclusion, feedback, and decision quality.
- Partner with L&D to build role-based capability paths for IC and Manager tracks.
Compensation & leveling governance
- Chair calibration for merit, promo, equity across assigned orgs; enforce job architecture and leveling standards; address compression/inversion; advise on offers and retention packages.
Culture, engagement & ER stewardship
- Own org health OKRs (engagement, eNPS, regrettable attrition, internal mobility, representation).
- Oversee complex ER matters with Legal/Compliance; apply consistent global standards while navigating local law and works councils.
People analytics & operating rhythm
- Instrument leading indicators (e.g., span, manager load, PR cycle outcomes, promotion velocity, mobility, hiring quality).
- Present insight packs to business/People leadership; run QBRs and ORBs for your client groups.
Team leadership & People product feedback
- Lead, coach, and develop a small team of HRBPs/PPs; set priorities and review outcomes.
- Provide feedback into People products (performance, leveling, career frameworks, Workday), and champion AI-enabled tools to improve signal and speed.
- 10–12+ years progressive HRBP/People Partner experience; 3–5+ years supporting VP/SVP level in high-growth, global tech (engineering/product preferred).
- Led HRBPs/People Partners or significant cross-functional initiatives at scale.
- Depth in org design, workforce/location strategy, talent & succession, compensation calibration, and job architecture.
- Comfortable navigating US employment contexts.
- Fluency with Workday and analytics (Sheets/Excel, BI; SQL a plus); proven use of AI tools to accelerate people insights and workflows.
- Exceptional executive coaching, stakeholder management, and change leadership.
Salary Range/Hourly Rate for Palo Alto, California Based Applicants: $191,600 - $239,500 USD (actual compensation will be determined based on experience, location, and other factors permitted by law).
Benefits Summary: Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies provides robust medical/Rx, dental and vision insurance packages for full-time and part-time employees, their spouse or domestic partner, and children up to age 26. Full Time Employee coverage is effective on the first day of employment. Part-Time employee coverage is effective the first of the month following 90 days of employment.
Company Statements: Equal Opportunity
Rivian is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local fair employment practices laws. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information or characteristics, physical or mental disability, marital/domestic partner status, age, military/veteran status, medical condition, or any other characteristic protected by law.
Rivian is committed to ensuring that our hiring process is accessible for persons with disabilities. If you have a disability or limitation, such as those covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act, that requires accommodations to assist you in the search and application process, please email us at candidateaccommodations@rivian.com.
Candidate Data Privacy
Rivian may collect, use and disclose your personal information or personal data (within the meaning of the applicable data protection laws) when you apply for employment and/or participate in our recruitment processes (“Candidate Personal Data”). This data includes contact, demographic, communications, educational, professional, employment, social media/website, network/device, recruiting system usage/interaction, security and preference information. Rivian may use your Candidate Personal Data for the purposes of (i) tracking interactions with our recruiting system; (ii) carrying out, analyzing and improving our application and recruitment process, including assessing you and your application and conducting employment, background and reference checks; (iii) establishing an employment relationship or entering into an employment contract with you; (iv) complying with our legal, regulatory and corporate governance obligations; (v) recordkeeping; (vi) ensuring network and information security and preventing fraud; and (vii) as otherwise required or permitted by applicable law.
Rivian may share your Candidate Personal Data with (i) internal personnel who have a need to know such information in order to perform their duties, including individuals on our People Team, Finance, Legal, and the team(s) with the position(s) for which you are applying; (ii) Rivian affiliates; and (iii) Rivian’s service providers, including providers of background checks, staffing services, and cloud services.
Rivian may transfer or store internationally your Candidate Personal Data, including to or in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the European Union and in the cloud, and this data may be subject to the laws and accessible to the courts, law enforcement and national security authorities of such jurisdictions.
Please note that we are currently not accepting applications from third party application services.