Director, People Operations

At Sanity, we’re building the future of AI-powered Content Operations. Our AI Content Operating System gives teams the freedom to model, create, and automate content the way their business works, accelerating digital development and supercharging content operations efficiency. Companies like Linear, Figma, Cursor, Riot Games, Anthropic, and Morningbrew are using Sanity to power and automate their content operations.

We're looking for a Director, People Operations to scale and sharpen the operational foundation of our People function as we grow. The groundwork is laid — now we need someone to make it faster, smarter, and more resilient as we add headcount, complexity, and geography.

You'll own how People Ops runs at Sanity: our HR tech stack, compliance posture, people data and reporting, and the employee experience end-to-end. You’ll use AI to automate the transactional and repeatable work so the team's time goes to judgement, coaching and strategic partnership.

This role sits on our People team, reports directly to the Chief People Officer, and leads a small team.

Lead People Operations strategy and execution Own the strategy, architecture, and evolution of People operation, technology and analytics. Design end-to-end workflows across hiring, HRIS management, and the employee lifecycle so they’re simple, scalable, auditable, and built to last. Own the operating model for People Ops — from onboarding and offboarding to HRIS management — and keep our processes efficient and scalable as we grow across geographies and headcount. You'll improve and evolve what's working, and fix what isn't.

Manage and optimize our PEO relationships Serve as the strategic owner of our PEO partnerships, overseeing payroll and benefits execution while holding the vendor accountable for quality and accuracy. Identify where the PEO adds leverage and where Sanity needs to build its own capability — and make smart calls on both.

Drive compliance and risk management Own our HR compliance posture. Keep policies current, ensure we're audit-ready, and know when to escalate — you're not the legal authority, but you're the operational owner who makes sure nothing falls through the cracks.

Own and evolve our HR tech stack Own our HRIS and connected platforms, driving improvements that reduce manual work and improve data accuracy. Set the roadmap for systems, reporting, integrations, automation and AI-enabled workflows.

Turn People data into decisions Own headcount reporting, attrition analysis, and the core metrics leadership relies on. Keep the data clean, surface what matters, and bring enough context that stakeholders can act on it — without needing a dedicated analyst to get there.

Build and lead a high-performing team Manage and develop a small People Ops team. Create the systems and programs — not just tribal knowledge — that make the entire People org more effective and scalable as we grow.

Shape policy and culture Develop and maintain HR policies that reflect Sanity's values, communicate them clearly across the org, and ensure they evolve alongside the business.

Be a trusted partner to employees and managers Navigate complex people situations with empathy, good judgment, and discretion. You're the person others turn to when things get complicated — and you make them feel like they're in good hands.

• 10+ years of HR/People Operations experience, including demonstrated leadership of a team or function
• Track record of embedding automation and AI into People lifecycle work — automating the transactional while amplifying human judgment, coaching, and leadership — with attention to controls, accuracy, privacy, and employee experience
• A strategic operator — someone who can zoom out to set direction and zoom in to get things done
• Experience managing PEO relationships (e.g., Rippling, TriNet) as well as Global EORs (e.g., OysterHR, Deel)
• Deep knowledge of employment law and HR compliance across multiple states; international experience is a strong plus
• Hands-on experience owning and optimizing modern HRIS platforms (e.g., Workday, Rippling, or similar), including vendor evaluation and implementation
• A track record of building scalable processes and programs from scratch — growth-stage or high-growth tech experience strongly preferred
• Strong communication skills; you can translate complex compliance or operational topics into plain language for any audience
• High integrity and sound judgment when handling sensitive employee information
• Comfort with ambiguity and a bias toward action

• Positive, flexible, and trust-based work environment that encourages long-term professional and personal growth
• A global, multi-culturally diverse group of colleagues and customers
• Comprehensive health plans and perks
• A healthy work-life balance that accommodates individual and family needs
• Location-based salary and competitive stock options program

Sanity.io is a modern, flexible content operating system that replaces rigid legacy content management systems. One of our big differentiators is treating content as data so that it can be stored in a single source of truth, but seamlessly adapted and personalized for any channel without extra effort. Forward-thinking companies choose Sanity because they can create tailored content authoring experiences, customized workflows, and content models that reflect their business.

Sanity recently raised a $85m Series C led by GP Bullhound and is also backed by leading investors like ICONIQ Growth, Threshold Ventures, Heavybit and Shopify, as well as founders of companies like Vercel, WPEngine, Twitter, Mux, Netlify and Heroku. This funding round has put Sanity in a strong position for accelerated growth in the coming years.

You can only build a great company with a great culture. Sanity is a 200+ person company with highly committed and ambitious people. We are pioneers, we exist for our customers, we are hel ved, and we love type two fun! Read about our values here!

Sanity.io pledges to be an organization that reflects the globally diverse audience that our product serves. We believe that in addition to hiring the best talent, a diversity of perspectives, ideas, and cultures leads to the creation of better products and services. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, or gender identity.