People Manager

Varda is accelerating the development of commercial space infrastructure, from in-orbit pharmaceutical processing to reliable and economical reentry capsules. Varda’s W-Series vehicles are built, designed, and operated in-house, including the pharmaceutical processing payloads, the capsules, the C-PICA heat shields, and the satellite buses. From life-saving pharmaceuticals to more powerful fiber optics, there is a world of products used on Earth today that can only be manufactured in space. Varda is headquartered in El Segundo, California, with additional offices in Washington, DC and Huntsville, AL.

About the role

Reporting to the People Director, the People Manager will build and scale the infrastructure that supports Varda’s principals, people systems, equity programs, operational rigor, and their assigned business unit people operations. This role focuses on creating clarity, accountability, and scalability across core People infrastructure while acting as a strategic People partner to assigned business leaders and teams. The role partners closely with People leadership, Finance, Legal, Payroll, Recruiting, and business leaders across the company.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Business Partnership
  • Serve as the primary People Business Partner for assigned business units.
  • Build trusted relationships with leaders to understand business priorities and translate them into effective People strategies.
  • Partner on organizational design, workforce planning, team effectiveness, and organizational change.
  • Coach managers on leadership effectiveness, performance, employee development, and building high-performing teams.
  • Provide practical guidance on talent decisions, promotions, organizational changes, and manager effectiveness.
  • Partner with leaders to anticipate organizational needs and proactively develop solutions that support business growth.
• Talent & Organizational Effectiveness
  • Lead annual talent processes including performance reviews, talent calibration, promotion discussions, succession planning, and development planning.
  • Support leaders in identifying, developing, and retaining top talent.
  • Help build leadership capability through coaching, feedback, and manager development.
  • Drive consistency and accountability across People programs and leadership practices.
• Compensation & People Programs
  • Support managers with compensation recommendations and pay decisions that align with company philosophy and market practices.
  • Lead the rollout and adoption of company-wide People initiatives, including performance management, leadership development, engagement, recognition, and talent programs.
  • Develop manager communications, training, and resources to ensure successful program implementation.
  • Gather feedback and continuously improve People programs based on business needs.
• People Operations & Operational Excellence
  • Partner with Payroll, Recruiting, Finance, and Legal to ensure seamless execution of core People processes throughout the employee lifecycle.
  • Support organizational changes, transfers, promotions, and workforce planning activities.
  • Maintain accurate employee data and support workforce reporting, metrics, and organizational insights.
  • Conduct periodic audits of People processes and data to ensure accuracy, consistency, and compliance.
  • Ensure People programs and practices comply with federal, state, and local employment laws while helping simplify and scale operational processes.

Requirements

• 8+ years of progressive HR experience, including HR Business Partner and/or People Operations experience in a high-growth technology or aerospace environment.
• Experience partnering directly with senior leaders on organizational strategy and talent management.
• Strong experience supporting compensation planning, promotions, and organizational design.
• Experience implementing and scaling People programs across a growing organization.
• Experience using People data and metrics to support workforce planning and business decisions.
• Working knowledge of HRIS systems, compensation practices, and equity administration.
• Strong understanding of California employment law and HR compliance.
• Excellent business acumen with the ability to balance strategic thinking and hands-on execution.

What Success Looks Like

• People systems and operational processes are scalable, accurate, and efficient.
• Leaders feel supported and challenged by a strong People partner.
• Performance management processes are consistent, clear, and actionable across the organization.
• Reporting and workforce data help drive better business decisions.
• Processes become simpler, faster, and more effective as the company scales.

Pay

Salary Range: $148,000 - $175,000 per year. This role is on-site in El Segundo, CA. Leveling and base salary is determined by job-related skills, education level, experience level, and job performance. You will be eligible for incentives in the form of stock options and/or long-term cash awards.

Benefits

• Health & Wellness
  • Flexible PTO policy + 12 paid holidays.
  • 100% company-paid Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance plans for employees and dependents with FSA and employer-matched HSA options.
  • Voluntary accident, hospital, critical illness, and pet insurance.
  • $120/month wellness reimbursement for gym and fitness expenses.
  • 12 weeks of parental leave (with supplemental disability leave for CA mothers).
  • Family building, pregnancy, parenting, and menopause benefits via Maven Clinic.
  • Sponsored One Medical memberships for employees and their dependents.
• Financial & Retirement
  • Substantial incentive equity in a fully funded space start-up.
  • 401(k) retirement plan with 6% employer match (immediately vested).
  • $20/pay period cell phone reimbursement.
  • Relocation support for new hires, if needed.
• Workplace Experience & Perks
  • Fully stocked kitchen with lunch provided daily and dinner provided twice weekly.
  • Company and team-bonding events, happy hours, and mission-success celebrations.
  • Complimentary EV charging.

Varda requires employees to be U.S. persons (U.S. citizen, U.S. lawful permanent resident, or protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)) due to access to export-controlled items.