About the Role

SPREEAI is a high-growth startup with ~30 employees, and we’re committed to building a people-first culture even as we scale. Our team is distributed, but we have hubs and team members in Los Angeles, New York, and Austin (preferred locations for this role for occasional meetups). We utilize modern tools like Rippling for HRIS/payroll, Slack for day-to-day communication, Google Workspace for productivity, and Ramp for expense management. We pride ourselves on operational excellence, compliance, and a supportive environment where employees can do their best work.

We’re seeking an experienced Recruiting & HR Operations Manager to lead and evolve our Human Resources function from the ground up. In this role, you will own all HR operations and strategies – acting as both a hands-on contributor and a strategic partner to leadership. You’ll ensure our payroll and benefits run without a hitch, drive our talent acquisition efforts to attract top talent, and champion a positive, inclusive company culture. This role requires a balance of meticulous attention to operational details (e.g. ensuring every paycheck and compliance item is correct) and big-picture thinking about how to develop our team and HR programs as we grow. If you are an HR professional who thrives in a startup environment, wears many hats, and is passionate about building an exceptional employee experience, we’d love to meet you.

What you'll do

• Talent Acquisition: Lead our recruiting efforts to source, attract, and hire great people who align with our culture and needs. This includes drafting job descriptions (like this one!), managing job postings, screening resumes, coordinating interviews, and guiding the offer process. Build a robust candidate pipeline through active sourcing and partnerships, and ensure a positive candidate experience from first contact through onboarding.
  
  
• Employee Lifecycle Management: Own the entire employee lifecycle from onboarding to offboarding. Coordinate smooth onboarding for new hires (offer letters, new hire paperwork, orientation, provisioning in tools like Rippling and Google Workspace) to set them up for success. Likewise, manage offboarding processes with care and thoroughness, protecting company information and conducting exit interviews for feedback. Maintain organized employee records and HRIS data at all times.
  
  
• HR Operations & Compliance: Oversee all core HR operations with excellence and integrity. Manage payroll and benefits administration through Rippling, ensuring every pay cycle, benefit enrollment, and HR record is accurate and on time. Maintain compliance with employment laws and regulations (multi-state as needed), keeping policies and record-keeping up-to-date for audits and legal requirements.
  
  
• Strategic Partner to Leadership: Work closely with the executive team on organizational design, headcount planning, and compensation strategy. Provide insights and data to guide decision-making on team structure and growth. Serve as a trusted advisor on people-related matters, offering guidance on performance management, team dynamics, and retention strategies. You’ll regularly discuss and help plan for future talent needs and succession planning as the company scales.
  
  
• Policy Development & HR Programs: Develop and continuously improve HR policies and programs that support our culture and compliance needs. This includes owning the employee handbook (drafting updates as laws or company practices change), implementing fair and consistent workplace policies, and rolling out performance review cycles. Manage our performance management process (goal setting, feedback, annual/quarterly reviews) and help managers with performance improvement plans when necessary.
  
  
• Culture & Employee Engagement: Be a culture champion and advocate for our employees. Initiate programs that foster a positive, engaged remote work environment – such as virtual team-building events, recognition programs, surveys, and follow-up action plans. Mediate and resolve employee relations issues with empathy and professionalism, ensuring employees feel heard and supported. Promote an inclusive workplace where diversity is valued and everyone has the opportunity to thrive.
  
  
• Continuous Improvement: Monitor the pulse of the organization and identify areas to enhance the employee experience. Stay updated on HR best practices and emerging trends (from new HR tech tools to evolving legal requirements), and implement improvements accordingly. Whether it’s introducing a new learning and development initiative or improving our Rippling workflows for efficiency, you’ll drive continual enhancement of our people operations.
  
  

Qualifications

• HR Experience in Startups: Proven experience (approximately 5+ years) in HR roles, with leadership responsibility in a startup or high-growth environment. You have a broad HR skill set and have worn multiple hats – from recruiter and HR generalist to HR ops manager – ideally as a sole HR practitioner or part of a small HR team building processes from scratch.
  
  
• Operational Expertise with HR Tools: Hands-on proficiency with modern HRIS and payroll systems (experience with Rippling is a strong plus, or similar platforms like Gusto, ADP, etc.). Familiarity with recruiting pipelines and Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) for managing candidates through the hiring process. Solid knowledge of using data and HR metrics to inform decisions (e.g., turnover rates, time-to-hire, engagement survey results).
  
  
• Knowledge of HR Best Practices & Law: Deep working knowledge of HR best practices across benefits, payroll, compensation, and employee relations. Up-to-date understanding of employment laws and regulations (e.g., FMLA, FLSA, EEO, labor laws in CA/NY/TX) and the ability to ensure compliance in all policies and procedures. Experience administering multi-state payroll/benefits and navigating compliance for distributed teams is highly valued.
  
  
• Excellent Communication & People Skills: Outstanding written and verbal communication skills. You are able to craft clear policies and handbook content, as well as communicate changes or sensitive information with tact. Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build trust and rapport at all levels of the company. You can handle confidential information with discretion and approach employee concerns with empathy and fairness.
  
  
• Organizational Leadership: Superb organizational and project management abilities. You excel at keeping track of numerous ongoing tasks – from hiring pipelines to policy updates – without missing details or deadlines. Demonstrated ability to partner with senior leadership and influence decision-making through expertise and well-reasoned recommendations. If you have managed small teams or HR vendors, that’s a plus.
  
  
• Culture-Builder Mindset: A passion for cultivating a positive workplace culture. You lead by example in integrity, inclusion, and professionalism. You have experience driving employee engagement initiatives and understand what it takes to keep remote teams connected and motivated. A strategic mindset for improving employer branding and employee satisfaction is desirable.
  
  
• Education & Certification: Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field (or equivalent work experience) is required. Professional HR certification (PHR, SHRM-CP/SCP or similar) is a bonus that signals your commitment to excellence and continuous learning in HR.

SPREEAI is a fast-growing, innovative AI company at the forefront of fashion and e-commerce, revolutionizing how consumers engage with fashion through lifelike photorealistic try-on technology and hyper-personalized shopping experiences. Our mission is to redefine the retail landscape with cutting-edge AI solutions that blend high fashion and technology. We thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced environment where creativity meets technology to drive real impact. If you are passionate about innovation and shaping the future of fashion, SPREEAI offers a platform to make your mark.