Firestorm is hiring a Senior Manager, People & Organizational Effectiveness individual to serve as the operational backbone of our people function. You will be in a high-autonomy, high-impact role and will thrive on solving problems quickly, building durable solutions, and operating at the intersection of HR operations, legal coordination, and management partnership.

This is not a traditional HR chain-of-command role. You will report directly to Legal, ensuring tight coordination on compliance and employment matters, with an HR Coordinator reporting to you to support day-to-day execution. You will work in close partnership with the CEO, CFO, and business unit heads, serving as their primary people-operations point of contact across employee relations, workforce planning, and organizational issues within their divisions.

We are looking for someone who can move fast, navigate ambiguity, work directly with executives and legal counsel, and defuse complex employee situations—all while building the governance infrastructure that prevents recurring issues. You are a business partner first and an HR operator second.

Your work falls into two core pillars:

Immediate Issue Response — assisting HR, managers, leadership, and legal counsel with employee relations matters, compensation questions, recruiting issues, contractor questions, investigations, documentation concerns, and other issues as they arise.

Structural Mitigation — identifying the policy, governance mechanism, process, form, leadership expectation, or organizational practice that would prevent the same issue from recurring.

If you want to help build an organization capable of scaling at a high level without losing speed or sense of mission, and you are energized by solving real problems rather than designing theoretical frameworks, this role is for you.

What You’ll Do

Immediate Issue Response & Employee Relations

Serve as the operational liaison between HR, outside employment counsel, the full leadership team, and employees on sensitive matters—coordinating communications, advising on next steps, and translating legal guidance into practical management actions
Act as the dedicated people-operations partner to the C-suite and business unit heads—understanding each division's workforce needs, escalation patterns, and operational rhythm well enough to anticipate issues rather than just respond to them
Respond rapidly to employee relations matters, investigations, complaints, and workplace concerns with sound judgment and legal defensibility
Prevent unnecessary escalation while maintaining consistency and defensibility across all employee actions
Advise managers and HR on preparing for and conducting difficult conversations, including drafting manager communications
Coordinate with outside employment counsel on active matters, leveraging your position within Legal to ensure leadership receives clear, actionable guidance without delay
Support investigations end-to-end: intake, documentation, witness interviews, findings, and recommended actions
Advise on responses to individual compensation concerns, helping frame conversations and reinforcing that compensation decisions must be explainable and defensible
Address contractor classification questions, workforce design issues, agency workers, independent contractors, and visa-sponsored employee matters
Manage cross-border employment considerations and H-1B coordination as they arise

Structural Mitigation & Process Development

Identify recurring issues and build permanent process improvements—policies, forms, templates, workflows, and governance mechanisms—that reduce future risk
Develop compensation request forms, employee action forms, and approval processes that encourage written business justification and consistent decision-making
Draft and implement policies that create organizational consistency without unnecessary bureaucracy
Build governance guardrails for promotions, title changes, compensation actions, and organizational changes to reduce ad hoc decision-making
Advise on clearer requisition criteria, posting practices, and candidate evaluation standards to strengthen recruiting governance
Reconstruct and document historical commitments (compensation, sign-on bonuses, relocation) where records are incomplete
Develop documentation practices and direct the HR Coordinator on proper recordkeeping and administrative processes
Create scalable systems and decision frameworks that support rapid growth while maintaining compliance and defensibility

HR Operations & Compliance Partnership

Manage and develop the HR Coordinator, delegating onboarding logistics, HRIS data entry, employee records, and recruiting coordination while ensuring consistent quality and compliance standards
Ensure compliance with California employment law, multi-state requirements, and federal regulations (including ITAR/EAR)
Partner with internal and outside legal counsel on employment matters, investigations, and organizational risk—leveraging your embedded position within the Legal function to eliminate bottlenecks
Maintain operational discipline across employee relations, compliance, compensation administration, and HR systems
Leverage HRIS, ATS, AI-enabled tools, and people analytics to support scalable operations and workforce insights, owning system configuration, data integrity, and reporting while the HR Coordinator handles routine data entry and recordkeeping
Own onboarding and offboarding design—offer documentation, I-9 process, new-hire orientation, and exit logistics—while the HR Coordinator executes day-to-day scheduling and administration; step in directly on sensitive exits or terminations
Support OFCCP compliance and affirmative action requirements as applicable
Ensure all people decisions—compensation, terminations, promotions, and transfers—are properly documented and defensible

Manager Support & Coaching

Coach managers on handling specific employee situations—providing tactical guidance, not theoretical frameworks
Help managers acknowledge employee concerns while clearly explaining business decisions and process
Draft or review manager communications for sensitive situations (performance concerns, compensation conversations, role changes)
Encourage constructive escalation and help distinguish between situations requiring immediate action vs. ongoing monitoring
Support managers in navigating difficult interpersonal dynamics, team friction, and cross-functional coordination challenges
Serve as a confidential sounding board for leaders navigating sensitive organizational situations

Additional Duties

Comfortably work directly and simultaneously with executives, legal counsel, HR staff, and line managers
Demonstrate ability to operate independently with minimal oversight in fast-paced, ambiguous environments
Balance speed with legal defensibility — move fast without creating risk
Delegate effectively while maintaining accountability for quality and outcomes

Required Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Organizational Development, related field or degree.
Operator who has built processes, managed people issues, and operated under compliance pressure without a traditional HR background.
U.S. Citizenship required due to ITAR regulations, with the ability to obtain and maintain a DoD security clearance
7+ years of progressive HR, and/or operational experience, including significant depth in employee relations, investigations, and California employment law
3+ years’ experience managing, leading or mentoring at least one direct report
Experience serving as an operational partner to legal counsel on employment matters
Experience building HR processes, policies, forms, and governance mechanisms from the ground up
Knowledge of compensation administration, governance processes, and documentation standards
Experience coaching managers through difficult conversations and employee relations situations
Experience with contractor classification, workforce design, and multi-state compliance
Experience utilizing HRIS, ATS, AI-enabled tools, and people analytics platforms

Preferred Qualifications

Experience in defense, aerospace, manufacturing, or venture-backed high-growth technology environments
Experience supporting organizations through rapid scaling or organizational transformation
SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, or SPHR certification
Experience with OFCCP, ITAR/EAR workforce requirements, and government contractor compliance
Experience working with founders and entrepreneurial leadership teams
Multi-state employment law experience beyond California
Master’s degree in HR, Business, or related discipline

Work Environment

Based onsite at our San Diego, CA. Headquarters
We welcome candidates who are local or open to relocating; relocation assistance is available and may be included in the offer package where appropriate.
Willingness to travel up to 5% as needed for events and customer site visits

This position typically operates in a standard office setting and manufacturing environment. This role requires use of standard office equipment and may involve exposure to loud noise, heat, cold, dust, or chemicals (with PPE). The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Ability to sit, stand, bend, reach, climb, and move about regularly throughout the day. Must have manual dexterity to operate standard office equipment.

Compensation

US Salary Range: $155,000-$185,000 – depending on experience
Equity participation in a growth-stage defense technology company

The posted salary range reflects an estimate based on a variety of compensation factors, including but not limited to relevant experience, education, certifications, specialized skills, geographic location, and business needs. Actual compensation may vary, and this range is subject to change as business needs evolve.

About Firestorm

At Firestorm, we are building the future of expeditionary defense manufacturing and autonomous systems. Modern conflict has exposed a fundamental problem: the systems needed most by operators are often too expensive, too slow to produce, and too difficult to sustain at scale. Firestorm exists to change that.

We develop mission-adaptable aerial systems and deployable manufacturing infrastructure designed to put capability directly into the hands of the warfighter. From modular unmanned aircraft to xCell—our deployable microfactory—our goal is to make defense systems rapidly deployable, adaptable, and producible at the point of need.

Backed by leading investors across defense, aerospace, and technology, Firestorm is redefining how defense capability is built, fielded, and sustained in contested environments. We are looking for builders, operators, and problem-solvers who want to work on meaningful technology with real-world impact.

Benefits & Perks

Our culture fosters collaboration, respect, and trust, empowering passionate people to do their best work. We offer a competitive salary, comprehensive benefits, and opportunities for career growth. In addition to an opportunity to take part in an innovative, collaborative and fast-growing business with a highly motivated and skilled team, we also take pride in taking care of our employees. Here are just a few ways that we show our appreciation:

We offer comprehensive medical, dental, and visions plans
401(k) Retirement Savings Plan to invest in your long-term retirement goals
Equity grants for new hires
Unlimited PTO
Extremely generous company holiday calendar, including a holiday hiatus in July, & December.
Generous Parental Leave
Lifestyle Spending Account
FSA
DCFSA
HSA
Hospital Indemnity insurance
Critical Illness insurance
Accident insurance
Basic Life/AD&D, short-term and long-term disability insurance, 100% covered by Firestorm. Plus, the option to purchase additional life insurance for you and your family.
Mental Health Resources: We provide free mental health resources 24/7 including therapy and more. Additional work-life services, such as free legal and financial support, are available to you as well.

Export Control Compliance

To conform to U.S. government export control regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and Export Administration Regulations (EAR), you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or otherwise eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State or U.S. Department of Commerce.

Equal Opportunity Statement

Firestorm is an equal opportunity employer, committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace, and upholding equitable hiring practices. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic under federal, state, or local law, including those with a criminal history, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws, including the CA Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance. We actively encourage members of recognized minorities, women, Veterans, and those with disabilities to apply, and we work to create a welcoming and supportive environment for all applicants throughout the interview process.

Firestorm is committed to fostering an inclusive and accessible work environment. If you require accommodations or assistance during the application process, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at careers@launchfirestorm.com so we can provide the support you need.