People and Program Director

Base pay range

$140,000.00 / yr - $165,000.00 / yr

This range is provided by Conexus. Your actual pay will be based on your skills and experience — talk with your recruiter to learn more.

Direct message the job poster from Conexus

People Connector, Executive Search – Conexus CFO, HR, IT

About our Client : We are hiring for an engineering and Ai firm who is building cutting-edge technologies that are redefining automation, data intelligence, and human‑machine collaboration. They are seeking a People and Program Manager to drive initiatives that strengthen their talent pipeline, leadership bench, and employee experience.

Compensation : $140-165k

Location : Newport, CA 4 days in office

Position Overview

The People and Program Manager will play a key role in shaping our internal people programs, ensuring that our teams are equipped to grow, lead, and perform at their highest potential. This role will oversee company-wide talent development, performance management, and succession planning initiatives, while also building a robust internship and early‑career program to fuel future talent growth.

Key Responsibilities

Design, implement, and manage scalable talent development initiatives that align with organizational goals and support employee growth.

Lead the performance management cycle, ensuring effective goal setting, manager enablement, and continuous feedback culture.

Partner with leaders to build and maintain succession plans and identify high‑potential talent for critical roles.

Develop and manage a structured internship and early‑career program, including university partnerships, onboarding, mentorship, and conversion strategies.

Collaborate with HR, Recruiting, and Business Leaders to align people programs with workforce planning and company strategy.

Track and analyze program effectiveness using data‑driven insights to continuously improve engagement and impact.

Support leadership development programs and help scale frameworks for career progression across technical and non‑technical teams.

Serve as a trusted advisor and connector across HR, Operations, and Engineering teams to ensure consistent, scalable people practices.

Qualifications

6+ years of experience in HR, Talent Development, or People Operations, ideally in a technology, engineering, or high‑growth company.

Proven experience building and managing performance management and leadership development programs.

Strong project and program management skills with ability to operationalize strategy into scalable programs.

Exceptional communication, facilitation, and stakeholder management skills.

Experience managing or launching internship or university programs a plus.

Bachelor’s degree in HR, Organizational Development, or related field (Master’s preferred).

What You’ll Bring

A passion for building programs that develop people and scale culture.

A balance of strategic thinking and hands‑on execution.

A data‑informed approach to decision making.

The ability to thrive in a fast‑paced, innovative environment with evolving priorities.

Seniority Level

Mid‑Senior level

Employment type

Full‑time

Job function

Human Resources

Industries

Engineering Services, Defense and Space Manufacturing, and Software Development

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