People Operations Manager

About Chalk

Chalk is building the data platform that powers the future of machine learning applications. We tear down complexity, latency, and scale barriers that have traditionally constrained ML capabilities. Our platform combines Rust-speed performance with elegant tools that developers love to use. Leading companies depend on Chalk for everything from stopping fraudulent credit card swipes, diagnosing sepsis, and maximizing clean energy capture. We've recently raised a $50 million Series A, led by Felicis.

About the role

As a People Operations Manager, you’ll help build and run the people operations foundation that supports Chalk’s growing team. You’ll manage core HR systems and processes, support the employee lifecycle from onboarding through offboarding, and help ensure our people programs scale as the company grows.

This is a highly operational role where you’ll help create systems and processes that allow the team to grow quickly while maintaining a strong employee experience. You’ll also help ensure Chalk offers competitive compensation and benefits programs that attract and retain exceptional talent.

You’ll be responsible for maintaining accurate employee data, supporting payroll and benefits administration, and serving as a trusted point of contact for employee questions about HR processes and policies.

This role is based in our San Francisco office and supports employees across our San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York offices.

We're in the office 5 days a week. When unavoidable conflicts come up, we’re flexible. This is not a hybrid role.

What you will do 

• Serve as a responsive first point of contact for employee questions related to HR processes, policies, and benefits
• Own onboarding and offboarding logistics, including I-9 verification, systems access, and exit processes
• Maintain accurate employee data in our HRIS (Rippling) and support reporting, audits, and data integrity
• Support payroll reviews and benefits administration in partnership with Finance
• Help evaluate, select, and manage benefits programs and vendors to ensure our offerings remain competitive and effective for our team
• Support compensation planning and benchmarking to help ensure Chalk offers best-in-class compensation programs that attract and retain exceptional talent
• Help coordinate performance reviews, compensation updates, and other recurring people programs
• Support immigration and visa processes in partnership with external immigration counsel
• Contribute to drafting and updating policies and internal employee communications
• Help improve and scale people operations processes as the company grows

What we’re looking for

• 5+ years of experience in people operations or HR operations
• Experience working at a high-growth tech startup
• Familiarity with HR systems such as Rippling is a plus
• Ability to manage multiple projects, prioritize effectively, and operate independently
• Strong attention to detail and proactive problem-solving ability
• Comfort with ambiguity and fast-changing priorities
• Foundational knowledge of HR-related employment laws
• Experience supporting immigration or global mobility programs is a plus
• Experience administering or helping evaluate benefits programs is a plus
• Proficiency in Google Workspace and modern productivity tools (Notion, Slack, etc.)

Benefits

⚕️Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance

🏦 Flexible Spending Account (FSA), Health Savings Account (HSA)

🦮 Expert Healthcare Guidance

💵 Retirement savings

🎄15 company holidays each year

🏖️15 days of personal time off each year

🚌 Flex Commuter Benefits

🌮 Daily lunch and dinner on Chalk

🥤Office is fully-stocked with drinks and snacks to fuel your work day

🍽️ Staying late? Dinner is on us

🚖 Staying even later? Grab an Uber / Lyft home on Chalk

Compensation

Salary Range

$140,000 – $180,000 - Offers equity + benefits

Chalk offers early team members a generous salary + equity package based on experience and competitive benefits.

Actual compensation awarded to successful candidates will be based on several factors, including market, location, scope of the position and individual qualifications objectively assessed during the interview process.

Our comprehensive total package plays a major role in how we recognize individuals for the impact they will have on Chalk’s growth and us achieving our goals.

Inclusivity

Chalk is an equal opportunity employer. We value diversity and inclusion and provide reasonable accommodations to anyone in need of individualized support.