Vice President, People & Talent

About the Company Armada is the hyperscaler for the edge, delivering modular AI infrastructure from first deployment to AI factory with speed, scale and sovereignty. Named one of Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies and to the CNBC Disruptor 50, Armada’s solutions are deployed in over 60 countries globally for organizations ranging from energy to defense. With nearly $500 million in funding to date, Armada is backed by leading investors including Founders Fund, Lux, BlackRock and Microsoft (M12), alongside strategic partnerships with Microsoft, Dell, Palantir, NVIDIA, SpaceX, and Skydio. We are building the infrastructure layer for sovereign and edge AI - rugged, deployable compute for customers that cannot rely on centralized cloud. Working at Armada means taking ownership, driving autonomy, and delivering impact. You’ll tackle challenges that haven’t been solved before and help build something transformative from the ground up. What you do here will not only define your career but help further Armada’s mission to bridge the digital divide for customers around the world. About the Role Armada is seeking a Vice President, People & Talent to build and scale a globally distributed People organization. This leader will design and mature the infrastructure, systems, and operational discipline required to support sustained company growth. This role oversees Global People Operations, Talent Acquisition and Workspaces, ensuring our compliance posture, workforce planning, performance frameworks, and People technology ecosystem evolve alongside the business. The ideal candidate is a systems-oriented operator who thrives in complex international environments and is motivated by building durable infrastructure that enables clarity, accountability, and scale. We’re looking for a proven people leader with experience across People Operations, Total Rewards, and Talent Acquisition that has taken a venture-backed startup from early-stage (Series A/B) through late-stage growth funding (Series C/D/E) and/or IPO. This is a senior operational leadership role with responsibility for defining people strategy, execution, infrastructure design, and financial stewardship within the People function. Location. This role will require you to come onsite to either our San Francisco Presidio HQ or our Bellevue, WA office on a weekly basis. We are not able to consider remote candidates for this role. Main responsibilities: Build a Scalable Global People Operations Function • Design and scale a compliant, globally consistent People Operations framework • Partner closely with Legal on employment law, regulatory compliance, immigration, and risk mitigation • Oversee payroll, benefits, mobility, and vendor management across multiple jurisdictions • Ensure audit readiness, documentation rigor, and strong internal controls • Establish operational standards that balance global consistency with local nuance • Provide clear, data-informed perspective on team health, performance, and organizational risk Lead Talent Acquisition & Workforce Planning • Own global recruiting strategy across technical and non-technical functions • Implement structured hiring processes that increase talent density and hiring rigor • Improve time-to-hire, quality-of-hire, and hiring manager accountability • Partner with Finance to align headcount planning with budget forecasting • Support long-term workforce modeling and geographic expansion planning Architect the People Systems & Technology Ecosystem • Own and optimize the People technology stack (HRIS, ATS, payroll, performance tools, analytics) • Rationalize and integrate systems to improve reporting integrity and reduce redundancy • Establish strong data governance and scalable workflows • Drive automation and operational efficiency • Build a tech-enabled People platform designed for long-term growth Elevate Organizational Maturity & Performance Standards • Partner closely with the senior leadership team on organizational design, leadership effectiveness, and company-wide priorities as the company scales • Strengthen role clarity, leveling frameworks, and job architecture • Implement and maintain performance management systems aligned to a high-accountability culture • Define organizational structures and decision-making frameworks that support scale and accountability • Establish leadership expectations and support development of managers across the organization • Improve operating rhythms, documentation standards, and cross-functional coordination Own Workspaces & Employee Experience Infrastructure • Define and scale workspace strategy across offices, remote environments, and field deployments • Ensure workspaces support productivity, collaboration, and operational needs across distributed teams • Partner with Finance and Operations on real estate strategy, cost management, and vendor selection • Establish standards for workplace experience, safety, and compliance across locations • Align workspace planning with headcount growth and geographic expansion What Success Looks Like • A globally scalable and compliant People infrastructure • Integrated, optimized systems with clean and reliable workforce data • Disciplined hiring processes that increase talent density • Headcount planning fully integrated with financial modeling • Clear organizational structures and career architecture • Elevated performance standards and operational accountability • Efficient, tech-enabled workflows that reduce friction as the company grows Qualifications: • 12+ years of progressive People leadership experience, with deep expertise in Global People Operations and Talent Acquisition • Experience supporting technically complex organizations, ideally across both software and hardware environments • Demonstrated success scaling distributed and international teams across multiple jurisdictions • Strong partnership experience with Legal and Finance in compliance-forward environments • Experience building People infrastructure during periods of operational maturation and geographic expansion • Proven ability to design, implement, and optimize People systems and technology platforms • Financial discipline and experience managing functional budgets • A systems-oriented operator comfortable raising performance standards and strengthening organizational rigor Compensation & Benefits For U.S. Based candidates: To ensure fairness and transparency, the starting base salary range for this role for candidates in the U.S. are listed, varying based on location experience, skills, and qualifications. In addition to base salary, this role will also be offered equity and subsidized benefits (details available upon request). Final compensation will be determined by experience, scope, and level, and may vary from the posted range. Benefits • Competitive base salary and equity • Medical, dental, and vision (subsidized cost) • Health savings accounts (HSA), flexible spending accounts (FSA), and dependent care FSAs (DCFSA) • Retirement plan options, including 401(k) and Roth 401(k) • Unlimited paid time off (PTO) • 14 paid company holidays per year #LI-SM1 #LI-Hybrid Compensation $220,300—$260,000 USD You're a Great Fit if You're • A go-getter with a growth mindset. You're intellectually curious, have strong business acumen, and actively seek opportunities to build relevant skills and knowledge • A detail-oriented problem-solver. You can independently gather information, solve problems efficiently, and deliver results with a "get-it-done" attitude • Thrive in a fast-paced environment. You're energized by an entrepreneurial spirit, capable of working quickly, and excited to contribute to a growing company • A collaborative team player. You focus on business success and are motivated by team accomplishment vs personal agenda • Highly organized and results-driven. Strong prioritization skills and a dedicated work ethic are essential for you Equal Opportunity Statement At Armada, we are committed to fostering a work environment where everyone is given equal opportunities to thrive. As an equal opportunity employer, we strictly prohibit discrimination or harassment based on race, color, gender, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other characteristic protected by law. This policy applies to all employment decisions, including hiring, promotions, and compensation. Our hiring is guided by qualifications, merit, and the business needs at the time. Unsolicited Resumes and Candidates Armada does not accept unsolicited resumes or candidate submissions from external agencies or recruiters. All candidates must apply directly through our careers page. Any resumes submitted by agencies without a prior signed agreement will be considered unsolicited and Armada will not be obligated to pay any fees.