Reading Partners Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Space is a warfighting domain. True Anomaly seeks those with the talent and ambition to build the technology that secures it.
OUR MISSION
True Anomaly delivers decisive capabilities for space superiority. We build autonomous spacecraft, advanced payloads, mission software, and space-based interceptors - enabling the U.S. and its Allies to secure the space environment and counter threats from the ultimate high ground.
OUR VALUES

• Be the offset. We create asymmetric advantages with creativity and ingenuity.
• What would it take? We challenge assumptions to deliver ambitious results.
• It's the people. Our team is our competitive advantage and we are better together.

YOUR MISSION
True Anomaly is scaling fast. The People Business Partner (PBP) function has to be more than a service layer that shows up when something breaks - it has to be a strategic force that leaders trust with their hardest calls, before those calls become problems.
We're looking for a Director of People Business Partners to lead that team. This is not a coordination role. It's a trust-building role. Your PBPs will know their businesses so well - the strategy, the org dynamics, the people risks, the talent gaps - that executives treat them as a core part of the leadership team, not an HR function bolted on the side.
You'll report to the Chief People Officer and sit on the People leadership team. Your team supports every org - engineering, business development, G&A. You'll set the standard for what "great business partnership" looks like here, and you'll build a team that meets it.
The bar you're setting
The best PBP teams aren't measured by how many programs they run. They're measured by whether leaders call them first. That means:

• Your PBPs know the business - the roadmap, the numbers, the org's real strengths and weak spots - well enough to have a point of view, not just take a brief.

• Executives seek out your team's read on a reorg, a promotion, a tough call on a leader, before they've made up their mind.

• Your team earns trust by being direct, discreet, and right more often than not.

• People Ops, Talent, and Total Rewards build their programs with your team's input, because your PBPs understand what will actually land with their orgs.

That's the muscle you're building. Everything below is in service of it.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Build the team and the craft. Hire, coach, and grow a team of PBPs who can operate at this level. Teach the difference between being helpful and being a trusted advisor. Push your team past task execution into real judgment - knowing when to challenge a leader, when to just listen, when to escalate.
Own the relationship with the exec team. Be the CPO's read on what's really happening across the business - team health, leadership gaps, org risk. When an exec has a hard people call to make, you and your team should be who they think to call.
Set the operating model. Define how PBPs prioritize, partner, and show up as the company scales. What gets a PBP's direct attention versus what routes through People Ops. Make sure the model still works at 2x headcount, not just today's size.
Raise the talent bar. Run calibration and talent reviews that produce honest, evidence-based calls - not consensus for its own sake. Help leaders act on what the data says, including when it's uncomfortable.
Build manager capability. Your team should be actively developing the next generation of managers across the company - coaching them through their toughest moments, not just onboarding them into the role.
Turn data into a point of view. Don't just report on attrition or engagement. Tell leaders what it means and what to do about it. Bring a recommendation, not a dashboard.
Partner across the People function. Work closely with Talent, Total Rewards, and People Ops so their programs are shaped by what your team knows about the business - and so your team can execute those programs well in the field.
Handle the hard stuff with judgment. Guide leaders through complex employee relations situations. Know exactly when to handle it yourself, when to loop in legal, and when it needs the CPO.
QUALIFICATIONS

• 10+ years in People roles with progressive responsibility, including several years as a senior PBP or HRBP supporting executives directly.

• Experience managing and developing a team of business partners - you know what separates a good BP from a great one, and you can coach the difference.

• A track record in high-growth environments. You've been through rapid scaling and know what breaks, and when.

• Strong org design instincts. Executives trust your read on people and teams because you've earned it.

• Comfort running performance and calibration conversations that push for a higher bar without losing the room.

• Sound judgment on ER and risk - you know your limits and you know when to pull in help.

• Data fluency. You build a case with numbers, not just instinct.

• Directness paired with warmth. You give hard feedback in a way people can actually hear and act on.

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

• Experience in fast-moving tech, aerospace, or defense.

• Exposure to scaling through Series C/D or later-stage milestones.

• Familiarity with the compliance realities of a cleared or government-facing workforce.

COMPENSATION

• Base Salary: $175,000 - $285,000

• Equity + Benefits including Health, Dental, Vision, HRA/HSA options, PTO and paid holidays, 401K, Parental Leave

Your actual level and base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge and skills, education, location, and experience.
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

• Work Location-Successful candidates will be located near Long Beach, CA. While we observe a hybrid work environment, some work must be done on site.

This position will be open until it is successfully filled. To submit your application, please follow the directions below. #LI-Onsite
To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) 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 eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.
True Anomaly is committed to equal employment opportunity on any basis protected by applicable state and federal laws. If you have a disability or additional need that requires accommodation, please do not hesitate to let us.