Senior People Operations Specialist

Persona AI is developing and commercializing rugged, multi-purpose humanoid robots that perform real work. They are seeking an experienced Senior People Operations Specialist to oversee benefits administration, payroll processing, employee onboarding, and culture & engagement initiatives while supporting the company’s growth.

Responsibilities:

• Administer health, dental, vision, and ancillary benefit plans; manage open enrollment and carrier/vendor relationships
• Manage multi-state and interstate tax obligations for a distributed workforce
• Process bi-weekly and semi-monthly payroll accurately using HRIS/payroll platforms (e.g., Rippling, ADP, Workday)
• Own the full onboarding lifecycle, from offer acceptance through 90-day check-in, for both local and remote hires
• Manage state tax registrations, withholding compliance, and nexus determinations for employees working across multiple states
• Maintain I-9 compliance, employee records, and HRIS data integrity; support audits and reporting requirements
• Serve as the first point of contact for employee questions on benefits, pay, and onboarding; resolve issues promptly and accurately
• Coordinate with Finance and Legal on multi-state employment agreements, W-4 updates, and year-end W-2 processing
• Generate People Operations metrics reports covering headcount, benefit utilization, and payroll variances for leadership review
• Enforce and champion safety, confidentiality, and PO compliance standards across all people operations activities
• Support new hire equipment setup coordination, systems access provisioning, and day-one readiness for onsite Houston employees