People and Business Operations Manager

Maneva is an AI services company founded by a former Google DeepMind researcher, focused on transforming manufacturing operations through advanced AI. We enable autonomous factory operation and optimization by generating AI-driven actions and insights using off-the-shelf hardware or existing vision systems. 

We've grown rapidly and are well-funded, technically exceptional, and mission-driven. As we grow, we're building a people-first culture that attracts, develops, and retains world-class talent. 

Maneva is seeking a People & Business Operations Manager to build and lead our people operations function at a critical stage of growth. This role sits at the intersection of employee lifecycle management, governance, business operations, and culture. 

You'll own performance management infrastructure, compensation and benefits administration, employee relations, U.S. state-level employment compliance as we expand our U.S. footprint, and will help drive the initiatives of the strategy and business operations team. You'll be responsible for building the systems that let us hire, develop, and retain great people as we continue our fast expansion. 

You'll work closely with the Talent Manager, Finance, Business Operations, and the broader executive leadership team, and act as a trusted advisor to the CEO and leadership team on people matters. 

U.S. Employment Compliance  

• Own state-by-state compliance as Maneva expands its U.S. employee base: tax registration, payroll setup, mandatory workplace posters, and required employee notices, all of which vary by state. 

• Build and maintain a repeatable process for evaluating new-state requirements as hiring expands, rather than handling each state reactively. 

• Partner with Rippling, outside counsel, and Finance to ensure payroll, tax, and notice obligations are met on schedule for every state in which Maneva has employees. 

• Serve as Maneva's go-to internal expert on U.S. state employment law as it applies to a distributed, remote-first workforce. 

Performance Management & Levelling 

• Design and execute performance review cycles (6-month and annual) across the organization, tailored to company growth stage and business needs. 

• Own and maintain levelling frameworks across engineering (IC1–IC6) and non-technical roles; define competencies, expectations, and progression criteria, building on the framework already in place. 

• Partner with department heads and the Talent Manager to calibrate performance data and inform talent decisions. 

• Design and facilitate manager training on feedback, goal-setting, and performance conversations. 

• Maintain performance documentation and analytics to inform strategic people decisions. 

Compensation Administration 

• Own day-to-day execution of compensation administration across all job levels and geographies; maintain salary bands. 

• Execute variable/commission plans for sales and other roles; ensure alignment with business goals. 

• Execute ROE submissions, payroll adjustments, and comp/commission payouts, routing every payout through Finance for cost sign-off. 

• Handle market increases, retention bonuses, and compensation requests with appropriate approvals. 

Benefits & Wellness Administration 

• Own benefits administration across the US and Canada. 

• Coordinate benefits enrollment, education, and communication; manage plan changes. 

• Administer COBRA coverage, health plan compliance, and employee welfare programs. 

• Track and optimize benefits costs; provide leadership with regular reporting. 

Contracts, Policies & Compliance 

• Maintain and update U.S. and Canadian employment agreement templates. 

• Own employee handbook and policy management for both Canada and the U.S.; refresh as laws and entities change. 

• Manage people-related compliance: ROE submissions, payroll tax filings, and employment law compliance across all jurisdictions. 

• Maintain data integrity across HRIS systems; ensure clean records for auditing. 

• Coordinate with external employment counsel as needed. 

Culture & Employee Engagement 

• Partner with the Talent Manager on culture initiatives and engagement programs. 

• Own recognition programs, including birthday and work-anniversary recognition. 

• Monitor and report on employee engagement signals; identify retention risks. 

• Facilitate communication between leadership and employees. 

Systems, Automation & Operations 

• Build automated workflows. 

• Create dashboards and reporting for leadership on key HR metrics. 

• Manage systems integration; ensure clean data flow between platforms. 

• Take ownership of ad-hoc projects and strategic initiatives. 

Business Operations Support

• Provide flexible support on cross-functional business initiatives as they arise — this portion of the role is intentionally variable rather than a fixed list of duties. 

• Assist with insurance requirements and vendor/partnership coordination as needed. 

• Support with ad-hoc strategic initiatives such as fundraising and data room management, and partnership outreach. 

• Support KPI and revenue schedule tracking in coordination with Finance

• Expect this allocation to flex up (e.g., during fundraising) and back down as business needs shift. 

Required Experience 

• 5+ years in people operations or HR, with experience scaling a company from roughly 50–300+ employees. 

• Hands-on, current experience with U.S. state-level employment compliance — tax registration, payroll considerations, mandatory workplace posters, and employee notices — required. 

• Success leading people ops teams or managing complex, multi-jurisdiction workflows. 

• Hands-on HRIS experience with Rippling; benefits administration. 

• Track record designing performance cycles, levelling frameworks, and compensation structures. 

• Based in Canada, ideally the Greater Toronto Area. 

Core Competencies 

• Deep, current knowledge of U.S. state employment law and how it varies by jurisdiction. 

• Systems thinking and process design; ability to build scalable workflows. 

• Strong stakeholder management across Finance, IT, Recruitment, and Leadership. 

• Data-driven mindset; ability to turn HR data into clear recommendations. 

• Calm under pressure; ability to manage ambiguity, shifting priorities, and organizational change — including flexing between People Ops and BizOps work as needed. 

• Attention to detail and compliance rigor. 

• Clear communication; ability to explain HR and compliance concepts to non-experts. 

• Passion for building cultures where people feel valued and connected to mission. 

Technical Skills & Tools 

• Proficiency with HRIS systems (Rippling preferred). 

• Comfort building automation tools. 

• Strong Excel and analytics skills. 

Nice to Have 

• Experience in B2B SaaS, deep tech, or AI/manufacturing. 

• Familiarity with venture-backed, fast-growth company dynamics, including fundraise support. 

• French language skills. 

Build an expanded people operations function from the ground up at a mission-driven AI company in a period of fast growth across Canada and the U.S. You'll own the full employee lifecycle, lead Maneva's U.S. compliance posture, and have direct influence on culture, talent strategy, and organizational effectiveness. 

Work closely with a collaborative leadership team. You'll have autonomy to design systems, make strategic recommendations, and directly impact how Maneva attracts, develops, and retains world-class people — with occasional exposure to fundraising and broader business operations. 

Join a technically exceptional, well-funded company at the forefront of AI-driven manufacturing, with exposure to venture capital dynamics and high-growth scaling challenges.

Benefits: Comprehensive health, dental, vision, and other benefits