Principal People Business Partner, R&D

FloQast is seeking a sophisticated, strategically-minded Principal, People Business Partner (R&D) to serve as the lead resource for our R&D Group. In this pivotal role, you will bridge the gap between complex technical objectives and human capital strategy. You will operate as a trusted advisor to the Chief Technology Officer, SVP of Product, and the broader R&D leadership team, ensuring that our organizational structure, leadership pipeline, and talent initiatives are perfectly synchronized with our product roadmap.

The ideal candidate possesses a deep fluency in the software development lifecycle and a proven ability to navigate the unique cultural nuances of a high-growth technical environment. You will not merely manage HR programs; you will architect the people-systems that enable our most technical minds to perform at their peak.

*Visa sponsorship is NOT available at this time

This role has a requirement of working in office 3 days per week in San Jose, which may be subject to change based on team and business needs, as determined by the department leader. Please note that this requirement is subject to ongoing review and may be adjusted in the future.

What You'll Do:

• Strategic Technical Partnership: Act as the primary consultant to the CTO and SVP of Product, and their respective organizations. Align people strategies (workforce planning, org design, culture initiatives) with the technical roadmap and release cycles. 

• Performance & Career Architecture: Lead the evolution of our technical career ladders. Ensure engineers and product managers have clear, transparent growth paths from Individual Contributor to Principal/Architect levels, and dual paths into Management. 

• Engineering Culture & Engagement: Foster an R&D environment that balances high-velocity delivery, customer demands, and roadmap deliverables while continuing to harness and develop the R&D culture to be relentless, competitive, and balanced.

• Leadership Coaching: Coach and mentor technical leads and managers—many of whom are brilliant technologists growing into first time people leadership—helping them master the art of feedback, conflict resolution, and team motivation.

• Data-Driven: Analyze engagement data, turnover trends, and hiring metrics specifically within the R&D group to provide actionable insights to leadership.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Build strong cross-functional relationships with Total Rewards, Talent Acquisition, People Ops, and other partners to ensure People programs and processes are effectively implemented and aligned to business needs.

• Organizational Scaling & Strategy: Partner with Finance, Talent Acquisition, Total Rewards and People Ops to align on headcount strategy, workforce planning, and organizational scalability.

• Program Execution & Operations: Support the execution of People programs — including performance cycles, compensation planning, promotions, and talent reviews — within your assigned groups.

• Any other tasks that may be assigned to help the company meet its goals

What You'll Bring:

• R&D Literacy: You understand the nuances of the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC). You know the difference between a DevOps engineer and a Backend engineer and can speak fluently about sprints, technical debt, and shipping code.

• Strategic PBP Experience: 8+ years of HR experience, with at least 3+ years in a senior People Business Partner role specifically supporting R&D within a high-growth technology or SaaS company.

• Executive Presence: Proven ability to build trust and influence at the C-suite and VP levels. You are a confident advisor who can navigate complex organizational dynamics with poise and professional maturity.

• Partnerships within the G&A Function: Track record of working closely with Finance, Accounting, and Operations teams on day-to-day tasks and large-scale impactful projects.

• Scale & Growth Mastery: Demonstrated experience leading People strategies during periods of rapid scale (e.g., doubling headcount, international expansion, or post-IPO).

• Analytical Mindset: Expert-level ability to interpret data and use it to tell a compelling story that drives executive action.

• AI Mastery: Adept at integrating AI-driven insights and automation to streamline organizational design and talent analytics, enabling more agile decision-making in fast-paced SaaS environments.

• Communication Excellence: Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex people strategies in a clear, relatable way.

• Educational Background: BA/BS degree required; Advanced degree (MBA or Master’s in HR/Organizational Development) or high-level HR certification (SHRM-SCP/SPHR) preferred.

The base pay range for this position is $162,000 - $218,000. Compensation is not limited to base salary. FloQast values our Total Rewards, and offers a competitive and elaborate Benefits Package including, but not limited to, Medical, Dental, Vision, Family Forming benefits, Life & Disability Insurance, Unlimited Vacation, and participation in our Employee Stock Program. FloQast reserves the right to amend, change, alter, and revise pay ranges and benefits offerings at any time. All applicants acknowledge that by applying to this position you understand that this specific pay range is contingent upon meeting the qualifications and requirements of the role, and for the successful completion of the interview selection and process. It is at the Company's discretion to determine what pay is provided to a candidate within the range associated with the role.   #LI-SB1 #LI-hybrid #BI-hybrid  
  About FloQast: FloQast is the leading AI-powered Accounting Transformation Platform, uniquely built by former accountants for accountants. We automate complex, recurring accounting workflows—transforming preparers into strategic reviewers and relieving accountants from tedious manual work. Our cloud-based solution is trusted by over 3,500 world-class accounting teams, including Lululemon, Doordash, and the MLB, to drive collaboration and financial accuracy. Driven by a mission to continuously elevate the profession, FloQast is redefining both the practice and the perception of accounting on a global scale.    Our values act as a guiding compass, shaping every decision we make, and are non-negotiable, particularly in our hiring process. Alongside our employees, partners, and customers, we embody these values every day: Unwaveringly Authentic  Ambitious with Integrity Empowered to Grow Committed to Collaboration Customer Obsessed in All Ways   FloQast is regularly rated as a Best Place to Work! - Inc. Magazine’s Best Workplaces in 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, and 2021 - Best Places to Work by LA Business Journal since 2017 (that’s 9 years!) - Built In’s ​​Best Place to Work in Los Angeles 7 years in a row!   Because we are Customer Obsessed in All Ways, check out what our customers have to say about FloQast on G2 Crowd.    If this aligns closely with what you are looking for, hit “Apply” and come join our growing team!   FloQast, Inc is committed to operating fair and unbiased recruitment procedures allowing all applicants an equal opportunity for employment, free from discrimination on the basis of religion, race, sex, age, sexual orientation, disability, color, ethnic or national origin, or any other classification as may be protected by applicable law. We aim to recruit the right people for the jobs we have to offer, and to assess applications on the basis of relevant skills, education, and experience. We welcome people of different backgrounds, experiences, abilities, and perspectives. We are an equal opportunity employer and strive to provide a professional and welcoming workplace for all employees.   Link to FloQast Recruiting AI Usage Policy