Sr. People & Culture Business Partner; HRBP

Company Overview

Advanced Navigation is the world’s most determined innovator in AI robotics and navigation technologies across land, air, sea and space applications. Founded on a culture of research and discovery, Advanced Navigation’s mission is to be the catalyst of the autonomy revolution. Fields of expertise include artificial intelligence, underwater sonar, GNSS, radio frequency systems, inertial sensors, robotics, quantum sensors and photonics.

Today, Advanced Navigation is a supplier to some of the world’s largest companies, including Airbus, Boeing, Google, Tesla, NASA, Apple, and General Motors. Discover it for yourself:

Reporting directly to the US President, the People & Culture Business Partner (US) will spearhead our HR operations and strategy across the United States. As Advanced Navigation continues its rapid expansion in North America, you will ensure our US team is compliant, engaged, and performing at the highest level. This role requires a hybrid of strategic business partnering and strong operational execution (Benefits, Compliance support).

You will support a dynamic team (Sales, Engineering, Support), driving our culture of Innovation and Excellence while navigating the complexities of the US employment landscape.

Critically, you will play a key role in maintaining our compliance with the U.S. Defense requirements, specifically navigating the complexities of a Special Security Agreement (SSA) and FOCI mitigation strategies to support our classified and sensitive work.

• ● Partner with US Sales and Engineering leaders to align people strategies with commercial goals.
• ● Act as a culture carrier, organizing local initiatives that align with Sydney HQ while respecting the oversight and security protocols.

• ● Provide guidance on US federal and state-specific employment laws, maintaining an up-to-date Employee Handbook.
• ● Oversee personnel security protocols, including the management of security clearance processing and ensuring cleared staff maintain eligibility.
• ● Manage "at-will" employment matters and investigations through the lens of FOCI risk mitigation, ensuring no unauthorized foreign influence impacts U.S. operations.
• ● Oversee Workplace Health & Safety (WHS) compliance in line with OSHA requirements for US office/site locations.
• ● Champion a safe and respectful work environment, handling harassment/discrimination training and compliance.

• ● Lead the US execution of the global Talent Review and Year-End Review processes.
• ● Partner with US leadership to identify high potentials and succession plans.
• ● Support the annual compensation review process, providing data on US market benchmarks to ensure competitiveness.
• ● Coach managers on delivering effective feedback and managing underperformance.

• ● Manage the full onboarding and offboarding lifecycle for US employees, ensuring all right-to-work checks and statutory requirements are met.
• ● Manage the administration of US benefits programs, including Open Enrollment for Medical, Dental, Vision, and 401(k) administration.
• ● Manage all US-based leaves of absence (FMLA, ADA, State-specific leaves) and workers' compensation claims.
• ● Ensure accurate maintenance of employee records in the HRIS and compliance with I-9 verification and record-keeping requirements.
• ● Ensure accurate HRIS maintenance and I-9 verification.

• ● Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business, or related field.

• ● 10+ years of experience in an HR Business Partner or Generalist role.
• ● Extensive experience with US Benefits Administration (Healthcare, 401k) and multi-state compliance.
• ● Direct experience working within a FOCI-mitigated environment (SSA) or a defense-centric business.
• ● Familiarity with the DCSA (Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency) and the National Industrial Security Program (NISP).
• ● Experience supporting Sales or Technical teams in a high-growth environment.
• ● Experience working with international HQs or in a global matrix organization is a plus.
• ● Deep understanding of US Employment Law (Federal and State level nuances).
• ● Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• ● Proficiency with HRIS systems and benefits portals.
• ● Ability to work autonomously.