People Operations Manager

We are looking for a People Operations Manager to help strengthen the operational foundation for global coordination on frontier AI risk.

Location: Remote, UK-based. Exceptional US-based candidates may be considered.

Ideal start date :
As soon as possible.

The Safe AI Forum (SAIF) is a US 501(c)3 dedicated to advancing international cooperation to reduce extreme AI risks and ensuring the benefits of AI are shared by all. We specialise in international AI governance—fostering coordination, cooperation, and communication between states and non‑state actors across the most important AI jurisdictions.

Our work focuses on building a trans‑Pacific ecosystem of high‑trust dialogue on extreme risk and international coordination, identifying the most important and tractable international governance interventions through research, and providing advisory services to key stakeholders. Our flagship programme (the International Dialogue on AI Safety) brings together senior computer scientists and AI governance experts from multiple jurisdictions to collaborate on AI risk, and we also run workshops and working groups.

We’re a team of 12 based across the UK and North America. We’re impact‑focused and move quickly, balancing rigour with speed and taking genuine ownership of outcomes. Our culture is warm and collaborative. People make time for each other and assume good intentions, even while working at pace on high‑stakes problems.

Help strengthen the operational foundation for global coordination on frontier AI risk

We’re hiring a People Operations Manager to take ownership of People Operations as SAIF scales to 20+ people, alongside providing embedded operational support to our staff. You’ll work directly with our Head of Operations, Harsimrandeep Malhi, and have significant scope to shape how SAIF develops as a workplace.

This is a high‑leverage role. Over the next 12 months SAIF will hire 7–10 new staff, launch and expand programmes, and grow our impact substantially. We need someone who can build hiring infrastructure that scales, design people systems that hold up at twice our current size, and support our staff’s day‑to‑day operational needs so they can focus on the work that matters.

The role combines steady, recurring responsibilities (primarily in People Operations) with embedded support to our wider team. If you enjoy scaling and optimising structures, working closely with mission‑driven people, and seeing your work directly translate into team effectiveness, you may thrive in this role. As SAIF scales, this role is positioned to grow in seniority and responsibility, with opportunities to shape strategic direction on people and culture as the organisation matures.

The responsibilities below reflect our current best estimate:

• People Operations [~50% of time]
  • Lead end‑to‑end hiring: Own planning, sourcing strategy, talent pool management, candidate experience, and process improvement across multiple concurrent hiring rounds. Partner with hiring managers on role design, scorecards, and interview structure.
  • Own onboarding and offboarding: Design and run programmes that get new hires productive quickly and ensure clean exits. Build infrastructure that scales as we grow.
  • Manage People Operations infrastructure: Oversee EOR/PEO coordination, payroll oversight, benefits administration, leave tracking, and contractor administration. Ensure compliance with multi‑jurisdiction employment requirements.
  • Support People Development: Support designing of career ladders, IC growth paths, performance review frameworks, managerial support, and internal mobility infrastructure.
  • Coordinate visa and immigration support: Work with external vendors on appropriate visa pathways for existing staff and new hires.
  • Champion team culture: Design and maintain the cultural infrastructure (team rituals, social cadence, recognition practices, etc) that keeps the team connected as we grow.
  • Maintain People Ops documentation: Employee handbook, hiring SOPs, compensation framework, policies. Keep them current, used, and useful.
• Staff Operations Support [~25% of time]
  • Day‑to‑day operational support: Be a responsive…