Backstory (formerly People.ai) is the leading AI answers platform for sales teams. With more than a decade of training AI models on billions of sales interactions, Backstory enables modern sales teams to ask questions and get the right answer in the moment directly within their existing AI workflows. Sales leaders from companies like Red Hat, Five9, Palo Alto Networks, Iron Mountain, TransUnion, Randstad and others rely on Backstory to get trusted answers wrapped in real business context helping them orchestrate deals more effectively and drive revenue.
By connecting every signal to the right accounts and opportunities, Backstory shows teams exactly what is happening and what to do next. Customers across industries including enterprise, cybersecurity, data and analytics, and defense use Backstory to drive trillions in pipeline and revenue.
Recognized by Gartner and Forrester, the Inc. 5000, Y Combinator Top Companies, and the Forbes AI 50, Backstory is based in San Francisco and backed by ICONIQ Capital, Andreessen Horowitz, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Akkadian Ventures and Mubadala Capital.
The Role
As VP of People, you will partner directly with the CEO and executive team to shape how Backstory is organized, how leaders operate, and how the company scales into its next phase as an AI-native business.
Backstory has built strong operational foundations. The next chapter requires deeper thinking around org design, executive team effectiveness, global scaling, total rewards, and how AI changes the way work gets done across go-to-market and technical organizations.
This role is for a People leader who thinks like a business builder. Someone who understands that organizational design is a competitive advantage, leadership teams require active shaping, and the People function should drive business outcomes alongside culture and employee experience.
Responsibilities
- Partner directly with the CEO on organizational strategy, executive team effectiveness, leadership gaps, and company structure
- Help shape the evolution of Backstory into an AI-native company, including how AI impacts roles, workflows, talent strategy, and go-to-market team design
- Lead and evolve the HRBP function into a deeply embedded strategic partner across the business
- Build strong relationships with executives and managers across Product, Engineering, GTM, and Operations teams
- Guide executive team formation and integration across a leadership team composed of tenured leaders, recent hires, and future additions
- Lead org design initiatives tied to company growth, scaling, accountability, and operational effectiveness
- Audit and evolve Backstory’s total rewards philosophy across compensation, equity, benefits, and recognition programs
- Ensure compensation and rewards programs are competitive, internally consistent, transparent, and aligned to company goals
- Build leadership development and manager effectiveness programs that scale with the organization
- Help leadership teams navigate organizational change, growth, and evolving business priorities
- Partner with Talent leadership on long-term workforce planning and talent strategy
- Help shape and strengthen company culture across a fully distributed global environment spanning the US and Poland
- Simplify processes where complexity slows execution and strengthen areas where structure is needed
- Serve as a trusted coach and advisor to executives, managers, and employees
Requirements
- 10+ years of progressive People leadership experience within venture-backed or high-growth technology companies
- Experience operating as a senior HR or People leader during periods of organizational growth, transformation, or strategic evolution
- Strong org design experience with the ability to connect team structure, accountability, and business outcomes
- Deep HRBP experience supporting executive leaders and go-to-market organizations
- Strong executive coaching and stakeholder management capabilities
- Experience designing or evolving compensation and total rewards frameworks
- Strong business acumen and understanding of how People strategy connects to company performance
- Experience working within distributed and global organizations
- Ability to balance strategic thinking with operational execution
- Excellent communication skills with strong executive presence
- Genuine curiosity around AI and how it impacts organizational design, workforce strategy, and go-to-market evolution
Preferred Experience
- Experience operating in AI-native or enterprise SaaS environments
- Experience supporting commercial model or go-to-market transformation
- Experience working closely with CEOs and Boards on organizational strategy
- Experience building culture and operating rhythms inside fully distributed organizations
- Existing network within enterprise SaaS, AI, or revenue technology ecosystem
People.ai San Francisco, California, USA Office
475 Brannan St, San Francisco, CA, United States, 94107
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