Senior People Operations Program Specialist

Vast is looking for a Senior People Operations Program Specialist, reporting to the Senior Manager, People Operations, to serve as the primary owner of contingent workforce operations, advisor onboarding, and international workforce programs. As Vast's workforce needs scale during peak periods, additional support is needed to complement our existing teams that are designing and building human-rated space stations. Furthermore, as Vast's presence outside of the United States continues to grow and scale, the Senior People Operations Program Specialist will lay the groundwork and structure for international HR operations.

This will be a full-time, exempt position located in our Long Beach headquarters.

A successful candidate will be a highly organized and detail-oriented Senior People Operations Program Specialist to own the onboarding, lifecycle management, and offboarding processes for our contingent workforce, independent consultants, advisors, and other non-employee workers. This role will partner closely with Hiring Managers, Supply Chain, Legal, IT, Security, Finance, and People Operations to ensure a seamless worker experience while maintaining compliance with company policies, worker classification requirements, and operational controls. In addition, as Vast's international operations deepens in our offices in Japan and France, or expands further, the Senior People Operations Program Specialist will liaise between headquarters and global offices on their HR needs. The ideal candidate thrives in a fast-paced environment, enjoys building scalable processes, and can balance exceptional service delivery with strong compliance and risk management practices.

Key Responsibilities

Contingent Workforce & Consultant Operations

Serve as the primary People Operations point of contact for contingent workers, independent consultants, advisors, and staffing agency personnel.
Manage end-to-end onboarding and offboarding processes for all non-employee workers.
Design, implement, and continuously improve scalable contractor onboarding and offboarding programs that provide structure, visibility, accountability, and consistency across the organization.
Coordinate onboarding activities, including documentation collection, background screening initiation, confidentiality agreements, and required policy acknowledgments.
Partner with Supply Chain, Legal, and hiring managers to verify approved Statements of Work (SOWs), consulting agreements, purchase orders, and engagement documentation before onboarding.
Ensure worker classification requirements are followed and escalate potential independent contractor misclassification concerns.
Track engagement dates, contract renewals, extensions, and planned end dates.
Facilitate consultant and contractor extensions, renewals, and terminations in partnership with business stakeholders.
Maintain accurate contingent workforce records and reporting within HRIS and related systems.

Cross-Functional Coordination

Partner with IT to coordinate system access, equipment provisioning, and access removal.
Collaborate with Operations and Security teams regarding badge access and workspace needs.
Work closely with Finance, Accounts Payable, and Supply Chain to support vendor setup and contractor payment processes.
Coordinate onboarding communications and orientation materials for contingent workers and consultants.

Compliance & Risk Management

Ensure adherence to company policies governing contingent labor and independent contractor engagements.
Support audits related to contingent workforce records, worker classification, and onboarding documentation.
Maintain compliance with applicable labor laws, data privacy requirements, and internal controls.
Monitor upcoming contract expirations and ensure timely offboarding activities are completed.

Process Improvement & Reporting

Develop and maintain standard operating procedures for contingent workforce administration.
Create dashboards and reports on contingent workforce headcount, onboarding metrics, contract expirations, and offboarding completion.
Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, automation, and the overall worker experience.
Support implementation and administration of contingent workforce management tools and processes.

International HR Operations

Lead HR operational support for the company's international offices, including developing and maintaining international people policies, procedures, and employee lifecycle processes.
Partner with internal stakeholders and external advisors to ensure compliance with local employment laws and regulations.
Coordinate implementation and ongoing administration of global HR programs, systems, and processes.
Coordinate with IT, Finance, Facilities, and local vendors to ensure a smooth employee experience from onboarding through offboarding.
Partner with payroll providers, employers of record (EORs), and finance teams to support accurate and timely payroll processing.
Assist with administration of local employee benefits programs and annual renewals.
Maintain employee records and ensure data accuracy across HR systems.

Employee Lifecycle & Operational Support

Provide cross-functional backup support for employee onboarding, offboarding, and other People Operations activities as business needs require.
Assist with workforce administration activities, primarily supporting contingent workers and consultants, while providing occasional support for employee lifecycle processes, HRIS administration, and data maintenance to ensure continuity of service across the People team.
Maintain accurate workforce records and support the development of People Operations documentation, resources, and process guides.

Minimum Qualifications

High school diploma or equivalent experience.
3–6 years of experience in People Operations, HR Operations, contingent workforce management, vendor management, or workforce administration.
Experience coordinating onboarding and offboarding programs.
Strong project management and organizational skills.
Excellent attention to detail and ability to manage confidential information.
Experience partnering cross-functionally with HR, Supply Chain, Legal, Finance, and IT.
Proficiency with HRIS systems, payroll systems, and Microsoft Office or Google Workspace.
Strong understanding of HR processes and compliance fundamentals.
Ability to manage sensitive and confidential information with discretion.

Preferred

Experience supporting contingent workforce programs in technology, aerospace, engineering, or high-growth environments.
Experience supporting international HR operations.
Knowledge of independent contractor classification requirements and contingent labor compliance.
Experience with vendor management systems (VMS), workforce management platforms, or procurement systems.
Experience supporting audits, compliance reviews, or workforce reporting.
Experience supporting a company's first international office or global expansion efforts.
Experience working with Employers of Record (EORs), Professional Employer Organizations (PEOs), or international payroll providers.
Knowledge of employment practices in Europe, Japan, or other international jurisdictions.
Experience with immigration, visa, or international assignment programs.

Success Measures

Within the first year, this role will:

Establish a consistent onboarding and offboarding experience for all contingent workers and consultants.
Achieve high completion rates for onboarding documentation and access management controls.
Improve visibility into contingent workforce headcount, contract status, and engagement lifecycle metrics.
Reduce onboarding turnaround times and strengthen compliance with worker classification and offboarding requirements.
Establish scalable HR processes for the company's international offices.
Ensure seamless onboarding and support for international employees.
Maintain strong compliance practices across local employment requirements.
Build trusted partnerships with employees, managers, and external vendors.

Additional Requirements:

Ability to travel up to 10% of the time
Willingness to work overtime, or weekends to support critical mission milestones
Ability to lift up to 25lbs unassisted

Pay Range: California

$103,730 - $147,246 USD

Base salary will vary depending on job-related knowledge, education, skills, experience, business needs, and market demand. Salary is just one component of our comprehensive compensation package. Full-time employees also receive company equity, as well as access to a full suite of compelling benefits and perks, including: medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and dependents, generous paid time off; up to 20+ days of vacation for exempt staff and up to 10+ days of vacation for non-exempt staff with the ability to cash-out unused vacation annually, paid parental leave, short and long-term disability insurance, life insurance, access to a 401(k) retirement plan, ClassPass credits, personalized mental healthcare

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