People & Culture Lead

OneReg is building the operating system for regulatory assurance in aviation. We are redefining how airports, airlines, and regulators manage compliance, safety, and operational risk through an integrated, AI-enabled platform. We are entering a rapid scale‑up phase. Our team is currently more than 20 people, primarily based in New Zealand, with full‑time employees in Australia, Dubai, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. We expect to grow to more than 40 people over the next year, with further international hiring likely, including expansion into additional countries. Until now, HR and people-related activities have been distributed across the leadership team, supported by our Office Manager, legal counsel, external advisors, and occasional HR consultants. That has worked for a small team, but it is no longer the right model for the scale and complexity ahead. We are looking for an experienced People & Culture Lead who can take ownership of OneReg’s HR and people operations function. This is a hands‑on, broad role for someone who can operate comfortably across employment processes, compliance, onboarding, performance, remuneration, policies, international employment obligations, and day-to-day people support. This is not a corporate HR role. You will need to be comfortable with ambiguity, pace, imperfect information, and the realities of a scaling start‑up. Some days will involve building structure for future scale. Other days will involve solving immediate people, compliance, or operational problems with pragmatic judgement. Culture will continue to be set by the leadership team, but you will play a critical role in helping us embed, support, and operationalise that culture as the company grows. What You’ll Own You will progressively take ownership of OneReg’s people operations function, including: Core HR processes across the employee lifecycle Recruitment coordination, offer processes, onboarding, and offboarding Employment agreements, role documentation, and HR record‑keeping HR policies, procedures, and internal guidance Performance review and remuneration processes Employee relations support and manager guidance Engagement, retention, and team experience initiatives International employment coordination across existing and future jurisdictions Coordination with external employment, tax, immigration, payroll, and HR advisors where required People‑related compliance, risk management, and documentation Practical implementation of leadership-driven culture and values You will not be expected to be an expert in every jurisdiction we operate in. You will, however, be expected to know when specialist advice is required, coordinate that advice effectively, and ensure that OneReg meets its obligations. What Success Looks Like Managers and staff have a clear, reliable point of contact for people-related matters Employment processes are consistent, documented, and scalable International hiring and employment obligations are actively managed rather than handled reactively Onboarding improves as we scale, giving new starters clarity, context, and confidence quickly Policies and HR documentation are fit-for-purpose, accessible, and actually used Performance and remuneration processes are structured without becoming bureaucratic Leadership has better visibility of people risks, capability gaps, and organisational health Culture remains founder-led, but is supported by practical systems, rituals, and manager capability OneReg retains the flexibility of a start-up while reducing unnecessary operational and compliance risk Key Responsibilities Build and maintain practical HR systems, policies, and processes suitable for a fast-growing international SaaS company Support leaders and managers with day-to-day people matters, including performance, development, role clarity, team structure, and employee relations Coordinate recruitment processes, including role documentation, advertising, interview coordination, offer preparation, reference checks, and onboarding Maintain and improve employment agreement templates, HR records, role descriptions, and personnel documentation Work with external advisors to ensure OneReg meets employment, payroll, immigration, contractor, and jurisdiction-specific obligations across New Zealand and overseas locations Coordinate international employment arrangements, including working with Employers of Record, local counsel, payroll providers, and other advisors where required Develop and improve onboarding, induction, and employee experience processes Support remuneration review processes, benchmarking, benefits, and ESOP-related administration where relevant Help establish practical performance and development processes that support accountability without creating unnecessary bureaucracy Identify and manage people-related risks as the company scales Support internal communication and engagement activities Help leadership translate cultural expectations into practical behaviours, processes, and manager routines Ensure HR operations are well organised, confidential, and reliable What We’re Looking For Significant experience in HR, People Operations, or People & Culture roles Experience operating in a fast-moving start-up, scale-up, SaaS, technology, or similarly ambiguous environment Strong generalist capability across the employee lifecycle Confidence supporting managers through practical people issues Ability to balance compliance, pragmatism, pace, and commercial reality Experience working with external advisors, including employment lawyers, payroll providers, immigration advisors, HR consultants, or Employers of Record Sound working knowledge of New Zealand employment practices and the ability to coordinate advice for other jurisdictions Strong judgement, discretion, and confidentiality Excellent written communication and documentation skills Ability to build structure without over-engineering process High ownership mindset — you identify gaps, create order, and follow through Nice to Have Experience supporting companies through rapid headcount growth Experience with international employment arrangements Exposure to Australia, UK, European, Middle East, or EOR employment models Experience in B2B SaaS or regulated industries Experience supporting remuneration reviews, equity or ESOP processes, and organisational design Familiarity with HRIS, payroll, recruitment, and performance management tools How You Think You are practical before you are theoretical You know when structure is helpful and when it becomes friction You are comfortable creating order from ambiguity You understand that start-ups need judgement, not just policy You can work with founders and senior leaders without needing everything to be fully defined You can be both trusted advisor and hands‑on operator You care about people, but you also understand commercial reality You can protect the company without becoming the "department of no" You value clarity, consistency, and fairness Why OneReg You will help build the people function for a company entering a major international scale-up phase You will work directly with the founders and leadership team You will shape how OneReg grows from a small, founder-led team into a global organisation You will help support employees across multiple countries and operating contexts You will have the opportunity to build practical systems from the ground up, rather than inherit a large corporate HR machine You will be joining a company building a category-defining platform in a global, highly regulated industry Reporting Line Reports to: Chief Operating Officer Works closely with: CEO, leadership team, Office Manager, legal counsel, external employment advisors, payroll providers, and managers across the business Location Auckland, New Zealand preferred. We are open to flexible working arrangements, but given the importance of working closely with the leadership team, regular availability during New Zealand business hours will be important. Compensation Competitive salary based on experience and scope Opportunity to help shape the people function during a significant growth phase #J-18808-Ljbffr