People Operations Advisor at Graphcore

Graphcore is a UK-headquartered semiconductor and AI compute company, now part of SoftBank’s global AI ecosystem. Our headquarters are in Bristol, with offices in London, Cambridge, Poland, Germany, and Taiwan. In 2026, we opened new key locations in India and US with the aim to build out key engineering and operational hubs to support our next phase of growth.  Our mission is to build the future of AI compute – and that depends not only on exceptional engineering but also on an outstanding People function. As we scale globally, the People team is focused on building strong operational foundations and a great employee experience everywhere we operate.  You will be part of the Global People Team, working closely with People Partners and collaborating with People Operations, Talent Acquisition, Finance, Legal, and Workplace teams.  Job Summary  The People Operations Advisor – US will be responsible for delivering high-quality People operations across the US region, acting as the execution partner to the US People Lead.  This role is critical to stabilising and scaling the US organisation, ensuring onboarding, employee lifecycle processes, benefits, and systems are delivered accurately and efficiently across a distributed workforce.  The role will work closely with the Global People Operations team and specialist functions, ensuring consistent delivery of global processes while supporting local requirements across the US.  You will also work with external providers including Sequoia One (PEO), and support transition from current contractor support into a regional model.  Responsibilities and Duties  Operational Delivery  Deliver onboarding processes, including contracts, documentation, background checks, and coordination with Talent and Workplace teams  Maintain employee lifecycle processes including changes, promotions, and leavers  Ensure HRIS updates are completed accurately and in a timely manner  Support payroll inputs, benefits administration, and documentation through Sequoia One  Employee and Manager Experience  Act as a key point of contact for employees and managers across the US  Manage and respond to queries through ticketing systems and shared channels  Support onboarding experience and day-to-day employee lifecycle activities  Provide guidance on processes, policies, and workflows  Benefits, Compliance, and Mobility Support  Support administration of benefits, including enrolment, changes, and renewals  Partner with Sequoia One to ensure compliant and effective delivery of benefits and employment processes  Support background checks and pre-employment processes  Support visa and immigration processes in partnership with Global Mobility  Maintain documentation and support audit readiness  Ensure consistency with US employment requirements and internal policies  Workflow, Systems and Process Management  Manage workflows, tasks, and requests across People processes  Work closely with the Global People Operations team to ensure consistent global process delivery  Support HRIS accuracy, reporting inputs, and system updates  Contribute to ticketing system rollout and structured service delivery  Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, automation, and process consistency  Regional Support and Build  Support the Regional People Lead in building and scaling the US People model  Help establish a consistent and scalable operational foundation for the region  Candidate Profile  Essential  Strong experience in People/HR operations in the US  Experience managing onboarding, lifecycle processes, and HR systems  Experience supporting benefits administration and working with vendors  Strong attention to detail and process management capability  Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment  Strong communication and stakeholder management skills  Desirable  Experience in a software, technology, or AI-focused organisation  Experience supporting engineering or technical teams  Experience working with PEO models (e.g. Sequoia One)  Experience supporting distributed or multi-site and multi-state teams  Knowledge of California labor laws and compliance requirements  Mindset and Approach  Comfortable working in a fast-paced, scaling environment  Demonstrates strong ownership, accountability, and attention to detail  Works with urgency and a proactive, “say yes” mindset  Focuses on delivering high-quality operational outcomes  Motivated by supporting teams working at the cutting edge of technology  Balances efficiency with compliance and consistency