Director of Human Resources

Director, Human Resources - Portland, OR / Hood River, OR Sightline Intelligence is the leader in onboard video processing. Sightline is seeking a talented candidate to join our empowered team of hardware and software professionals, dedicated to exceeding the expectations of our growing customer base. Sightline is an agile, innovative company developing onboard video processing systems for the autonomous vehicle industry (UAV, drone, robot, etc.). Purpose of Position Be a strategic leader, business partner and trusted advisor to the CEO and the executive team, responsible for building and scaling our HR function to support aggressive growth targets. This role encompasses comprehensive leadership of Human Resources, with cross-functional partnerships that ensure people, systems, and ways of working enable the mission and business strategy. This role requires both strategic vision and hands-on execution. You will design enterprise frameworks and programs while leading and developing a high-performing HR team, actively coaching leaders, strengthening foundational people capabilities, and evolving practices as the organization scales. Reporting Relationship: Reports to CEO Location: Portland, Oregon (hybrid/on-site) with regular travel to Hood River, Oregon and occasional international travel to Brisbane, Australia Team: Lead and develop a growing HR team across all three office locations Key ResponsibilitiesStrategic HR Leadership & Business PartnershipServe as a strategic advisor and thought partner to the CEO and executive team on all people-related matters, including leadership effectiveness, organizational design, culture transformation, and workforce strategy. Develop and execute a cohesive people strategy aligned with business objectives and growth priorities. Serve as a trusted consultant on talent decisions, organizational effectiveness, and leadership development. Champion company culture, mission, and values as competitive advantages as the organization scales. Use data, analytics, and listening mechanisms to inform decisions and continuously refine people practices. Support organizational change initiatives, including growth-related transformations and integrations. Performance Management & Talent DevelopmentLead performance review and promotion processes, ensuring clarity, calibration, and alignment with compensation outcomes. Create and deliver leadership and talent development experiences grounded in shared capability expectations. Partner with leaders to address performance gaps directly and thoughtfully, with clear expectations and follow-through. Talent Acquisition & Workforce PlanningSet the strategic direction for talent acquisition, aligning hiring priorities and role sequencing with business needs. Strengthen employer branding and candidate experience to position the company as an employer of choice. Ensure onboarding and early leader experiences accelerate clarity, connection, and impact. Organizational Development & CultureLead organizational design initiatives to optimize structure, roles, and ways of working as the business evolves while preserving core cultural values. Create frameworks that support leadership development, succession planning, and high-potential identification Total Rewards, Employee Relations & CompliancePartner with executive leadership and Finance to shape compensation and total rewards strategies aligned with business goals Ensure compliant, ethical people practices across US and Australian jurisdictions Required Qualifications10-15+ years of progressive experience in people, talent, or organizational leadership roles; including 5 years senior-level leadership Proven success building leadership capability, performance systems, and scalable people practices in growing organizations/industries; specifically defense, aerospace, AI, or deep tech sectors Strong business acumen with ability to connect people strategies to operational and financial outcomes Demonstrated success leading change management and organizational transformation initiatives Strategic thinker with hands-on execution capability-comfortable with ambiguity and building from the ground up with continuous improvement Excellent leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills with ability to build trust and credibility at all organizational levels Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or equivalent applicable experience Preferred QualificationsDemonstrated experience managing international or multi-location workforces across multiple time zones and cultural contexts Experience providing strategic oversight of external vendors and partners, including contract review and negotiation, pilot or test-and-learn phases, and implementation support SHRM-SCP, SPHR, coaching certification or equivalent professional credential Experience with Australian employment law and Fair Work Act or other APAC employment frameworks CompensationThis is a salaried position that is open to reasonable discussion depending on recent, relevant experience. This role is eligible for a performance-based annual bonus. Compensation includes salary, 11 paid holidays, PTO (20 days earned over the first year), health insurance (100% Sightline covered for HDHP with HSA). Premiums fully paid by Sightline for dental, vision, and life/disability insurance. 401(k) matching, Sightline paid OR PFMLI coverage, schedule flexibility, parental leave, and education reimbursement. About Sightline Sightline Intelligence has three offices: Hood River, Oregon, Portland, Oregon, and Brisbane, Australia. The Hood River office includes sales, software engineering, and support teams. Our Portland office includes manufacturing, software, hardware engineering, and QA teams. Our Brisbane, Australia team focuses on our AI capabilities and further software development. The three offices are in constant communication and get together regularly to discuss ongoing projects and new opportunities. We work in an open office setting where we actively communicate about projects and customers throughout the day. Sightline is a member of the Gorge Technology Alliance and regularly sponsors Capstone teams at Portland State University. Sightline provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or genetics. Our ongoing diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts help us to continually improve support for employees.

Created: 2026-03-04