At Virgin Orbit, we are launching the small satellite revolution, enabling missions that were previously unimaginable. We are delivering Virgin’s legendary customer experience by combining advanced technology with a diligent, hard-working team. We have built a workplace and a workforce of the future, knowing that our decisions and investments of today are launching the industries of tomorrow. We have engaged a diverse and inclusive community of doers and dreamers alike, empowering all those working today to build satellites and constellations that will change the world.

At Virgin Orbit, we are opening space for good. Search all of our job openings on our career portal.

Senior People Development Partner

Position Summary

Virgin Orbit (VO) is On a Mission to open space and change business for good, and we’re looking for a Leadership & People Development superstar to help us chart our path. We’re looking for just the right teammate to help design, deliver, and evaluate programs that help our teammates change the world. You’ll work with Teammates, Managers, and Senior Leaders to identify needs, develop and refine our leadership and talent development strategy, and partner with other People Team members to create programs that are truly Virgin. As an exciting startup we’ve got a wide-open field, but we need your help to mow a lot of grass!

Your primary focus in year 1 will be on Talent Development, building upon existing programs that help develop current leaders and collaborating with colleagues to  create development opportunities for future leaders. You’ll also get to help design the next phase of performance management and team engagement.. It’s a big job, for sure, and the right candidate will Ignited by Curiosity and Responsive By Design to help us make big strides.  The most important skills you’ll need are strategy, communication, and project management. We’re looking for someone who is a natural includer and influencer, and who has a mix of program design and delivery. The ideal teammate will also have spent time in an engineering, manufacturing, aerospace, or similar field helping to build and transform talent development programs. You’ll also need to be super comfortable working with a diverse set of stakeholders, generating creative solutions, and bringing a sense of fun and joy to the solutions you create.  You should be a “yes, and…” kind of person – a strategist, a designer, a facilitator, a leader, a coach, and a project manager.

This is a full-time  position at our rocket factory in beautiful Long Beach, California.

• Own the end-to-end scoping and project management of leadership & other talent development programs. You will be the lead architect of programs that will develop the best team in aerospace – no pressure
• Build and develop our Leadership and Talent Development programs. We’re continually evolving our approach to developing teammates and we’re looking for an out-of-the-box thinker with a track record of success
• Coach and mentor leaders through open office hours, formal coaching arrangements, and informal relationships. This will likely represent about 20% of your time
• Facilitate organizational needs analysis with executive and senior leaders across the company to determine needs, scope, schedules, and design
• Research, plan, organize, and facilitate programs that support teammate and organizational performance. You should read a lot about the latest research and trends, and have a hunger to translate this into innovative and effective solutions
• Assess, track, and adapt programs based on performance measures and teammate feedback. Your success is our team’s success, and vice versa.
• Partner with our Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion team to create programs and opportunities that help us Open Space for Everyone
• Support our thriving culture, helping us establish ways of working that are truly Virgin and will stand the test of time
• Support other People Team functions and duties as they come up
• Help Virgin Orbit do our part to make the world a better place
• Constantly learn new things—and share them with your team members
• Perform other duties assigned

If you want to join us, you’d better have all of these…

• Bachelor’s Degree in in Education, Organizational Development, Human Resources, Business, Education, or a related area
• 5+ years experience designing and facilitating learning programs, organizational or talent development strategy, leadership development, change management, or similar
• 2+ years direct experience leading projects of increasing scale
• Ability to travel as required for meetings offsite >15%
• Must be able to work all shifts and available for overtime as well as weekends when needed
• Superior project management skills, and a strong attention to detail and logistics
• Exceptional presentation skills and professional presence – you don’t let ‘em see you sweat when you’re in front of a crowd
• Strong skills in Microsoft Office suite (Word/Outlook/PowerPoint)
• You thrive in a fast-paced, rapidly changing work environment
• Radiate Confidence and Humility - driven, highly motivated, and committed to improvement
• You add something unique and positive to our team – wow us with your unique set of skills
• Able to Solve & Flex - willingness to perform effectively in a fast-paced, ever-changing environment
• Excellence in Communicate a lot (a lot!) - demonstrates effective interpersonal communication
• Able to work as a member of a team, demonstrating the ability to Lift People and Build an Inclusive Table
• Shows leadership skills by Going All-In On Our Mission – putting the big picture first
• High degree of Excellence with Integrity – you do the right thing and do it well
• Generally high level of all-around awesomeness
• Must be a U.S. person as defined by the ITAR (22 CFR §120.15)
• Must be able to provide proof of US-approved Covid-19 full vaccination status, unless otherwise exempted by an approved reasonable medical or religious accommodation from Virgin Orbit

… and you should probably have a bunch of these, too.

• 2+ years working as part of a manufacturing, engineering, or another technical team
• Prior experience building scalable enterprise programs. You’ll be able to tell us what you did and quantify how you transformed the organization
• Previous experience leading a team (formally or indirectly) and influencing leaders at all levels
• Certifications in coaching, learning, HR, and/or project management
• A passion for space and a belief in our mission to democratize space for the good of life on Earth
• A love for teamwork and collaboration, balanced with an ability to be a “one person team” when needed

At Virgin Orbit, we are STRAIGHT UP, which means we encourage honest and transparent communication. Our goal is to help you interpret the pay range you see and understand that compensation is much more than simply base pay.  Individual compensation packages are based on candidate-unique attributes, including, but not limited to, skills, experience, qualifications, and other job-related factors.  Cash compensation is only part of the total reward package, and the range reflects a strong market-based salary.  Some jobs may also be eligible for bonus, overtime pay, weekend work compensation and differentials.  In addition to cash compensation, all Virgin Orbit teammates are eligible for equity which includes stock options and/or RSUs (Restricted Stock Units) and an Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP). 

At Virgin Orbit, you work alongside some of the best and brightest, on the coolest premier dedicated small satellite launch service.  We also know that benefits and belonging are an important piece of your total rewards package.  At Virgin Orbit we offer some of the best around:

• Robust time off with holiday shut down between Christmas and New Year
• Better than market 401k including a Safe Harbor plan
• Superior health and welfare benefits offering an average 90% of benefits premiums paid, including some plans with zero employee contributions
• Financial wellness through Northstar which includes your personal financial advisor
• Paid parental leave
• Tuition reimbursement
• A variety of optional benefits such as pet insurance and discounts, and remote and/or hybrid opportunity for some positions
• Health Reimbursement program providing up to $3,000 max per year for eligible teammates 
• Employee Resource Groups, Virgin cultural gatherings and success celebrations, professional growth opportunities, and more!

At Virgin Orbit, pay and total rewards is about offering competitive programs for any stage of your life and career. We constantly look for opportunities to enhance our programs and reward our teammates and we update our benefits offerings regularly.

ITAR Requirements

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by ITAR (22 CFR §120.15) or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Personal Requirements

Our idea of a happy life: build rockets, work with brilliant people, serve purposeful customers, and open access to space. Sir Richard Branson’s belief is “If you get the perfect mix of people working for your company, you have a far greater chance of success.” From the very start, we have placed top priority on growing and fostering a team of creative, diverse, and talented women and men. 

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Virgin Orbit is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Virgin Orbit is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.

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