HR Business Partner – Engineering

Location: Santa Clara Forward was founded in 2013 by four Stanford Ph.D.s, building the industry's first network digital twin: a mathematically accurate model of the production network. It's the foundation for autonomous networking, giving engineers and AI agents the ability to know the impact of every change before it touches production. That founding instinct still defines how we work. We're accurate and evidence-driven, relentless about clarity, and we'd rather be certain than comfortable, building a groundbreaking platform that transforms how teams run and secure networks across every major cloud and vendor environment. Global leaders like Goldman Sachs, PayPal, S&P Global, IBM, and Dell trust Forward, alongside fast-growing enterprises and government agencies, realizing an average of $14.2 million in annual benefits, according to IDC. Backed by top-tier investors, including A. Capital, Andreessen Horowitz, Goldman Sachs, MSD Partners, Omega Venture Partners, Section 32, and Threshold Ventures, and headquartered in Santa Clara, we're most proud of our team: curious people who'd rather build what doesn't exist than accept how things have always been done. About the Role We are looking for a HR Business Partner (HRBP) to serve as a strategic partner to our Engineering organization. This role sits at the intersection of business strategy and people strategy, working directly with senior engineering leaders (VPs, Directors, and Engineering Managers) to build high-performing teams, shape organizational design, and drive talent, culture, and change initiatives that scale with a fast-moving technology organization. This role requires deep credibility with technical audiences and a strong point of view on what great engineering culture looks like. What You'll Do Serve as a trusted strategic advisor to Engineering senior leadership, providing coaching and counsel on organizational design, workforce planning, leadership effectiveness, and team dynamics. Partner with engineering leaders to translate business and technical roadmaps into people strategies, including org design, span of control, and role architecture as the organization scales. Lead full-cycle talent management for the client group: performance management, calibration, succession planning, promotion processes, and career development frameworks tailored to engineering career ladders (IC and management tracks). Use data and analytics (attrition, engagement, hiring velocity, promotion equity, span of control) to diagnose organizational health and recommend proactive interventions. Partner closely with Talent Acquisition to inform hiring strategy, headcount planning, and workforce composition for engineering. Lead or co-lead org design and change management efforts tied to reorganizations, M&A integration, or rapid scaling. Coach engineering managers and directors on leadership skills, difficult conversations, team performance, and conflict resolution. Drive compensation planning cycles (merit, equity refresh, promotions) in partnership with Total Rewards, ensuring internal equity and market competitiveness for technical roles. Own employee relations matters within the client group, ensuring fair, consistent, and legally sound resolution of issues. Champion diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives specific to the challenges of building diverse technical teams. Partner cross-functionally (Talent Acquisition, L&D, Legal) to design and deliver programs that meet the unique needs of engineering. Act as a culture carrier, helping engineering leaders build and reinforce an environment of technical excellence, psychological safety, and inclusion. What We're Looking For 7–10+ years of progressive HR Business Partner experience, with a significant portion spent directly supporting Engineering, R&D, or other highly technical client groups. Proven experience operating at a senior level, partnering directly with VP- and Director-level engineering leaders. Deep understanding of engineering organizational structures, career ladders (IC vs. management tracks), and the specific talent dynamics of technical hiring and retention. Strong track record leading org design, workforce planning, and change management in a fast-paced, high-growth, or scaling technology environment. Excellent coaching skills with the credibility and presence to influence senior technical leaders. Data-driven approach to HR — comfortable building and interpreting people analytics dashboards to inform decisions. Sound judgment and experience navigating complex employee relations issues; working knowledge of employment law. Experience leading or contributing to compensation cycles, including equity compensation, for technical roles. Exceptional communication, influencing, and relationship-building skills across all levels of the organization. Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree (MBA, HR, Organizational Psychology) or SHRM-SCP/SPHR certification a plus. The base pay range for this role is between $210,000 and $265,000. Base pay will depend on your skills, qualifications, experience. This is a regular, in office full-time position with Forward.  We are currently in office two days per week (Tuesday/Thursday) Location : Santa Clara, California