Deployment Operations Lead

About HappyRobot

HappyRobot is the infrastructure for enterprises to build and orchestrate AI workforces. Our AI workers don't just communicate - they make decisions, take action, and run operations autonomously across voice, email, and enterprise systems. Born in Y Combinator (S23) and backed by a16z and Base10 with over $60M raised, we power critical operations for global enterprises worldwide.

Our platform is battle-tested in the most demanding environments - where AI has real consequences. We started in logistics, built our own voice stack, models, and orchestration layer from the ground up, and are now bringing that infrastructure to every enterprise that runs the real economy. Learn more about our vision in our manifesto.

Role Overview:

We are looking to grow our team with a Deployment Operations Lead to act as the operational backbone of our Deployments organization. This is a role for a high-output operator who loves discipline, structure, and execution. At HappyRobot, you will sit at the critical intersection of three key functions: Deployments (Forward Deployed Engineers and Deployment Strategists), Commercial, and Product. You are the connective tissue that ensures every account is staffed correctly, delivered on, and continuously improving. You will own the playbooks, the staffing model, and the feedback loops that turn deployments from a series of one-off engagements into a repeatable, scalable engine—whether that means building a new onboarding runbook, reallocating FDEs across accounts mid-quarter, or structuring how commercial scopes the next deal.

Key Responsibilities:

• Playbooks & Delivery Standards: Build and maintain the playbooks that define how HappyRobot deploys. You will codify what good looks like at every stage—scoping, kickoff, integration, go-live, expansion—so that every FDE and DS has a clear, proven path to follow instead of reinventing the wheel on each account.

• Staffing & Capacity Planning: Own the staffing model for the deployment team. You will match the right FDEs and DSs to the right accounts based on customer complexity, technical fit, and team capacity, and you will continuously rebalance as priorities shift. You are the person who knows, at any given moment, who is on what and why.

• Delivery Assurance: Ensure every account lands. You will track delivery health across the portfolio, surface risks before they become fires, and drive the interventions needed to keep accounts on track—whether that's pulling in extra engineering support, re-scoping a workstream, or escalating to leadership.

• Field Feedback Loop: Gather structured feedback from FDEs and Deployment Strategists on what's working and what isn't—across tooling, process, product gaps, and customer patterns. You will turn raw field signal into concrete improvements to how we deploy, and make sure the lessons from one account compound into the next.

• Commercial Partnership: Sync closely with the commercial team to sharpen scoping and value-finding on new deals. You will make sure commercial understands what deployments can realistically deliver, help shape how we frame value to customers, and ensure deals are set up for successful delivery from day one..

Who You Are:

• An Operator: You possess a rare mix of operational rigor and field awareness. You don't just identify broken processes; you fix them, and you know the difference between a process problem and a people problem.

• A Cross-Functional Translator: You can speak the language of engineers, strategists, and salespeople. You are comfortable being the person who aligns distinct teams toward a single objective—getting customers to value.

• Disciplined & Systems-Oriented: You find satisfaction in order. You are the person who writes the playbook, builds the staffing tracker, and sets up the retro cadence that prevents future fires.

• Driven by Impact: You are a "fixer." You don't need a perfectly defined path; you need a goal. You are happy to jump into a scoping call, a staffing spreadsheet, or a post-mortem—whatever is required to make sure the next account goes better than the last.

Requirements:

• 3+ years of experience in a delivery, operations, or deployment-heavy role (e.g., Deployment Operations, Professional Services Operations, Solutions Engineering, Technical Program Management, or Forward Deployed Engineering).

• Strong operational aptitude—able to design and run repeatable processes across a distributed team.

• Experience working in a multi-stakeholder environment, specifically interfacing between field/delivery teams and Commercial.

• Ability to balance "big picture" strategic work (playbooks, staffing models, commercial partnership) with "in the weeds" execution (unblocking a stuck account, running a feedback session, fixing a scoping doc).

Why join us?

• Opportunity to work at a high-growth AI startup, backed by top investors.

• Rapidly growing and backed by top investors including a16z, Y Combinator, and Base10.

• Ownership & Autonomy - Take full ownership of projects and ship fast.

• Top-Tier Compensation - Competitive salary + equity in a high-growth startup.

• Comprehensive Benefits - Healthcare, dental, vision coverage.

• Work With the Best - Join a world-class team of engineers and builders

Our Operating Principles:

Extreme Ownership

We take full responsibility for our work, outcomes, and team success. No excuses, no blame-shifting — if something needs fixing, we own it and make it better. This means stepping up, even when it’s not “your job.” If a ball is dropped, we pick it up. If a customer is unhappy, we fix it. If a process is broken, we redesign it. We don’t wait for someone else to solve it — we lead with accountability and expect the same from those around us.

Craftsmanship

Putting care and intention into every task, striving for excellence, and taking deep ownership of the quality and outcome of your work. Craftsmanship means never settling for “just fine.” We sweat the details because details compound. Whether it’s a product feature, an internal doc, or a sales call — we treat it as a reflection of our standards. We aim to deliver jaw-dropping customer experiences by being curious, meticulous, and proud of what we build — even when nobody’s watching.

We are “majos”
Be friendly & have fun with your coworkers. Always be genuine & honest, but kind. “Majo” is our way of saying: be a good human. Be approachable, helpful, and warm. We’re building something ambitious, and it’s easier (and more fun) when we enjoy the ride together. We give feedback with kindness, challenge each other with respect, and celebrate wins together without ego.

Urgency with Focus
Create the highest impact in the shortest amount of time. Move fast, but in the right direction. We operate with speed because time is our most limited resource. But speed without focus is chaos. We prioritize ruthlessly, act decisively, and stay aligned. We aim for high leverage: the biggest results from the simplest, smartest actions. We’re running a high-speed marathon — not a sprint with no strategy.

Talent Density and Meritocracy
Hire only people who can raise the average; ‘exceptional performance is the passing grade.’ Ability trumps seniority. We believe the best teams are built on talent density — every hire should raise the bar. We reward contribution, not titles or tenure. We give ownership to those who earn it, and we all hold each other to a high standard. A-players want to work with other A-players — that’s how we win.

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