Vice President Human Resources

About the Company

Nabis operates a licensed cannabis wholesale platform that ranks among the largest globally, moving more than $1B of cannabis products each year from a broad network of brands to retail partners across California, New York, and Nevada. Supported by Y Combinator and investors such as Stanley Tang, Joe Montana, Paul Buchheit, and Justin Kan, the company is focused on building modern infrastructure that can help the cannabis industry scale.

Role Overview

The company is seeking a Vice President of People to lead the People function from the ground up. This is a highly hands-on leadership role that requires direct involvement in employee relations, recruiting, systems, and day-to-day HR execution, while also partnering closely with the President and executive team.

This is a true player-coach position: you will guide a small team, but you are also expected to do the operational work yourself. Early priorities include spending time on the warehouse floor, identifying gaps, and fixing issues quickly. The role is best suited to someone who prefers action and execution before long-term strategy.

Location and Travel

This position is remote for candidates anywhere in the continental United States, but it requires regular onsite presence at California warehouses and the corporate office. Some travel to New York and Nevada is also expected, and travel may be about 50% at the beginning.

Key Responsibilities

You will own and improve the People function, including evaluating current team members, hiring for missing capabilities, and setting clear performance expectations.

The role includes managing employee relations across a multistate, hourly workforce, covering investigations, performance issues, terminations, accommodations, and workers’ compensation matters.

You will also be responsible for multistate HR compliance, with strong emphasis on California requirements such as filings, leave administration, wage and hour rules, and worker classification.

Recruiting will remain part of the role, especially for high-priority hourly, operations, and corporate hires, and you should be comfortable closing candidates directly.

In addition, you will work closely with warehouse and logistics leaders on workplace safety, workers’ compensation, and manager development.

You will oversee benefits, payroll, and total rewards, and help modernize these programs as the regulatory environment evolves.

Ownership of HR systems is also required, including HRIS and ATS configuration, reporting, and integrations.

You will manage external vendors and advisors such as brokers, employers of record, employment counsel, and safety consultants with a strong operational mindset.

What the Company Is Looking For

The ideal candidate brings 12+ years of experience in HR or People leadership, preferably within logistics, distribution, manufacturing, or another highly operational business.

Experience supporting hourly and warehouse-based teams at scale is essential, along with solid exposure to multistate compliance; California expertise is especially valued.

Cannabis industry experience is helpful but not mandatory.

The company is looking for someone who is comfortable with a role that is approximately 70% execution and 30% strategy, and who naturally leads as an operator first.

You should have the executive presence to work effectively with the President and challenge senior leadership when needed.

A proven track record of building a People function from an informal structure into a mature one is important, as is the ability to handle recruiting personally and manage HR technology and reporting with confidence.

Comfort with ambiguity, independence, and high autonomy is also key.

Equal Opportunity Statement

Nabis is an equal opportunity employer.