Position Summary

The Director of People Operations is responsible for leading and strengthening the company's HR operational foundation. This role oversees core people operations including HRIS, reporting, compliance, benefits administration, leave management, onboarding, and M&A integrations. Operating in a growing organization with evolving HR infrastructure, this role focuses on building scalable, compliant, and efficient systems and processes that support the employee lifecycle and business growth. The Director partners closely with Finance, Payroll, IT, and business leaders to ensure operational excellence, risk mitigation, and data-driven decision making across all people programs.

Essential Function and Responsibilities

HRIS & Systems Management:

Oversee the administration, optimization, and integrity of HRIS and related systems. Partner with IT and external vendors to ensure system reliability, data accuracy, security, and enhancements. Establish standardized workflows and documentation to support scalability and compliance.

Reporting & Analytics:

Develop and maintain workforce dashboards and reporting for headcount, turnover, compliance, benefits, and operational metrics. Provide data-driven insights to HR leadership and executive stakeholders to support decision-making and workforce planning.

Compliance:

Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations. Monitor legislative changes and update policies, practices, and training accordingly.

Benefits Administration:

Oversee benefits administration including enrollments, changes, vendor coordination, and employee support. Ensure compliance with benefits-related regulations (ACA, COBRA, leaves, audits). Support annual benefits planning, renewals, and employee communications.

Leave & Absence Management:

Manage leave of absence programs, including FMLA, ADA, and other statutory or company-specific leave programs. Ensure consistent application and employee support throughout the leave process.

M&A Integrations:

Lead HR operational workstreams in mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures. Manage employee transitions, system integrations, compliance assessments, and process alignment. Develop repeatable playbooks to support future acquisition activity.

Onboarding:

Oversee end-to-end onboarding processes to deliver a positive and consistent new hire experience. Ensure alignment with compliance requirements and company culture.

Cross-Functional Collaboration:

Build strong partnerships, Finance, IT, and business leaders to drive consistency, scalability, and operational excellence across people programs. Serve as a trusted advisor and subject matter expert in HR operations, ensuring stakeholders are informed and supported. Foster a collaborative, solutions-oriented approach to problem solving and process improvement.

Skills and Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Industrial Relations, or related field required; Master's degree preferred.
• Minimum 8-12 years of progressive HR experience, with deep expertise in HR operations, compliance, payroll, benefits administration, and HR systems.
• Demonstrated experience building HR infrastructure in a growth or transformation environment, including organizations with limited existing HR structure.
• Advanced knowledge of federal, state, and multi-state employment laws, including FLSA, I-9, ACA, COBRA, FMLA, ADA, PWFA, and state-specific leave regulations.
• Proven experience overseeing payroll and benefits administration, including vendor management, renewals, audits, and employee-facing issue resolution.
• Strong working knowledge of HRIS platforms (ADP, Workday, UKG, or similar), including system configuration, data integrity, reporting, and process automation.
• Demonstrated ability to design and implement HR operational workflows, controls, and documentation that support scalability and risk mitigation.
• Experience supporting or leading the HR operational aspects of mergers, acquisitions, or workforce integrations, including employee transitions, benefits alignment, and system conversions.
• High level of analytical and logical thinking, with the ability to translate complex data into actionable workforce insights and executive-level reporting.
• Strong project management capability, including managing multiple concurrent initiatives with competing priorities and deadlines.
• Exceptional stakeholder management and communication skills, with the ability to influence cross-functional partners at all levels of the organization.
• Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, high-accountability environment with evolving priorities and incomplete systems.

Success Competencies

• Operational Ownership & Execution Excellence - Owns the full HR operations landscape and delivers reliable, scalable systems that support compliance, accuracy, and business continuity.
• Compliance & Risk Leadership - Anticipates compliance risks, establishes controls, and ensures consistent application of employment laws, policies, and procedures across multi-state operations.
• Systems & Process Architecture - Designs and implements structured HR workflows, documentation, and system configurations that reduce manual work, errors, and dependency on individual knowledge.
• Analytical Rigor & Data Integrity - Builds accurate, trusted HR data and reporting that enables leadership to make informed decisions related to workforce planning, cost, and risk.
• Cross-Functional Partnership - Collaborates effectively with Finance, Payroll, IT, Legal, and Operations to align HR operations with business needs and execution realities.
• Change Leadership & Stabilization - Leads operational change with discipline and clarity, stabilizing HR processes in environments with limited structure or rapid growth.
• M&A Readiness & Integration Capability - Executes HR operational integrations with precision, ensuring employee transitions, benefits, systems, and compliance requirements are handled seamlessly.
• Execution Discipline & Accountability - Drives initiatives to completion with a high standard of accuracy, follow-through, and ownership; minimizes rework and downstream risk.

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