People Operations Manager

The Role

This is a broad, independently-run People Operations seat with real ownership over how it works, not a narrow lane where someone else makes the calls. Talent acquisition is the biggest focus (~60%), with payroll (~10%) and performance management, employee relations, advisory, and systems administration rounding out the rest (~30%).

This role is built as a first step, not a ceiling. There's real room to grow, whether that's building out a team, expanding scope, taking on compensation management for candidates who bring that background, or stepping into a more senior seat down the line. It's an especially strong move if you're already operating above your current title and ready for the autonomy and official scope to match, or if you're a talent acquisition professional looking to expand into the rest of People Operations.

One requirement we won't bend on: AI has to be part of how you work, not a tool you've heard of. If you haven't used AI to speed up sourcing, screening, payroll, or HR documentation, this isn't the seat.

What You'll Own

Talent Acquisition (~60%)

• Full-cycle recruiting ownership for all open requisitions: sourcing, screening, interview coordination, offers, and candidate communication
• Direct accountability for time to fill and requisition throughput across the org
• Proactive, consistent hiring manager support, including setting and managing expectations when volume or market conditions create friction
• Building a recruiting process and funnel that holds up under increasing volume without needing headcount added every time things get busy
• Using AI tools to speed up sourcing, screening, and candidate communication without sacrificing candidate experience

Payroll (~10%)

• Biweekly payroll processing and administration, run efficiently and accurately
• Expected to use AI tools to streamline payroll execution, not process it the slow, manual way
• Coordination with Finance on payroll-adjacent compliance (tax withholding, multi-state SUI, income withholding orders) as needed

Performance Management, Employee Relations, Advisory & Systems Administration (~30%)

• Supporting performance management processes and documentation across the organization
• Employee relations casework, with appropriate judgment on when to escalate versus resolve independently
• Serving as a People Ops advisor to managers and directors org-wide, including those outside your reporting line
• Acting as one of our primary admins for the People Ops systems environment, including the HRIS, ATS, and other related platforms: configuration, workflow setup, permissions, data integrity, and ongoing maintenance
• Keeping those systems configured to match our actual needs as they evolve, rather than letting configuration drift from how the business actually works
• Identifying where current People Ops processes won't hold up as the company scales, and building the fix before it's a crisis

Backup Support & Cross-Training

Beyond the three focus areas above, you'll also cross-train across other parts of the People Operations function so you can provide backup support where needed, including:

• Onboarding and offboarding
• Promotions
• Records management
• Other People Operations processes as they come up

This isn't a stretch ask on top of an already full plate, it's intentional. Over time, the expectation is that you grow into full ownership and management of HR and people-related processes across the function, operating in close alignment with the strategic direction and oversight the VP of People Operations provides. Someone who takes this on well has a real path toward a Director-level role down the line.

Minimum Qualifications

• 5-8 years of experience in People Operations/HR, including direct, hands-on ownership of a Talent Acquisition function, not just support or coordination within one
• Bachelor's degree in Business, Human Resources, or a directly related field, or equivalent additional directly related work experience in lieu of a degree
• Demonstrated use of AI tools in actual recruiting or HR workflows; be ready to talk specifics, not just familiarity
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills; you treat recruiting like a process to be measured and improved, not a queue to be worked
• A track record of moving requisitions quickly and keeping time-to-fill down, ideally with numbers to back it up
• Comfortable operating independently across multiple functions with minimal oversight
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to advise managers and directors outside your reporting line with credibility

Preferred Qualifications

• SHRM-CP/SHRM-SCP or PHR/SPHR (HRCI) credential; very strong preference, though not an automatic disqualifier for an otherwise exceptional candidate
• Hands-on administration experience with an ATS (Greenhouse or similar) and/or an HRIS (HiBob or similar), beyond end-user familiarity; comfortable owning configuration and system upkeep, not just using what's already set up
• Payroll processing experience, ADP or comparable platform; willingness and aptitude to take it on and run it efficiently with AI assistance matters more than prior tenure
• Experience with employee relations casework and performance management process design
• Experience building or significantly improving a recruiting function's process or systems from scratch, rather than operating inside one that was already built
• Background in a lean or rapidly scaling organization where you've had to build structure without a large team behind you
• Compensation management experience (benchmarking, pay bands, equity); not expected on day one, but a strong bonus and a natural area for this role to grow into for the right candidate

This description covers the major, most essential areas of responsibility for this role. It isn't an exhaustive list of every task, and as both you and the function grow, expect the scope of what you own to grow right along with it.