Sr HR Operations Manager

The Sr HR Operations Manager leads the day-to-day execution and oversight of Talent Acquisition, Total Rewards, payroll, HR systems and technology, employee relations and other human resources operations, ensuring consistent, compliant, and values-aligned practices across the employee lifecycle. This role is responsible for overseeing and refining human resources operations workflows, serving as the primary escalation point for complex or non-standard matters from the HR Operations team and providing clear approval pathways.

As a working manager, the Sr HR Operations Manager provides direct supervision, coaching, and guidance to the Human Resources Operations team, setting expectations, supporting execution, and resolving escalations at the appropriate level. The role advises managers on policy interpretation, employee relations, and people-related risk, promoting fair and consistent decision-making.

The Sr HR Operations Manager coaches and advises leaders on documentation and performance management, supports leadership and management training, oversees unemployment claims, and serves as a key liaison with HR vendors. As a trusted advisor and back-up to the Director/VP of Human Resources, this role balances hands-on leadership with operational oversight to support a positive employee experience and effective people management across the organization.

Essential Job Functions/Accountabilities:

Total Rewards & Payroll Administration & Strategy (15%)

Benefits Administration & Strategy

· Lead the design, implementation, administration, and evaluation of employee benefits programs.

· Develop and recommend benefits strategies and wellness initiatives that support talent attraction, retention, and employee engagement.

· Oversee annual open enrollment activities and employee benefit communications.

· Analyze benefits utilization, market trends, and benchmarking data to recommend program enhancements.

· Partner with brokers, consultants, carriers, and vendors to optimize plan offerings and costs.

· Ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, and local regulations, including ERISA, ACA, COBRA, HIPAA, FMLA, and related requirements.

Payroll Operations Oversight

· Oversee and support end-to-end payroll processing for all employees, ensuring timely and accurate payroll administration.

· Ensure appropriate payroll controls, policies, and procedures to ensure compliance and minimize risk.

· Ensure compliance with applicable wage-and-hour laws, tax regulations, and reporting requirements.

· Oversee payroll audits, tax filings, reconciliations, and year-end processes including W-2 reporting.

· Collaborate with Finance and Accounting teams to support payroll accounting and reporting activities.

· Resolve complex payroll issues and ensure a high level of customer service to employees and managers.

HR Systems & Technology Oversight (15%)

· Serve as the functional leader for HRIS and related HR technologies.

· Develop and execute HR systems strategies, roadmaps, and process improvement initiatives.

· Lead system implementations, upgrades, integrations, testing, and optimization efforts.

· Ensure data integrity, security, governance, and compliance across HR systems.

· Partner with IT, vendors, and business stakeholders to identify and implement automation and workflow improvements.

· Develop reporting and analytics capabilities to support workforce planning and business decision-making.

· Manage system configurations, user access, documentation, and training programs.

Talent Acquisition Strategy & Oversight (20%)

· Lead and develop the Talent Acquisition team, providing coaching, performance management, and professional development.

· Design and execute talent acquisition strategies that align with organizational growth objectives and workforce plans.

· Partner with executive leadership, HR, and hiring managers to forecast hiring needs and develop proactive recruiting solutions.

· Oversee full-cycle recruitment processes across exempt, non-exempt, professional, management, and executive-level positions.

· Establish and monitor recruiting metrics, including time-to-fill, quality-of-hire, candidate pipeline health, offer acceptance rates, and diversity hiring outcomes.

· Drive continuous improvement of recruiting processes, systems, and candidate experience initiatives.

· Develop and implement innovative sourcing strategies to attract top talent in competitive labor markets.

· Manage employment branding initiatives and recruitment marketing campaigns to strengthen the organization's employer value proposition.

· Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations, including EEO, OFCCP, and applicable hiring practices.

· Oversee vendor relationships, including staffing agencies, recruitment advertising partners, background screening providers, and recruiting technology vendors.

· Evaluate and optimize applicant tracking systems (ATS), recruiting technology, and talent analytics tools.

Human Resources Operations Strategy, Oversight, & Escalation (15%)

· Oversee documentation and maintenance of end-to-end Human Resources Operations workflows across recruiting, onboarding, payroll, total rewards, employee relations, and offboarding.

· Ensure workflows align with established policies, procedures, legal requirements, and organizational values, establish clear process controls, decision points, and escalating thresholds for Human Resources Operations activities.

· Review operational execution across Human Resources Operations functions to ensure accuracy, consistency, and compliance.

· Lead continuous improvement efforts to strengthen systems, handoffs, and employee experience outcomes.

Approval Authority & Escalation Filtering

· Serves as the primary escalation point and approval authority for people operations decisions

· Act as the escalation point for non-standard, sensitive, or complex issues originating from the Human Resources Operations team.

· Evaluate escalated matters related to hiring exceptions, compensation adjustments, benefits discrepancies, payroll corrections, and employee experience concerns.

· Provide formal approvals or denials for exceptions in accordance with policy, equity considerations, and organizational standards.

· Filter escalations appropriately, resolving issues at the Human Resources Operations level or elevating them to the Director/VP of Human Resources as required.

· Ensure escalated decisions are documented, communicated, and applied consistently. Team Management & Direct Supervision

· Provides first-line leadership and direct supervision to the Human Resources Operations team (Talent Acquisition and People Experience)

· Set expectations, priorities, and performance standards for HR Operations staff based on the Human Resources Director/VP’s priorities.

· Provide coaching, feedback, and development support to strengthen execution and judgment.

· Monitor workload distribution, workflow adherence, and service quality.

· Serve as the first point of escalation for team members before issues are elevated further.

People Support, Policy & Procedure Oversight (15%)

· Create and implement policies, procedures, and employment regulations for managers and leadership.

· Advise management on appropriate application of policies to specific employee situations.

· Ensure policies are applied equitably across departments and roles.

· Recommend policy updates or clarifications based on operational needs, legal changes, or organizational trends.

· Support leadership decision-making by balancing compliance, consistency, and employee experience.

Employee Relations & Disciplinary Management

· Oversee Human Resources support for employee relations matters, including investigations, conflict resolution, and performance management support.

· Advise managers on corrective action, disciplinary documentation, and performance improvement planning.

· Review and approve disciplinary actions and documentation for consistency, appropriateness, and risk mitigation.

· Ensure employee relations matters are handled with professionalism, confidentiality, and fairness.

· Identify trends in employee relations issues and recommend training, policy, or process interventions.

Unemployment Claims & Risk Management

· Oversee administration of unemployment claims, including documentation review, filings, and coordination with external agencies.

· Advise leaders on unemployment claim risk, responses, and appeal strategies.

· Ensure claim processes align with policy, documentation standards, and legal requirements.

· Track claim outcomes and identify trends impacting organizational risk. Development & Management Training

· Develop and deliver management and leadership training related to people management, performance, documentation, and compliance.

· Advise leaders on navigating challenging employee situations with clarity and confidence.

· Equip managers with tools, guidance, and resources to apply people practices consistently.

Advisory Partnership with Director/VP of Human Resources (15%)

· Act as a back-up for the Director/VP of Human Resources during absences.

· Provide counsel to the Director/VP of Human Resources on payroll, Total Rewards, HR systems, employee relations, compliance, and human resources operations effectiveness.

· Escalate high-risk, complex, or precedent-setting issues with supporting analysis.

· Support strategic initiatives through operational insight, policy guidance, and implementation planning.

· Act as a bridge between strategy and execution across the Human Resources Operations function.

Vendor & External Partner Liaison

· Serve as the primary liaison for HR vendors, service providers, and benefits partners.

· Manage vendor relationships related to payroll, benefits, and HR systems.

· Assist in reviewing vendor performance, service issues, and contract compliance.

· Coordinate issue resolution and escalations with vendors as needed.

· Provide vendor insights and recommendations to the Director of Human Resources.

General (5%)

· Support additional projects and responsibilities as assigned to advance Human Resources Operations objectives and organizational effectiveness.

Qualifications:

· Bachelor’s degree in human resources, business administration, or related field required.

· Minimum of 8 years of progressive HR experience, including recruiting, employee relations and HR operations, required.

· Minimum of 5 years’ experience with HRIS/Payroll systems, benefits administration, and HR operations required.

· Minimum of 3 years of experience supervising or coaching employees, managers, and HR staff required.

· SHRM-CP or SPHR certification a plus.

· Valid Driver’s License and Insurance (Travel up to 20%)