Head of People Operations

Remote (United States)

Job Details

Location: United States

Workplace: Remote

Employment Type: Full-Time

Experience: People operations leadership and experience scaling HR functions in a growing organization

Core Areas: HR Strategy, Talent Acquisition, Employee Relations & Labor Law Compliance, Performance Management, Compensation & Benefits, HRIS Administration, Employee Engagement & Retention, Succession Planning

Compensation: $170,000–$240,000 annually

Travel: Occasional work-related travel required

About the Role

The Head of People Operations leads company-wide human resources strategy, talent acquisition, employee relations, and people operations for a growing organization. This leadership position oversees the employee lifecycle, from workforce planning and recruiting through onboarding, performance management, professional development, retention, and offboarding. Key priorities include scaling HR operations, strengthening organizational culture, and establishing consistent people practices that support business growth.

The role provides direct leadership to the Head of Recruiting and partners with business unit leaders and executive leadership to align workforce planning and people strategy with organizational needs. Responsibilities span labor law compliance, compensation and benefits benchmarking, HRIS administration using Rippling, employee engagement, succession planning, and data-driven HR improvement. The position requires experience managing remote teams and navigating sensitive employee relations, confidentiality, and regulatory matters.

What You'll Do

Talent Acquisition & Workforce Planning

• Lead the talent acquisition lifecycle, including workforce planning, recruiting strategy, candidate pipeline development, and employee onboarding.
• Manage and provide strategic direction to the Head of Recruiting, supporting the continued development and expansion of the talent acquisition function.
• Partner with organizational leaders to identify current and future staffing requirements and build a sustainable strategic talent pipeline.
• Oversee and improve employee onboarding processes to support successful integration into the organization.

Human Resources Operations & Compliance

• Oversee HR operations and ensure people practices comply with applicable labor laws and employment regulations.
• Lead employee relations activities, including sensitive workplace matters, confidential situations, and employment-related legal issues.
• Conduct compensation and benefits benchmarking research to support informed decisions about employee rewards and market competitiveness.
• Partner with relevant stakeholders on HR functions, including payroll administration and related processes.
• Administer, maintain, and optimize the Human Resources Information System (HRIS), including Rippling.
• Develop and maintain organizational charts and define responsibilities across positions and organizational functions.
• Manage employee offboarding processes and ensure consistent implementation of HR procedures.

Performance Management, Learning & Development

• Manage the employee performance management system, including individual performance planning, performance evaluations, internal promotions, and continuous feedback.
• Support the development and ongoing refinement of a professional capability framework that defines role expectations, measures professional growth, and establishes career progression criteria.
• Work with high-potential employees and their managers to evaluate career development opportunities and professional advancement paths.
• Coordinate and oversee individual and team training programs delivered through internal and external resources.
• Develop and implement succession planning processes to support organizational continuity and employee advancement.

Employee Engagement, Culture & Retention

• Own employee engagement initiatives across the organization, designing and implementing programs that support employees across multiple business units.
• Build and improve workplace culture programs that strengthen engagement, employee satisfaction, and long-term retention as the organization grows.
• Develop fair and consistent people practices that reach diverse talent pools and reduce bias in candidate evaluation processes.
• Establish partnerships with organizations that expand access to qualified candidates and strengthen inclusive recruiting practices.
• Support a high-performing workplace culture where employees feel respected, supported, and empowered to perform effectively.

People Strategy & Organizational Leadership

• Partner with executive leadership and business unit leaders to align HR strategy, organizational priorities, and workforce capabilities.
• Lead people operations across multiple business units while maintaining consistent HR policies, practices, and employee experiences.
• Implement data-driven approaches to evaluate and continuously improve HR processes, employee engagement, and talent outcomes.
• Identify and drive adoption of emerging best practices in people operations, organizational development, and talent management.
• Navigate changing legal, regulatory, and workplace expectations while maintaining organizational values and trusted relationships with employees, executives, customers, and government stakeholders.

Qualifications

Required Experience

• Previous experience in a people operations leadership role or a comparable HR leadership position.
• Demonstrated experience scaling people operations, HR processes, and talent management capabilities within a rapidly growing organization.
• Experience building high-performing, mission-driven workplace cultures that promote employee engagement, respect, support, and professional effectiveness.
• Experience recruiting design and technology professionals, including product managers, product designers, user researchers, content strategists, software engineers, and DevOps engineers.
• Experience working with remote teams and supporting people operations in distributed work environments.

Required Skills

• Strong understanding of relevant labor laws and the ability to maintain compliant HR practices and employee relations processes.
• Ability to operate at both strategic and tactical levels, translating organizational priorities into effective people operations practices.
• Sound judgment when handling confidentiality, employee privacy, workplace risk, transparency, and sensitive employment matters.
• Proficiency with Human Resources Information Systems (HRIS), Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), and software supporting performance management and other HR functions.
• Strong analytical and data interpretation skills for evaluating people operations effectiveness and improving talent outcomes.
• Excellent interpersonal, motivational, and relationship management skills for working with employees, managers, and senior leadership.
• Superior written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to address complex workplace issues clearly and professionally.
• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and a consistent focus on quality in HR administration and people processes.
• Commitment to building effective workplace cultures and supporting meaningful public outcomes through improved government services.
• Ability to work in alignment with established organizational values and approaches.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience administering Rippling or a comparable Human Resources Information System.
• Previous experience in government contracting, consulting, or professional services organizations.

Additional Requirements

• All work must be performed within the United States.
• Must be legally authorized to work in the United States, both currently and in the future, without employer sponsorship.
• Must be available for occasional work-related travel.
• May be required to obtain a public trust designation or security clearance due to government contracting requirements.
• May be required to successfully complete a company background check.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance coverage.
• Short-term and long-term disability insurance.
• Life insurance and accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) coverage.
• Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account (FSA), Healthcare FSA, and Health Savings Account (HSA).
• Dollar-for-dollar 401(k) matching contributions up to 10% of salary, with no vesting period.
• 20 vacation days annually, 11 federal holidays, and flexible sick leave.
• Up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave for eligible employees following birth, adoption, or foster placement.
• Annual performance rewards, including potential salary increases, performance bonuses, spot bonuses, and stock options.
• Additional business development, sales, and employee referral bonus opportunities.
• Annual professional development allowance of $2,000.
• Annual technology-related purchase allowance of $750.
• Annual merchandise allowance of $100.
• Flexible, remote-friendly work environment.
• Workplace culture focused on professional empowerment and meaningful public service outcomes.