People Operations Lead

Remote (United States)

Job Details

Location: United States

Work Model: Remote

Employment Type: Full-time

Experience: Strong hands-on US People Operations experience, including HR infrastructure development and end-to-end recruiting. Specific years of experience are not specified.

Core Areas: People Operations, HR Compliance, Employee Benefits Administration, Talent Acquisition, Performance Management, Compensation Policies, Employee Lifecycle Management, Organizational Development

Compensation: $120,000–$160,000 annually, plus benefits and perks.

Schedule: Required availability during core collaboration hours of 10:00 AM–2:00 PM Eastern Time.

Travel: Approximately 10–15%.

About the Role

A People Operations Lead opportunity is available for an experienced HR professional to oversee and strengthen people operations, recruiting, and employee experience within a growing nonprofit organization. This senior, hands-on individual contributor position owns the development of scalable HR policies, performance management processes, compensation practices, employee lifecycle operations, and talent acquisition programs. The role carries substantial autonomy and responsibility for establishing reliable, well-documented HR systems as organizational needs evolve.

The position requires practical expertise in US employment practices, health insurance, benefits administration, HR compliance, and full-cycle recruiting. Reporting to the Deputy Director, the People Operations Lead works closely with senior leadership, Operations colleagues, hiring managers, external HR partners, and legal advisers. The position currently has no direct reports, although opportunities to build and supervise a small team may arise as the organization grows.

What You'll Do

• Develop, implement, and continuously improve scalable HR policies, people operations systems, and employee management processes, replacing informal practices with clear, reliable, documented workflows.
• Design and administer performance review cycles, including processes that support employee evaluation, feedback, and professional development.
• Establish career development and progression frameworks that provide employees with structured opportunities for growth.
• Develop and maintain compensation policies and related people management practices appropriate for a growing organization.
• Oversee employee lifecycle operations, including onboarding, employee experience initiatives, benefits administration, and ongoing employee support.
• Apply knowledge of US employment practices, employee benefits, and health insurance to support effective HR administration.
• Coordinate employee benefits and payroll administration with external service providers and relevant internal stakeholders.
• Maintain accurate HR documentation, employment policies, and compliance procedures, working with legal counsel and specialist advisers when appropriate.
• Coordinate HR administration and employment-related processes with Professional Employer Organization (PEO) and Employer of Record (EOR) providers.
• Introduce practical HR infrastructure that supports organizational growth without adding unnecessary administrative complexity.

• Lead end-to-end recruitment processes, from initial workforce needs and role definition through candidate selection and successful hiring.
• Partner with hiring managers to define position requirements, hiring priorities, and candidate evaluation criteria.
• Source qualified candidates and manage talent pipelines throughout the recruitment lifecycle.
• Design structured, rigorous candidate assessment and evaluation processes that support consistent hiring decisions.
• Manage candidate communications, interview coordination, recruitment progress, and hiring activities through final selection and offer acceptance.
• Maintain a professional, transparent, and respectful candidate experience throughout the hiring process.
• Develop documented, repeatable recruiting workflows and talent acquisition systems that can scale with organizational hiring needs.

• Lead planning and coordination of quarterly internal team retreats, supporting employee engagement and the overall employee experience.
• Oversee selected external events, workshops, and stakeholder gatherings, coordinating with Operations colleagues responsible for event execution.
• Work with external vendors and internal stakeholders to manage event coordination and logistical requirements.
• Take ownership of occasional cross-functional operational projects as organizational priorities and available capacity evolve.

Qualifications

Required Experience

• Strong hands-on experience in US People Operations, including employee benefits administration, health insurance, employment policies, and HR compliance.
• Demonstrated experience developing, implementing, or scaling HR infrastructure, including performance management processes, career progression frameworks, compensation practices, HR documentation, and employee lifecycle operations.
• Experience managing end-to-end talent acquisition, including role definition, candidate sourcing, assessment, candidate communications, and successful hiring.
• Experience independently managing multiple workstreams, establishing operational priorities, and executing initiatives from planning through completion.
• Experience working with senior leadership and external partners on people operations and organizational initiatives.

Required Skills

• Practical knowledge of US employment practices, HR compliance requirements, employment policies, and employee benefits administration, particularly health insurance.
• Ability to design, document, implement, and maintain scalable HR policies, people operations workflows, and employee lifecycle processes.
• Ability to develop and administer performance review systems, career development frameworks, and compensation-related policies.
• Strong full-cycle recruiting capabilities, including candidate sourcing, recruitment pipeline management, structured evaluation, and hiring coordination.
• Ability to apply sound HR judgment while introducing appropriate structure into an evolving organization with ambiguous or changing operational requirements.
• Strong organizational execution, prioritization, and project ownership skills, with the ability to manage concurrent responsibilities and deliver practical systems that others can use.
• Clear written communication skills, sound stakeholder judgment, and the ability to work effectively with senior leaders, hiring managers, and external service providers.
• Genuine interest in the organization's mission involving biosecurity and global catastrophic risk reduction, supported by existing familiarity with these areas or a willingness to learn.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working in nonprofit organizations, research institutions, policy environments, Effective Altruism, biosecurity, AI safety, or other mission-driven settings.
• Experience coordinating employment administration with PEO or EOR providers.
• Experience supporting internationally distributed teams.
• Experience organizing internal retreats, team offsites, or complex cross-functional logistical activities.
• Experience mentoring colleagues or managing a small team; direct people management experience is not required.