HR Operations Director

Director, HR Operations People

Your Role: The Director, HR Operations is responsible for leading the day-to-day execution, operational excellence, and compliance infrastructure of the People function. Reporting to the Chief People Officer, this role ensures that HR services, systems, and processes are accurate, compliant, scalable, and consistently delivered — enabling the CPO to focus on strategy, culture, leadership, and enterprise-level talent priorities.

This is a senior operational leadership role that translates People strategy into repeatable, auditable, and employee-ready execution across the full employee lifecycle. The Director will own operational delivery, controls, systems, and compliance; ensure policies, programs, and decisions are executed correctly and consistently; translate strategy into process, infrastructure, and service delivery; and serve as the operational backbone of the People function.

Key Responsibilities:

HR Operations & Service Delivery

• Lead end-to-end HR operational execution across onboarding, employee changes, leave administration, offboarding, and employee data management
• Establish and maintain clear HR operating procedures, SOPs, and service standards
• Ensure a consistent, high-quality employee and manager experience across all locations and employee populations
• Serve as the escalation point for complex operational or process issues

Compliance, Policy & Risk Management

• Ensure compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local employment regulations, with strong expertise in California and multi-state employment requirements
• Partner closely with Legal to operationalize regulatory changes and reduce People-related risk
• Own HR compliance readiness for audits, reviews, and internal controls
• Proactively identify operational, compliance, or data integrity risks and implement mitigation plans

HR Systems, Payroll & Data Governance

• Own HRIS and connected platforms (e.g., payroll, benefits, timekeeping), ensuring accuracy, security, and scalability
• Partner with IT, Finance, and external vendors on system enhancements, integrations, and automation initiatives
• Ensure data governance standards are maintained across all People systems
• Deliver accurate people data, dashboards, and operational metrics to support executive decision-making

Payroll, Benefits & Employee Programs

• Oversee payroll processing, validation, and issue resolution in partnership with Finance
• Ensure benefits and leave programs are administered accurately and in compliance with applicable regulations
• Manage operational aspects of annual cycles (open enrollment, audits, renewals)
• Support the CPO and Total Rewards leadership with operational execution of compensation and benefits programs

Team Leadership & Capability Building

• Lead and develop the HR Operations, HRIS, and Payroll/Benefits teams
• Establish clear roles, accountability, performance metrics, and development plans
• Build a service-oriented, detail-driven, and solutions-focused operations team
• Promote continuous improvement, automation, and process discipline

Minimum Qualifications:

• 8–12+ years of progressive HR Operations or People Operations experience
• Demonstrated leadership of HR operations in a growth environment
• Strong working knowledge of employment law compliance, payroll, benefits administration, and HR systems
• Proven ability to build scalable, auditable HR processes
• Exceptional judgment, attention to detail, and discretion

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in regulated, manufacturing, biotech, life sciences, or public-company environments
• Experience partnering closely with Finance and Legal leadership
• HRIS implementation or major system transformation experience
• Prior experience supporting high-growth or transformation initiatives

Work Environment: Full-time, onsite position in Tustin or Irvine, CA. Monday–Friday with occasional overtime/weekends as needed. Compensation range: $154,400–$193,000 annually, plus performance bonus and full benefits package.