Sr HR Operations Manager

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…