Senior HR Operations Specialist Ontario

Senior HR Operations Specialist Hillel Ontario

Location: Hybrid (1-2 days in office, Toronto location)
Department: Operations
Reports To: CFO

Hillel Ontario is a recognized leader in the international Hillel movement, amplifying vibrant Jewish campus life across nine campuses and serving over 14,000 Jewish students. We centralize organizational expertise so our campus professionals can focus on student engagement and building meaningful community connections. We embrace religious and political diversity, supporting a broad spectrum of identities through innovative programming, immersive experiences, and leadership opportunities.

Together, we empower the next generation of Jewish leaders to make an enduring impact on Jewish life, Israel, and the world.

The Senior HR Operations Specialist is a seasoned human resource professional responsible for delivering a seamless, integrated employee experience across all HR operational functions. This role oversees payroll administration, benefits management, leave programs, onboarding and offboarding workflows, job description governance, performance review cycles, and employee recognition programs.

With expertise in HR operations and an understanding of the unique needs of nonprofit organizations, the Senior HR Operations Specialist ensures that all backend HR processes are accurate, compliant, efficient, and aligned with the organization’s mission, values, and people-centered culture. The role is critical in creating a workplace experience that integrates people, processes, technology, and space to support staff engagement and organizational effectiveness.

Payroll & Compensation Administration

• Manage end-to-end payroll processing for all staff, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and compliance with federal and provincial regulations.
• Maintain payroll records, salary changes, retroactive adjustments, and statutory reporting.
• Partner with Finance to reconcile payroll accounts, year-end reporting, and audit requirements.
• Support compensation reviews and salary benchmarking processes.

Benefits & Leave Management

• Administer employee benefits programs, including health, dental, wellness, and optional plans.
• Serve as the primary liaison with benefits providers and brokers.
• Manage all leave programs (sick, vacation, parental, disability, unpaid leaves), ensuring compliance with legislation and internal policy.
• Provide guidance to employees on benefits, eligibility, claims, and leave processes.

Employee Lifecycle Management

• Design and deliver seamless onboarding experiences that integrate HR, IT, facilities, and departmental workflows.
• Coordinate offboarding and termination processes, ensuring compliance, documentation accuracy, and positive employee transitions.
• Maintain employee records, contracts, and HRIS data integrity.

HR Policy, Documentation & Job Description s

• Develop, update, and maintain job descriptions across all departments, ensuring alignment with organizational structure and compensation frameworks.
• Support policy development, updates, and communication across HR and operations.
• Ensure compliance with employment legislation, nonprofit governance requirements, and internal standards.

Performance & Recognition Programs

• Lead annual and mid-year performance review cycles, including communications, training, system setup, and reporting.
• Support managers in goal setting, competency development, and performance documentation.
• Manage employee recognition programs, service awards, and culture-building initiatives.

HR Operations & Systems

• Optimize HRIS workflows, data accuracy, reporting, and integrations with payroll and benefits platforms.
• Identify opportunities to streamline processes, automate tasks, and improve…