Director of People Ops

Menlo Church; Menlo Park (CA); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Menlo Church is seeking a Director of People Operations to lead HR practices, staff experience, and compliance across campuses. You will partner with ministry leaders to foster a healthy, mission-aligned staff culture, while building scalable, people-first processes for hiring, onboarding, and staff development.

The role requires strategic HR leadership, training program development, and strong collaboration with the Executive Pastor of Operations to steward resources and support sustainable

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in HR or related field; advanced degree or HR certification preferred.
• Minimum 10 years of HR experience with strong leadership.
• Proven experience leading HR training initiatives and staff development.
• Strong knowledge of employment regulations and people operations.

Responsibilities

• Oversee recruitment, onboarding, performance management, compensation, benefits, and HR policies.
• Partner with ministry leaders to coach managers and support staff across campuses.
• Develop and implement scalable HR processes and compliance across locations.
• Manage HR budget and HRIS usage to improve efficiency.

Skills

HR leadership

Staff development

Employee relations

Policy development

Strategic planning

Communication skills

Conflict resolution

Project management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in HR or related field

Advanced degree or HR certification

10+ years HR experience

Tools

HRIS (Rippling)

Google Workspace

Asana

Rippling

Job description

Founded in 1873, Menlo Church has a rich history of serving the spiritual needs of our community and is a vibrant spiritual and social center in Menlo Park. Our journey has led us to expand across the Bay Area, with campuses in San Mateo, Mountain View, Menlo Park, and Saratoga.

Menlo’s mission is to bring hope to everyone by living out our identity in Christ every day. As we navigate the unique challenges of today’s culture, we are committed to being an endearing gospel presence in a region where many are skeptical. With a talented & dedicated staff, we envision a Bay Area that awakens to the freedom found in Christ, through meaningful and practical support.

Join us as we strive to equip our community to bring the gospel into every aspect of life. Together, we can make a lasting impact in the Bay Area and beyond.

Position Summary

As a pastoral and strategic leader, the Director of People Operations provides leadership for Menlo Church’s people practices, HR operations, and staff experience. This role is responsible for managing the day-to-day operational needs of the HR department while helping shape a healthy, consistent, and mission-aligned staff culture across Menlo’s campuses and central teams.

Reporting directly to the Executive Pastor of Operations, the Director of People Operations serves as a trusted partner to the Extended Leadership Team, managers and staff. The role works collaboratively to assess organizational and staffing needs, strengthen leadership development, support employee relations, ensure compliance & benefits, while developing people practices that enable Menlo to grow and serve its mission well.

The Director will oversee core HR functions including recruiting and staffing, onboarding and offboarding, employee relations, performance management, compensation and benefits, compliance, policies and procedures, staff development, and HR systems and processes. This leader will also identify opportunities to improve and scale HR practices, creating greater clarity, consistency, and efficiency as the organization grows.

Beyond HR operations, this role is deeply relational and pastoral. The Director will partner with ministry leaders to care for their teams well. This includes providing coaching and consultation to managers, facilitating difficult or complex conversations, and helping leaders navigate decisions with wisdom, grace, consistency, and appropriate confidentiality.

Ultimately, the Director of People Operations serves as both a strategic HR leader and a pastoral partner to the organization, building systems that support sustainable growth while helping create an environment where staff can flourish, leaders can lead well, and people are cared for in a way that reflects Menlo’s mission and values.

Essential Functions

• Establish workforce planning & recruitment process, including forecasting, organizational design, and pastoral alignment.
• Partner with hiring managers to provide strategic recruiting guidance and support while actively managing the hiring process.

Employee Development & Performance

• Oversee annual performance management and goal-setting processes to ensure alignment with organizational objectives.
• Identify and support pastoral care and professional growth opportunities for employees and managers.
• Lead and develop training initiatives, workshops, and leadership development programs that build core skills, nurture healthy teams, and support career growth.
• Develop replicable, customizable templates/plans for Central and Campus use for coaching, onboarding/offboarding comms plans, customized 30-60-90 day plans, PIPs, etc.
• Coordinate and organize staff training events (Bi-Annual Alignment & Training Days, Monthly All-Team Tuesdays, Staff Offsites & Conferences).
• Develop, communicate, and update HR policies and procedures in line with applicable laws and regulations.
• Maintain knowledge of evolving employment laws, best practices, and workforce trends.
• Ensure compliance with local, state, and federal regulations.

Culture Stewardship & Employee Engagement

• Steward Menlo’s culture by fostering employee engagement through recognition, annual survey management, and milestone celebrations, while developing and leading an HR volunteer team to support staff connection, care, and engagement across the organization.
• Serve as a trusted pastoral and HR partner, building strong, caring, and inclusive relationships across all staff and campuses.

Total Rewards & HR Operations

• Work with our Insurance brokers to annually evaluate & implement competitive compensation, total rewards, and benefits programs, including Open Enrollment.
• Lead compensation reviews, salary benchmarking, and pay practices to support internal equity, market competitiveness, and organizational strategy.
• Manage the HR budget, including benefits, HR programs, vendors, and related operational expenses.
• Oversee benefits administration and serve as a primary resource for staff questions
• Oversee and maximize the use of Rippling HRIS to improve HR workflow efficiency, reporting, compliance, data integrity, and employee self-service.
• Develop and maintain HR processes, policies, and systems that create consistency, efficiency, and a positive employee experience.
• Partner with Finance and organizational leaders on payroll, other HR-related financial processes.
• Monitor HR metrics and workforce data to identify trends, inform leadership decisions, and support organizational planning.

Qualifications

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in HR or related field, Advanced degree or HR certification preferred or minimum 10 years of HR experience
• Demonstrated leadership skills, with a minimum of 5 years of personnel management experience.
• Demonstrated experience leading and developing HR training initiatives, including manager training, staff development, and organizational learning programs.
• Strong knowledge of HR practices, employment regulations, and people operations, with the ability to translate them into practical policies and processes.

Knowledge and Skills

• In-depth knowledge of strategic HR planning, including compensation, organizational development & workforce planning.
• Working knowledge of California and federal employment laws, regulations, and compliance requirements; knowledge of requirements applicable to 501(c)(3) religious organizations preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to develop, implement, and continuously improve HR policies, procedures, and systems.
• Strong proficiency with HRIS, office applications, and collaboration tools, including Google Workspace, Asana, and Rippling.
• Resourceful and solution-oriented, with the ability to navigate complex situations and develop creative, practical solutions.
• Knowledge of HR best practices and experience building engaged, and healthy workplace cultures.
• Strong conflict resolution, coaching, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build trust and partner effectively with a diverse range of internal and external stakeholders.
• Strong project management skills, with the ability to plan, implement, and oversee multiple HR programs and initiatives effectively.
• This is a full time exempt position. In person Monday through Thursday at our Central offices in Menlo Park, CA w/ optional WFH Friday. Evenings or weekends as needed.
• This job typically operates in a professional office & church environment with standard office equipment such as computers, printers, and telephones. Ability to operate in an office setting with computer equipment and those movements that would be experienced while working in an office or church setting. Light to moderate lifting may be required.
• Live out their personal relationship with Jesus Christ by growing more in His likeness, eager to share and see others come to know true hope.
• Demonstrate active engagement as a member of Menlo Church by: Regularly attending and inviting others to services, connecting in community through groups, volunteering in a ministry, and committing to giving to the mission and vision of Menlo Church.
• Holds themself and others accountable to live and love others with integrity and diligence in light of their identity in Christ.
• Hold compatible theological beliefs in alignment with the essential tenets of ECO, as outlined on their website ( https://eco-pres.org/ ).

PLEASE NOTE: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each of the essential duties satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.