Head of People Operations & Strategy

Talentfoot Executive Search; St. Louis (MO); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Talentfoot Executive Search's client, a privately held design and manufacturing company with 60+ years of history, seeks a Director of People Operations + Strategy to lead day-to-day HR and join the leadership team in St. Louis.

You will inherit an established HR team spanning TA, L&D, Benefits, and HR Generalist support, and drive metrics, compliance, and change management. This on-site role offers high visibility and a clear path to broader People leadership.

Qualifications

• 10+ years in HR or People Operations
• 5+ years in hands-on operational leadership
• Generalist with TA, L&D, Payroll, Benefits, and Employee Relations
• Experience with HCM administration and analytics dashboards
• Expertise in multi-state employment law and compliance
• Strong financial acumen and budget oversight
• Bachelor's degree in HR, Business Admin, or related

Responsibilities

• Translate enterprise people strategy into operational roadmaps and execution goals
• Join leadership to discuss labor costs, retention, and compensation strategy
• Partner with leaders across departments to tailor HR solutions
• Oversee Talent Acquisition, Learning & Development, Payroll, Benefits, Performance Management, Employee Relations, and Compliance
• Manage change management initiatives and software implementations
• Ensure data integrity, regulatory reporting, and scalable compliance frameworks
• Lead internal HR process improvements and automation

Skills

HR operations

People analytics

Cross-functional leadership

HCM administration

Multi-state compliance

Budget management

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR/Business Administration

Tools

HCM systems

Payroll software

Job description

Talentfoot Executive Search's client, a privately held design and manufacturing company with 60+ years of history, seeks a Director of People Operations + Strategy to lead day-to-day HR and join the leadership team in St. Louis.

You will inherit an established HR team spanning TA, L&D, Benefits, and HR Generalist support, and drive metrics, compliance, and change management. This on-site role offers high visibility and a clear path to broader People leadership.