People Operations Lead

Phoenix Blu; Arlington (VA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

CONFIDENTIAL, a DMV-based HR and business strategy firm, seeks a People Operations Lead to own day-to-day delivery across client organizations. You’ll handle payroll, benefits, HRIS, onboarding, and lifecycle processes with direct collaboration with firm leadership and client executives.

The role emphasizes ownership, responsiveness, and the ability to manage multiple deadlines across evolving engagements, including growth, acquisitions, and transitions.

Qualifications

• Approximately 5+ years of progressive HR or People Operations experience.
• Strong hands-on payroll, benefits, and HRIS experience.
• Multi-state HR exposure and practical knowledge of core employment requirements.
• Excellent organization and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Oversee day-to-day People Operations delivery for multiple client organizations.
• Coordinate payroll, benefits, retirement, legal, and other partner activities.
• Maintain HRIS, onboarding/offboarding, and records management.
• Support acquisitions, divestitures, and Day 1 readiness.
• Develop repeatable processes and ensure compliance.

Skills

Payroll administration

Benefits administration

HRIS administration

Multi-state HR

Executive communication

Project management

Tools

HRIS software

Payroll systems

Compliance tracking systems

Job description

People Operations & Client Delivery Manager

COMPANY: CONFIDENTIAL

About the Firm

A growing DMV-based HR and business strategy firm works alongside organizations to build practical, scalable People Operations infrastructure and solve complex people challenges. The firm supports both strategy and execution—from payroll, benefits, and compliance to employee relations, organizational growth, and M&A transitions.

We are growing and looking for a People Operations Lead who loves making things work.

The role

You will own day-to-day People Operations delivery across a portfolio of client organizations. You may be helping one organization complete payroll in the morning, coordinating a benefits issue for another that afternoon, and preparing employees from a newly acquired organization to transition into new systems later that week.

This is not a narrowly defined corporate HR position. You will work directly with firm leadership, client executives, employees, and external partners—and you will have real ownership over the work entrusted to you. This is a full-time role with meaningful flexibility in when and where work is done. We do not manage by clock-watching, but flexibility does not mean low urgency: time-sensitive client needs require responsiveness during the business day.

What you’ll own

PEOPLE OPERATIONS

• Payroll administration and coordination
• Benefits administration and employee support
• HRIS administration
• 401(k) administration coordination
• Employee onboarding and offboarding
• Leave administration
• Employee records, I-9s, and lifecycle processes

COMPLIANCE & EMPLOYEE SUPPORT

• Multi-state compliance tracking
• Employment notices and documentation
• Workers’ compensation and unemployment administration
• Routine employee relations and manager support
• Policy administration, compliance calendars, and audits

CLIENT DELIVERY

• Serve as a trusted day-to-day People Operations contact
• Manage multiple organizations, deadlines, and priorities
• Coordinate with payroll, benefits, retirement, legal, and other partners
• Build and document repeatable processes
• Identify issues early and recommend solutions

GROWTH & M&A

• Support people-related diligence for acquisitions
• Assist employee transitions into payroll, benefits, and HR systems
• Support Day 1 readiness
• Support divestitures and spin-offs
• Help build scalable People Operations infrastructure for growing organizations

What we’re looking for

• Approximately 5+ years of progressive HR or People Operations experience
• Strong hands‑on payroll, benefits, and HRIS experience
• Multi-state HR exposure and practical knowledge of core employment requirements
• Excellent organization, follow-through, judgment, and discretion
• Strong written and verbal communication
• Comfort interacting directly with executives, managers, and employees
• Ability to independently manage competing priorities
• DMV-based and able to periodically travel to client locations

Especially valuable

Experience in a PEO, HRO, ASO, payroll provider, HR consulting firm, or other multi-client environment. Experience supporting acquisitions, integrations, transitions, or rapidly growing organizations is also valuable.

The standard

We care deeply about the quality of our work. We are responsive, accountable, and detail-oriented. We close loops. We communicate early when something is at risk. We take ownership of outcomes rather than waiting to be reminded.

Our environment moves quickly, but we do not confuse speed with chaos. We prioritize well, communicate clearly, and execute.

IF THIS SOUNDS LIKE YOU

You see it. You’ve got it. You know what happens next.

You’ll probably love this role if…

• You like building order where it does not yet exist.
• You enjoy HR, but especially the systems, details, deadlines, and execution that make organizations work.
• You like autonomy and variety.
• You are comfortable owning something from beginning to end.
• You want to help build a growing firm rather than simply inherit someone else’s processes.

Equal Employment Opportunity & Reasonable Accommodations

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities throughout the application and employment process. Applicants who require a reasonable accommodation to participate in the application or interview process may contact us to request assistance.