People Operations Manager

Growald Climate Fund; Boston (MA); Hybrid; USD 117,000 - 125,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) retirement plan with employer 6

Employer-paid long-term disability

Employer-paid short-term disability

Employer-paid basic life insurance

22 days vacation

10 paid sick days

10 paid holidays

Winter and Summer closure weeks

Professional development allowance

Coaching and 1:1 meetings

Performance reviews and feedback

Job summary

Growald Climate Fund is seeking a People Operations Manager to join our Operations team in a hybrid Boston environment. The role focuses on reliable HR operations across the employee lifecycle, ensuring thoughtful, human-centered practices and compliance.

You will manage payroll, benefits, leave tracking, HR systems, and staff records, partnering with Finance and Legal while supporting onboarding, performance processes, and staff relations. SHRM/PHR is preferred; HRIS experience is valued.

Qualifications

• Experience managing core HR operations including payroll, benefits, leave and staff records.
• Understanding of employment compliance with careful policy application.
• Highly organized with attention to confidential information and deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Own HR operations across the employee lifecycle.
• Manage payroll, benefits, leave tracking, HR systems and staff records.
• Coordinate with Finance and Legal; liaise with vendors and brokers.
• Support onboarding, offboarding, performance processes, and staff relations.
• Update Handbook with annual policy reviews and compliance updates.
• Collaborate with staff and leadership to implement changes and drive adoption.

Skills

Payroll management

Benefits administration

Leave administration

HRIS

Payroll systems

HR operations

Staff records

Compliance

Education

SHRM/PHR certification (preferred)

Tools

HRIS

Payroll systems

Job description

Reports to: Director of People Operations

Hybrid in Boston, MA

Summary

Growald Climate Fund (GCF) is looking for a People Operations Manager to join our Operations team and help ensure that our people practices, systems, and staff experience are thoughtful, reliable, and well executed. We view People Operations as a deeply relational function rather than a purely administrative one. Beyond managing core systems and logistics, this role centers on building trust, supporting staff with care, and ensuring our HR practices reflect our commitment to a positive, supportive, and human-centered staff experience.

About Growald Climate Fund

Growald Climate Fund is a high-impact venture philanthropy fund focused on catalyzing the rapid transition to a clean energy future. GCF invests in organizations working to transform the power sector and partners with foundations, nonprofit organizations, academic institutions, and policy research organizations internationally.

Role and Responsibilities

As the People Operations Manager, you will own the reliable execution of core HR operations across the employee lifecycle. You will:

• Manage day-to-day processes including payroll administration, benefits administration, leave and absence tracking, HR systems, staff records, and compliance requirements including employer-sponsored visa management.
• Serve as a responsive resource for staff and managers, helping answer questions, resolve issues, and navigate policies and processes with care and consistency.
• Partner closely with Finance and Legal on payroll, benefits, and related administrative processes, and work with external vendors and brokers as needed.
• Support onboarding, offboarding, performance processes, staff relations, and HR documentation.
• Partner with Legal on annual Handbook review and policy updates to maintain local, state and federal compliance.
• Conduct research to support the development of new HR policies and the review and revision of existing policies, considering organizational needs, employee experience, and applicable requirements.
• Partner closely with staff, managers and leadership to understand how processes work in practice, communicate changes clearly, and support consistent adoption across the organization.

The role requires strong attention to detail, sound judgment, confidentiality, and the ability to keep routine work moving while responding thoughtfully when something unexpected arises.

Day in the Life

You start the week reviewing upcoming payroll deadlines, checking for changes that need to be reflected in the next payroll run, and following up with Finance or a benefits provider on an open question. Later, an employee reaches out with a question about leave, and you walk them through the relevant process and next steps.

You may spend part of the day updating staff records, reviewing benefits information, or ensuring that required documentation is complete and accurate. You might meet with a manager to talk through a staff situation, helping them understand the appropriate process and coaching them in handling the conversation well.

Some days are more routine; others require you to investigate an unexpected payroll issue, respond to a compliance question, or coordinate several moving pieces at once. You balance independent execution with regular collaboration across the Operations team and the broader organization. Working in a hybrid environment in Boston, you build relationships both in person and virtually while keeping HR support accessible and responsive.

Who You Are

You are a thoughtful, organized HR professional who enjoys getting the details right and making systems work for the people who use them. You bring practical HR experience, good judgment, and are comfortable with a relational approach to supporting staff. You are comfortable owning recurring processes while also looking for ways to make them clearer, more consistent, and easier to navigate.

• You have experience managing core HR operations, particularly payroll, benefits, leave administration, and staff records.
• You understand employment compliance and can apply policies and requirements carefully, escalating complex issues when appropriate.
• You are highly organized and detail-oriented, with the ability to manage deadlines, confidential information, and multiple priorities.
• You communicate clearly and respectfully with staff, managers, senior leadership and external HR vendors or providers.
• A SHRM / PHR certification is preferred, and experience with HRIS and payroll systems is highly valued.
• Flexible work policy: flex hours and opportunity to work from home two days / week (if located in Boston Metro Area).
• 401(k) retirement plan with 6% employer match
• 100% employer-paid long-term disability, short-term disability and basic life insurance
• Twenty-two days of vacation and ten paid sick days plus ten paid holidays
• Winter and Summer closure weeks
• Annual allowance for professional development activities
• Coaching and management support with regular 1:1 meetings
• Performance reviews and feedback to support you and the team to reflect and grow
• A co-developed initial three month work plan to help you hit the ground running and have clarity on your role and responsibilities

The starting salary range for this position is $117,000-$125,000.

Equal Opportunity Employer

As an equal opportunity employer, we recognize the power of a diverse community and strongly encourage applications from individuals with varied experiences, perspectives and backgrounds. We are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants without regard to age, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status. Must be authorized to work lawfully in the United States.