People Operations Manager

Alfred; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 80,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Vacation and sick time

401(k) eligibility

Phone reimbursement

Free drinks & employee discounts

Growth opportunities

Therapy reimbursement

Job summary

Alfred is seeking a People Operations Manager to partner with leaders across multiple locations. You will own leaves and accommodations, advise on employee relations, and coach managers to ensure compliant People practices while building strong relationships at every level.

The role requires a hands-on approach in a fast-paced, multi-location environment with a focus on sound judgment and empathy. Salary range reflects market for LA area.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of Human Resources or People Operations management experience.
• Strong working knowledge of California employment practices (wage/hour, leaves, accommodations, PM, ER).
• Experience conducting workplace investigations and managing sensitive employee matters.
• Confidence coaching managers through performance concerns and difficult conversations.
• Sound judgment, risk awareness, and escalation when needed.

Responsibilities

• Conduct timely and thorough workplace investigations for low-to-mid-level concerns, including interviews, documentation, findings, and recommended next steps.
• Partner with the Director of People on complex or high-risk employee matters, assessing risk and recommending thoughtful, consistent, and compliant solutions.
• Maintain accurate and confidential documentation of employee relations matters and ensure appropriate follow-through through resolution.
• Own end-to-end management of leaves of absence and accommodation requests, serving as the primary subject matter expert and administrator.
• Help ensure compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws and translate requirements into practical processes for managers and teams.
• Support the consistent implementation and interpretation of company policies, procedures, and People programs across Alfred locations.
• Identify potential areas of employee-related risk and elevate or recommend appropriate action when needed.
• Stay current on relevant employment requirements and help ensure People practices evolve alongside regulatory changes.
• Partner cross-functionally with Recruiting, Payroll, Operations, Training, and other teams to create a consistent employee experience throughout the lifecycle.
• Support onboarding, performance management, employee transitions, and offboarding as needed.
• Maintain accurate employee records and support strong HRIS data integrity and documentation practices.
• Support development and improvement of People processes, policies, manager resources, and tools as Alfred continues to grow.
• Advance broader People initiatives, special projects, and organizational priorities in partnership with the Director of People.

Skills

HR management

Employee relations

Investigation skills

Compliance knowledge

Communication

Job description

About this position

About Alfred

Alfred first opened in 2013 on Melrose Place with a singular vision: to become the neighborhood coffee shop of LA. Fueled by consistent innovation, everyday excellence, and creative partnerships, Alfred delivers a whole experience - all part of our ongoing mission to invite everyone into our world and give them every reason to stay. With more than 20 locations across Los Angeles and beyond, Alfred continues to set the bar for coffee culture worldwide.

Job title: People Operations Manager

Reports to: Director of People

FLSA Status: Exempt

Wage: $80,000 - $90,000

The People Operations Manager serves as a trusted People partner to Alfred's leaders, managers, and employees. This role owns the leaves and accommodations process and partners with the Director of People on employee relations matters, while advising and coaching managers and helping ensure consistent, compliant People practices across the organization.

This is a hands-on role for someone who is comfortable navigating complex and sensitive employee matters while also building strong relationships with teams at every level. The ideal candidate brings sound judgment, empathy, accountability, and a practical approach to solving People challenges in a fast-paced, multi-location environment.

What You'll Do

Employee Relations & Investigations

• Conduct timely and thorough workplace investigations for low-to-mid-level concerns, including interviews, documentation, findings, and recommended next steps.
• Partner with the Director of People on complex or high-risk employee matters, assessing risk and recommending thoughtful, consistent, and compliant solutions.
• Maintain accurate and confidential documentation of employee relations matters and ensure appropriate follow-through through resolution.

Leaves, Accommodations, & Compliance

• Own end-to-end management of leaves of absence and accommodation requests, serving as the primary subject matter expert and administrator.
• Help ensure compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws and translate requirements into practical processes for managers and teams.
• Support the consistent implementation and interpretation of company policies, procedures, and People programs across Alfred locations.
• Identify potential areas of employee-related risk and elevate or recommend appropriate action when needed.
• Stay current on relevant employment requirements and help ensure People practices evolve alongside regulatory changes.

People Operational Excellence

• Partner cross-functionally with Recruiting, Payroll, Operations, Training, and other teams to create a consistent employee experience throughout the employee lifecycle.
• Support onboarding, performance management, employee transitions, and offboarding as needed.
• Maintain accurate employee records and support strong HRIS data integrity and documentation practices.
• Support development and improvement of People processes, policies, manager resources, and tools as Alfred continues to grow.
• Advance broader People initiatives, special projects, and organizational priorities in partnership with the Director of People.

What You'll Bring

• 3+ years of Human Resources or People Operations management experience supporting hourly, hospitality, retail, or multi-location teams strongly preferred.
• Strong working knowledge of California employment practices, including wage and hour, leaves of absence, accommodations, performance management, and employee relations.
• Experience conducting workplace investigations and managing sensitive employee matters from intake through resolution.
• Confidence coaching managers through performance concerns, corrective action, difficult conversations, and other complex employee matters.
• Sound judgment and the ability to independently assess situations, identify potential risk, recommend solutions, and recognize when escalation is appropriate.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build trust and credibility with employees and leaders at all levels.
• Adaptable, solutions-oriented, and comfortable being a visible, hands-on People partner to teams across Alfred's cafes.
• Base salary: $80,00 - $90,000 annually
• Vacation paid time off and sick time accruals
• 401(k) eligibility after 12 months of employment
• Monthly phone reimbursement
• Free drinks and employee discounts
• Growth and advancement opportunities
• Open Path Collective Therapy Reimbursement