Senior Director of People Operations

Confidential Careers; Scottsdale (AZ); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Confidential Careers seeks a Director of People Operations in Scottsdale, AZ to lead day-to-day HR operations and act as a strategic partner to leadership. This role owns the full employee lifecycle, from onboarding to offboarding, with a focus on compliance, documentation, and scalable people systems in a fast-growing environment.

The role requires deep HR expertise, strong judgment in complex situations, and the ability to guide and develop the People Ops team while maintaining confidentiality

Qualifications

• 5+ years of progressive HR experience, with at least 2 years in a senior individual contributor or people manager role
• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field
• PHR, SPHR, SHRM-CP, or SHRM-SCP certification preferred
• Hands-on experience administering FMLA and ADA accommodation processes required
• Prior experience with setting up a HRIS strongly preferred

Responsibilities

• Own full-cycle HR operations including employee relations, performance management, documentation, and compliance across all operations
• Administer and manage FMLA, ADA accommodations, non-FMLA leave, and parental leave programs in accordance with federal and applicable state law, ensuring proper certification, tracking, and communication throughout each leave event
• Lead workplace investigations with consistency and legal soundness, documenting findings and recommending appropriate outcomes in partnership with leadership and legal counsel as warranted
• Manage and continuously improve the progressive discipline process, including coaching leadership through written warnings, PIPs, and terminations in compliance with HR best practices
• Serve as the primary point of escalation for employee relations matters, distinguishing between policy issues, performance issues, and legal risk, and routing appropriately
• Ensure HR policies and the employee handbook remain current, compliant, and clearly communicated; lead the rollout of policy updates to leadership and the broader team
• Oversee HR systems and maintain data integrity across employee files, benefits enrollments, and workflow automation
• Partner with leadership on compensation decisions, promotions, and workforce planning, bringing data and compliance context to every conversation
• Lead and develop the People Ops team, providing direction, accountability, and growth opportunities to build a high-functioning department
• Drive the onboarding and offboarding process end-to-end, ensuring a consistent, compliant, and values-aligned experience at every transition
• Manage the Talent Acquisition team and ensure hiring practices, offer letters, background check processes, and I-9 compliance meet all legal requirements
• Lead internal HR training and communications for managers on topics including documentation, leave management, accommodation processes, and performance tools
• Maintain complete confidentiality across all HR matters regardless of seniority or circumstance

Skills

Employee relations

Compliance

HR operations

FMLA/ADA

People leadership

HRIS systems

Compensation planning

Workforce planning

Onboarding/offboarding

Policy development

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR or related field

PHR/SPHR/SHRM-CP/SHRM-SCP certification

Tools

HRIS

Job description

The Director of People Operations leads the day-to-day execution of the People Ops function while serving as a strategic partner to business leaders across the organization. This role owns full-cycle HR operations: from compliance and employee relations to talent management, leave administration, and systems oversight. The Director bridges the gap between tactical execution and organizational strategy, ensuring every people process runs cleanly, compliantly, and in alignment with the company's mission & values.

This individual is a trusted resource for both team members and leadership, bringing deep HR expertise, strong judgment in complex situations, and the ability to build scalable people systems that support a fast-moving, growth-oriented organization

SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE

• Serving as a go-to resource for leadership on employee relations, performance management, and compliance matters
• Managing leave programs (FMLA, ADA, non-FMLA, parental) with accuracy, consistency, and proper documentation
• Leading the People Ops team with clarity, developing advisor-level talent while keeping operations running at a high standard
• Owning the employee lifecycle from onboarding through offboarding, with clear processes and no gaps

OBJECTIVES

• Own full-cycle HR operations including employee relations, performance management, documentation, and compliance across all operations
• Administer and manage FMLA, ADA accommodations, non-FMLA leave, and parental leave programs in accordance with federal and applicable state law, ensuring proper certification, tracking, and communication throughout each leave event
• Lead workplace investigations with consistency and legal soundness, documenting findings and recommending appropriate outcomes in partnership with leadership and legal counsel as warranted
• Manage and continuously improve the progressive discipline process, including coaching leadership through written warnings, PIPs, and terminations in compliance with HR best practices
• Serve as the primary point of escalation for employee relations matters, distinguishing between policy issues, performance issues, and legal risk, and routing appropriately
• Ensure HR policies and the employee handbook remain current, compliant, and clearly communicated; lead the rollout of policy updates to leadership and the broader team
• Oversee HR systems and maintain data integrity across employee files, benefits enrollments, and workflow automation
• Partner with leadership on compensation decisions, promotions, and workforce planning, bringing data and compliance context to every conversation
• Lead and develop the People Ops team, providing direction, accountability, and growth opportunities to build a high-functioning department
• Drive the onboarding and offboarding process end-to-end, ensuring a consistent, compliant, and values-aligned experience at every transition
• Manage the Talent Acquisition team and ensure hiring practices, offer letters, background check processes, and I-9 compliance meet all legal requirements
• Lead internal HR training and communications for managers on topics including documentation, leave management, accommodation processes, and performance tools
• Maintain complete confidentiality across all HR matters regardless of seniority or circumstance

COMPETENCIES

• Deep working knowledge of federal and state employment law, including FMLA, ADA, FLSA, Title VII, IRCA, and applicable state-specific requirements
• Demonstrated experience managing complex employee relations matters from intake through resolution, including investigations and legally sensitive separations
• Ability to advise and coach leadership with credibility and calm authority, particularly on sensitive or high-stakes HR decisions
• Strong understanding of HR systems and the ability to leverage system capabilities to streamline and audit HR workflows
• Proficiency in benefits administration, including leave coordination, plan compliance, and working with third-party administrators and brokers
• Skilled at balancing competing priorities: holding firm on compliance and process while remaining approachable and solutions-oriented with team members and leaders
• Experience building and delivering HR training for managers and team members on topics ranging from performance management to leave administration
• Sound judgment in situations that carry legal or reputational risk, with an instinct to involve the right stakeholders at the right time
• Robust knowledge of our policies, concepts, and culture, and the ability to connect them to HR practices in a practical way
• High attention to detail in documentation, file audits, and compliance tracking, with a low tolerance for gaps

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• 5+ years of progressive HR experience, with at least 2 years in a senior individual contributor or people manager role
• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field
• PHR, SPHR, SHRM-CP, or SHRM-SCP certification preferred
• Hands-on experience administering FMLA and ADA accommodation processes required
• Prior experience with setting up a HRIS strongly preferred

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer
• Must be on-site at our Scottsdale, AZ office; this is not a remote role