Senior HR Manager

Experience Camps for Grieving Children; Westport (CT); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Employer-subsidized health insurance

Wellness benefits

Flexible work scheduling

Generous PTO

401k

FSA/HSA

Grief and parental leave

Job summary

Experience Camps for Grieving Children seeks aSenior Human Resources Manager to lead payroll, benefits, employee relations, recruitment, performance management and compliance, including seasonal staff HR needs. Reporting to the Director of Operations, you will build scalable HR systems, maintain confidential records, and guide leaders with proactive, empathetic people leadership.

This role is fully remote within the United States with optional hybrid work near Westport, CT.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and 5-8 years of progressive HR experience, including ownership of HR programs
• Demonstrated ability to design and deliver an HR program end to end (e.g., onboarding redesign, policy suite)
• Hands-on employee relations and investigations experience, with knowledge of federal and multi-state employment law
• Experience administering PEO, HRIS, and payroll processing platforms
• Hands-on HR data analysis: building reports, interpreting trends, and presenting recommendations to leaders
• Experience supervising and developing a small team
• Excellent written and verbal communication with strong interpersonal skills
• Strong organizational and project management skills; proficient in Google Workspace, MS Office, CRM platforms
• Commitment to diversity and inclusive work environment
• Passion for Experience Camps' mission

Responsibilities

• Lead HR operations with documented processes and backups
• Oversee payroll, timekeeping, and leave administration with Finance and program teams
• Manage benefits administration, open enrollment, and provider relationships
• Develop and maintain HR policies, procedures, and employee handbook
• Oversee performance review cycles and manager development programs
• Track HR metrics and present insights to leadership
• Manage recruitment, onboarding, and offboarding
• Ensure HR compliance with federal and state laws, including seasonal staff requirements
• Support compensation administration and total rewards communications
• Plan and execute HR initiatives and contribute to culture-building activities
• Supervise the People Operations Associate and maintain documented HR procedures

Skills

Payroll mgmt

Benefits admin

Employee relations

Recruitment onboarding

Performance mgmt

HR compliance

HRIS

Data analysis

People leadership

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

HRIS

Payroll systems

Google Workspace

MS Office

CRM platforms

Job description

Highlights:

• Salary range: $90,000 - $95,000 base
• Full-time, remote-eligible
• Employer-subsidized health insurance

Experience Camps, founded in 2009, is a national, no-cost program for children who have experienced the death of a parent, sibling or primary caregiver. Our one-week, overnight summer camps, year-round programs, and youth-driven content help to reframe the experience of grief and empower kids with the necessary coping skills to move forward with their lives.
Overview
The Senior Human Resources Manager leads Experience Camps’ HR function, owning payroll, benefits, employee relations, recruitment, performance management, and compliance, including requirements for seasonal camp staff. Reporting to the Director of Operations, the role owns HR operations, builds repeatable systems and policies, and supervises the People Operations Associate. The Director of Operations and CEO retain authority over HR strategy and sensitive employment decisions, with this role bringing recommendations and escalating early. The ideal candidate combines HR expertise with independent execution, sound judgment, discretion, proactive communication, and a people-centered approach.
What Success Looks Like

• Reliable HR operations with documented processes and trained backups
• An actionable HR plan with clear priorities, timelines, and progress reporting
• Meaningful HR metrics and manager development initiatives
• Consistent, trusted employee relations guidance

The Right Fit

• Owns outcomes: Anticipates needs and delivers without reminders.
• Improves systems: Solves root problems and builds scalable processes.
• Communicates proactively: Flags risks early and brings solutions.
• Exercises judgment: Acts independently and escalates appropriately.
• Leads with empathy: Balances employee support with accountability.
• Adapts quickly: Prioritizes effectively through change and growth.

Human Resources

• Lead employee relations, investigations, and manager guidance; elevate sensitive matters appropriately.
• Oversee recruitment, hiring coordination, onboarding, and offboarding.
• Maintain confidential, accurate, audit-ready personnel records and HR systems.
• Author and maintain HR policies and procedures, and the employee handbook.
• Manage performance review cycles and employee and manager development programs.
• Track HR metrics and recommend improvements based on workforce trends.
• Oversee retention, engagement, and recognition initiatives.
• Support compensation administration, salary bands, and total rewards communications.

Project and Team Management

• Independently plan and execute HR initiatives, tracking priorities, timelines, and outcomes in Asana.
• Identify operational gaps, resolve root causes, and implement lasting improvements.
• Supervise and develop the People Operations Associate.
• Maintain documented procedures and trained backups for core HR processes.
• Anticipate risks and deadlines; proactively communicate progress, recommendations, and decisions needed.

Culture Building

• Lead the annual in-person Staff Retreat, including budget, logistics, programming, and execution.
• Build connection, recognition, and engagement opportunities across a primarily remote workforce.

Compliance

• Maintain HR compliance with federal and state employment laws, coordinating with leadership, the PEO, and counsel.
• Oversee seasonal staff compliance, including background checks, clearances, and state-specific personnel requirements.

Payroll and Benefits

• Oversee accurate, timely payroll, timekeeping, and leave administration in coordination with Finance and program teams.
• Manage PEO and benefits provider relationships, open enrollment, employee communications, and benefits administration; support strategic renewal decisions.

Expectations

• 40 hours/week with flexible hours to account for occasional calls and meetings in the evenings.
• Fully remote within the United States, with optional hybrid work for employees near headquarters (Westport, CT)
• Occasional travel is required (2-3 times per year), to our annual all-staff retreat, and to observe and participate in program delivery
• Annual base salary range: $90,000-95,000, commensurate with experience
• In addition to the annual base salary, Experience Camps offers a benefits package for full-time employees including employer-subsidized health, wellness and technology benefits; a healthcare concierge service; flexible work scheduling; generous PTO; 401k; FSA/HSA; grief and parental leave.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and 5-8 years of progressive HR experience, including at least 2 years owning HR programs and functions, not only administering them
• Demonstrated ability to design and deliver an HR program end to end, such as a development program, an onboarding redesign, or a policy suite
• Hands-on employee relations and investigations experience, and working knowledge of federal and multi-state employment law
• Experience administering PEO, HRIS, and payroll processing platforms
• Hands‑on HR data analysis: building reports, interpreting trends, and presenting recommendations to leaders
• Experience supervising and developing a small team
• Excellent written and verbal communication, with strong interpersonal and presentation skills, and a customer service mindset toward internal clients, including keeping leaders informed of status, risks, and decisions needed without being asked
• Strong organizational and project management skills: scopes work completely, sets timelines, and tracks it to completion; proficient in Google Workspace, MS Office, CRM platforms, and other cloud-based management tools
• A commitment to diversity and to an inclusive working and learning environment
• Passion for the mission of Experience Camps

Preferred

• SHRM-CP, PHR, or equivalent certification
• Experience in a nonprofit or mission-driven organization
• Experience with seasonal or multi-site workforces, or with youth-serving organizations and their background check and licensing requirements
• Experience building professional or manager development programs
• Experience with compensation frameworks and total rewards

About Our Team
We don’t take ourselves too seriously, but we take the work very seriously. We laugh a lot. We live by the values. We love what we do. We take our vacation days and believe in self-care. We are a unique blend of strengths and personalities and we seek to understand each other. We get downright giddy at the mention of camp.
Our Core Values (C.A.M.P.):

• Come As You Are (unless you’re a jerk): Bring your unique voice and your authentic self to the table. Have an open mind and respect the value in other perspectives.
• Always FTK: Stay true to the mission and focus on the outcomes. Above all else, we are here For The Kids.
• Make it Count: Whatever you do, do it well. Inspire others through your actions. Lead with passion. Love what you do.
• Pass the Squeeze: Offer support when it’s needed. Accept support when it’s offered. Be a team player.

Experience Camps is an equal opportunity employer. Our campers come from all walks of life and so do we. We are looking to hire people of a wide variety of backgrounds because it makes us stronger. If you share our values, you belong here. You can learn more about our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion commitments here.