Senior Manager of People Operations

Kargo; New York (NY); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Kargo is seeking a Senior Manager, People Operations to own the operational excellence of our People function, ensuring core processes are accurate, scalable, and delivered on time. This role is hands-on and high-impact, turning ideas into scalable systems that benefit both employees and leaders.

You will lead onboarding, offboarding, payroll coordination, leaves administration, and benefits, while partnering with Finance and external vendors to maintain data integrity across Rippling, Workday,

Qualifications

• 7+ years of HR / People Operations experience with ownership of complex operational processes.
• Experience designing and improving processes using technology and automation.

Responsibilities

• Own the day-to-day execution and continuous improvement of core People Operations processes, including onboarding, offboarding, job and compensation changes, payroll coordination, and employee data.
• Oversee leave of absence programs, including parental and medical leaves, with documentation, payroll coordination, benefits continuation, and return-to-work activities.
• Oversee benefits administration and vendor coordination, ensuring timely and accurate support and escalation of complex matters.
• Partner with Finance to ensure compensation changes, bonus and payroll inputs are accurate, approved, and processed on time.
• Build and maintain scalable workflows, SOPs, controls, and tracking mechanisms with clear owners and escalation paths.
• Oversee systems like Rippling and Insperity, ensuring data integrity and reporting accuracy; identify opportunities to simplify manual work through better processes and automation.
• Lead and develop the People Operations Coordinator while remaining hands-on when needed.

Skills

HRIS proficiency

Payroll coordination

Leave of absence management

Data analysis

Process improvement

Vendor management

People operations leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR or related field

Tools

Rippling

Workday

ADP

Insperity

Job description

• The Senior Manager, People Operations will own the operational excellence of Kargo’s People function, ensuring our core processes are accurate, scalable, and delivered on time. We’re looking for someone who is equally comfortable building a process from scratch, analyzing People data, launching a new program, or asking, “Why are we still doing this manually?”
• We’re building a modern, AI-enabled People function designed to help the business move faster and perform better. This is a high-impact, hands‑on role for someone who loves turning ideas into systems, improving how work gets done, and making things better for both employees and leaders
• Own the day to day execution and continuous improvement of core People Operations processes, including onboarding, offboarding, job and compensation changes, payroll coordination, and employee data
• Oversee the operational administration of leave of absence programs , including parental and medical leaves , partnering with employees, HRBPs, Insperity, and external partners to ensure documentation, payroll coordination , benefits continuation, and return-to-work activities are completed accurately and consistently
• Oversee benefits administration and vendor coordination, ensuring employees receive timely and accurate support and complex or compliance-sensitive matters are escalated appropriately
• Partner closely with Finance to ensure compensation changes , bonus and commission plans , payroll inputs , headcount data , and employee payments are accurate , approved, and processed on time
• Build and maintain scalable workflows , SOPs , controls , and tracking mechanisms with clear owners , deadlines , approvals , and escalation paths
• Oversee Rippling , Insperity , and related People systems , ensuring strong data integrity , reporting accuracy , and efficient system-driven processes; identify opportunities to simplify manual work through better processes , technology , and automation
• Lead and develop the People Operations Coordinator while remaining hands‑on and stepping into execution when business needs require it

• Hands‑on experience with HRIS platforms such as Rippling , Workday , ADP , or similar ; experience working with a PEO such as Insperity is a plusProven ability to design and improve processes using technology and automation , with strong operational judgment , exceptional attention to detail , and a track record of delivering accurate work on deadlineDemonstrated experience managing or coaching team members while remaining actively involved in executionStrong working knowledge of leave of absence and benefits administration , including parental and medical leaves , documentation requirements , payroll/benefits coordination , return‑to‑work processes , and partnership with PEOs , carriers , and external leave vendorsStrong experience partnering with Finance on payroll , compensation administration , employee data , headcount , or related financial processesExperience operating in both structured environments and lean, fast-moving organizations where you’ve needed to be highly hands‑on7+ years of progressive HR / People Operations experience with meaningful ownership of complex operational processes