Senior Manager, People Operations

Motive; United States; Hybrid; USD 133,000 - 183,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental plan

Vision plan

Paid time off

Sick time

Disability insurance

Life insurance

401k

Job summary

Motive is seeking a Senior Manager, People Operations to lead strategy, design, and scalable programs for a global workforce. You will oversee lifecycle operations and shared services, driving process improvements across People Operations, reporting to the VP, HR.

This role is ideal for an experienced People Operations leader who can translate business needs into practical, scalable solutions; lead complex cross-functional initiatives; and build an exceptional employee and manager experience in

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in People Operations, HR shared services, HR operations, or a related field.
• 5+ years of experience leading People teams, managers, or global operational functions.
• Experience designing and scaling global HR operations across multiple geographies and employee populations.
• Strong knowledge of HR systems, payroll, benefits administration, compliance, and employee lifecycle processes.
• Experience leading complex, cross-functional programs from strategy through execution.

Responsibilities

• Establish the operating model and strategic priorities for People Operations.
• Lead and develop the global People Operations team, and own the strategy and end-to-end delivery of a consistent, engaging onboarding experience across regions.
• Design and implement a tiered support model (for example, self-service and knowledge base, Tier 1 and Tier 2 specialist teams, and escalation to HR Business Partners and Centers of Excellence), defining the roles, workflows, handoffs, and escalation paths for each tier.
• Lead complex, cross-functional programs spanning employee lifecycle operations, HR systems, payroll, benefits, compliance, and policy administration.
• Own the People compliance program, keeping policies, processes, documentation, and controls current, audit-ready, and consistently applied.
• Design scalable processes, service standards, controls, and performance metrics that improve accuracy, efficiency, and employee experience.
• Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing team while setting clear goals, allocating resources, and planning for future capability needs.
• Partner with HR, Finance, Legal, IT, and external vendors to resolve complex operational issues and drive informed decisions.
• Use people data and operational insights to identify opportunities, recommend improvements, and communicate progress to senior leadership.

Skills

People Operations

HR shared services

Global operations

Leadership

AI & automation

Tools

HRIS

Payroll systems

Benefits administration software

Job description

Who We Are

Motive empowers the people who run physical operations with tools to make their work safer, more productive, and more profitable. For the first time ever, safety, operations and finance teams can manage their drivers, vehicles, equipment, and fleet related spend in a single system. Combined with industry leading AI, the Motive platform gives you complete visibility and control, and significantly reduces manual workloads by automating and simplifying tasks.

Who We Are

Motive empowers the people who run physical operations with tools to make their work safer, more productive, and more profitable. For the first time ever, safety, operations and finance teams can manage their drivers, vehicles, equipment, and fleet related spend in a single system. Combined with industry leading AI, the Motive platform gives you complete visibility and control, and significantly reduces manual workloads by automating and simplifying tasks.

Motive serves nearly 100,000 customers – from Fortune 500 enterprises to small businesses – across a wide range of industries, including transportation and logistics, construction, energy, field service, manufacturing, agriculture, food and beverage, retail, and the public sector.

Visit gomotive.com to learn more.

About The Role

As Senior Manager, People Operations, you will lead the strategy, design, and execution of scalable people programs that support Motive’s global workforce. You will oversee core employee lifecycle operations and shared services, strengthening processes, systems, controls, and service delivery across People Operations. You will report into the VP, HR.

This role is ideal for an experienced People Operations leader who can translate business needs into practical, scalable solutions; lead complex cross-functional initiatives; and build an exceptional employee and manager experience in a fast-paced, global environment.

The ideal candidate will be located in the Mountain or Pacific Time Zone.

What You’ll Do

• Establish the operating model and strategic priorities for People Operations
• Lead and develop the global People Operations team, and own the strategy and end-to-end delivery of a consistent, engaging onboarding experience across regions.
• Design and implement a tiered support model (for example, self-service and knowledge base, Tier 1 and Tier 2 specialist teams, and escalation to HR Business Partners and Centers of Excellence), defining the roles, workflows, handoffs, and escalation paths for each tier.
• Lead complex, cross-functional programs spanning employee lifecycle operations, HR systems, payroll, benefits, compliance, and policy administration.
• Own the People compliance program, keeping policies, processes, documentation, and controls current, audit-ready, and consistently applied.
• Design scalable processes, service standards, controls, and performance metrics that improve accuracy, efficiency, and employee experience.
• Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing team while setting clear goals, allocating resources, and planning for future capability needs.
• Partner with HR, Finance, Legal, IT, and external vendors to resolve complex operational issues and drive informed decisions.
• Use people data and operational insights to identify opportunities, recommend improvements, and communicate progress to senior leadership.

What We’re Looking For

• 8+ years of experience in People Operations, HR shared services, HR operations, or a related field.
• 5+ years of experience leading People teams, managers, or global operational functions.
• Experience designing and scaling global HR operations across multiple geographies and employee populations.
• Strong knowledge of HR systems, payroll, benefits administration, compliance, and employee lifecycle processes.
• Experience leading complex, cross-functional programs from strategy through execution.
• Demonstrated ability to establish operational metrics, strengthen controls, and use data to guide decisions.
• Sound judgment, strong communication skills, and the ability to influence stakeholders across functions and levels.
• Proven track record of identifying opportunities to apply AI and automation to reduce manual work, improve the employee experience, and scale People Ops programs.

Pay Transparency

Your compensation may be based on several factors, including education, work experience, and certifications. For certain roles, total compensation may include restricted stock units. Motive offers benefits including health, pharmacy, optical and dental care benefits, paid time off, sick time off, short term and long term disability coverage, life insurance as well as 401k contribution (all benefits are subject to eligibility requirements). Learn more about our benefits by visiting Motive Perks & Benefits.

The compensation range for this position will depend on where you reside. For this role, the compensation range is:

United States

$133,000-$183,000 USD

Creating a diverse and inclusive workplace is one of Motive's core values. We are an equal opportunity employer and welcome people of different backgrounds, experiences, abilities and perspectives.

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The applicant must be authorized to receive and access those commodities and technologies controlled under U.S. Export Administration Regulations. It is Motive's policy to require that employees be authorized to receive access to Motive products and technology.

Regarding US-based roles, depending on your role and primary work location, Motive Technologies, Inc. (“Employer”) discloses candidates may be required to execute a non-compete covenant with the Employer. This requirement does not apply to lawyers, interns, or employees working in CA, MN, MT, ND, OK, or where otherwise prohibited by law.

Non-compete covenant terms in all other jurisdictions will be subject to the applicable statutory requirements, including but not limited to, procedures, industry related prohibitions, or salary and compensation thresholds.

All job postings are for existing vacancies. Please note; some interviews or new-hire training sessions may be held in person at one of our global offices.