Sr. Lead Business Operations & Initiatives

Early Warning Services LLC; Scottsdale (AZ); On-site; USD 129,000 - 161,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare Coverage

401(k) Safe Harbor Match

Paid Time Off

Paid Parental Leave

Discretionary incentive plan

Job summary

Early Warning Services LLC in Phoenix, AZ seeks a Sr. Lead, Business Operations & Initiatives to provide strategic and operational support to the CHRO and HR leadership.

You will establish leadership rhythms, coordinate planning, and drive disciplined execution across HR commitments and initiatives. You will create executive communications, manage governance, support OpEx and AOP activities, coordinate headcount planning with Finance, and lead strategic HR initiatives.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
• Typically 12 years of experience in HR operations, leadership, or related roles.
• Experience with senior stakeholders and executive support.
• Ability to establish operating rhythms, governance, and cross-functional initiatives.
• Experience coordinating financial planning, OpEx, and headcount planning.
• Strong business judgment, problem solving, and decision making.
• Ability to influence across matrixed organizations.
• Strong executive communication and presentation skills.
• Discretion with sensitive information.
• Ability to leverage AI in daily tasks.
• Background and drug screen.

Responsibilities

• Establish HR leadership rhythms and governance forums.
• Coordinate leadership meetings, agendas, materials, decisions, action items, scheduling dependencies, and follow‑through.
• Track commitments, decisions, risks, dependencies, owners, and actions to completion.
• Align HR functions and share priorities across teams and initiatives.
• Develop CHRO communications and leadership materials and manage executive narratives.
• Support OpEx management and AOP forecasting in coordination with Finance.
• Coordinate headcount planning with HR and Finance.
• Serve as HR liaison for risk, control, and escalation activities.
• Prepare CHRO presentations and leadership updates and business reviews.
• Maintain HR SharePoint and governance documentation.
• Analyze HR data to identify risks, opportunities, and decision points.
• Identify opportunities to improve HR processes and governance.
• Lead or coordinate strategic HR initiatives with disciplined execution.
• Support risk management and confidentiality of data.

Skills

Executive communication

Program management

Cross-functional collaboration

Executive support

Strategic thinking

Risk awareness

AI-enabled work

Discretion with sensitive information

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Job description

At Early Warning, we’ve powered and protected the U.S. financial system for over thirty years with cutting‑edge solutions like Zelle®, Paze®, and so much more. As a trusted name in payments, we partner with thousands of institutions to increase access to financial services and protect transactions for hundreds of millions of consumers and small businesses. Early Warning follows a hybrid work model to allow for a more collaborative working environment.

Candidates responding to this posting must independently possess the eligibility to work in the United States, for any employer, at the date of hire. This position is ineligible for employment Visa sponsorship.

Overall Purpose

The Sr. Lead Business Operations & Initiatives provides strategic and operational support to the Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) and Human Resources leadership team. The role establishes and manages HR leadership operating rhythms, coordinates functional planning and organizational priorities, and drives disciplined follow‑through across HR commitments and initiatives. Serving as a trusted partner to HR leaders and cross‑functional stakeholders, this role connects HR priorities to execution by creating visibility into decisions, actions, risks, dependencies, financial resources, and workforce plans. The role develops executive communications and presentations, coordinates HR planning and governance activities, and leads initiatives that improve the effectiveness, coordination, and execution of the HR function.

Essential Functions

• Establish and manage HR leadership team operating rhythms, including leadership meetings, business reviews, planning sessions, organizational updates, and other recurring forums.
• Partner closely with the CHRO’s Executive Assistant to coordinate leadership meetings, agendas, materials, decisions, action items, scheduling dependencies, and follow‑through.
• Drive operational follow‑through across HR leadership priorities by tracking commitments, decisions, risks, dependencies, owners, and actions through completion.
• Coordinate activities across HR functions to improve alignment, information flow, execution, and visibility into shared priorities and deliverables.
• Develop and coordinate CHRO and EWS‑wide HR communications in partnership with the HR Communications Lead, including executive narratives, organizational updates, leadership messages, talking points, and supporting materials; manage the coordination and execution required to deliver communications effectively.
• Support HR operating expense (OpEx) management and Annual Operating Plan (AOP) activities, including scenarios‑based planning, forecasting, tracking, and coordination with Finance and HR leadership.
• Coordinate HR headcount and resource planning activities, working with HR leaders and Finance to maintain visibility into workforce needs, plans, changes, and related decisions.
• Serve as the HR liaison for FLRM activities, coordinating information, deliverables, actions, issue follow‑up, and escalation with appropriate risk and control stakeholders.
• Develop CHRO presentations, leadership meeting materials, executive updates, business reviews, and decision materials that synthesize complex information into clear narratives, priorities, and actions.
• Coordinate HR business continuity planning (BCP) activities, including maintenance of plans, readiness activities, required reviews, documentation, and follow‑up with HR stakeholders.
• Coordinate and maintain the HR SharePoint environment and related shared repositories to support effective document management, communication, knowledge sharing, and access to current HR information.
• Develop and maintain HR operating calendars, planning tools, governance materials, documentation, and other mechanisms that improve transparency and organizational effectiveness.
• Analyze HR business and operational information, identify execution risks or opportunities, and develop recommendations that support leadership decision‑making and prioritization.
• Proactively identify opportunities to improve HR operating processes, governance, communication, coordination, and execution.
• Lead or coordinate ad hoc strategic and operational initiatives on behalf of the CHRO and HR leadership team, bringing structure and disciplined execution to ambiguous or evolving priorities.
• Support the company’s commitment to risk management and protecting the integrity and confidentiality of systems and data.

Minimum Qualifications

• Education and/or experience typically obtained through completion of a bachelor’s degree or equivalent relevant experience.
• Typically has 12 years of experience or demonstrated portfolio consistent with experience required of the role.
• Demonstrated experience in Human Resources business operations, strategic initiatives, program management, executive support, or related work involving senior‑level stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to establish and manage operating rhythms, planning processes, governance mechanisms, and cross‑functional initiatives.
• Experience coordinating functional financial planning, operating expense management, resource planning, and/or headcount planning activities.
• Strong business judgment and ability to structure ambiguous problems, identify priorities, evaluate dependencies and risks, and drive work toward decisions and outcomes.
• Demonstrated ability to influence and create alignment across matrixed organizations without direct authority.
• Strong executive communication skills, including experience developing presentations, written narratives, organizational communications, business reviews, and decision materials for senior leadership.
• Strong organizational and project leadership skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities, commitments, and stakeholders simultaneously.
• Ability to handle sensitive and confidential employee, organizational, financial, and business information with appropriate discretion.
• Strong analytical, problem‑solving, written, and verbal communication skills.
• Confidence and familiarity in leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) in daily tasks, research, templates, data consolidation and presentations.
• Background and drug screen.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting a CHRO, senior Human Resources executive, HR leadership team, Chief of Staff function, or HR business management organization.
• Experience coordinating HR annual operating planning, OpEx, workforce planning, or headcount planning.
• Experience supporting risk, controls, business continuity, or operational readiness activities within an HR or corporate function.
• Experience developing executive‑level communications and presentations for broad organizational audiences.
• Experience administering SharePoint or comparable collaboration and document‑management environments.
• Experience in financial services, payments, technology, or another complex or regulated environment.
• Experience developing scalable operating processes, governance models, dashboards, planning tools, or business management mechanisms.

Physical Requirements

Working conditions consist of a normal office environment. Work is primarily sedentary and requires extensive use of a computer and involves sitting for periods of approximately four hours. Work may require occasional standing, walking, kneeling, and reaching. Must be able to lift 10 pounds occasionally and/or negligible amount of force frequently. Requires visual acuity and dexterity to view, prepare, and manipulate documents and office equipment including personal computers. Requires the ability to communicate with internal and/or external customers. Employee must be able to perform essential functions and physical requirements of position with or without reasonable accommodation.

The base pay scale for this position in: Phoenix, AZ in USD per year is: $129,000 - $161,000. Additionally, candidates are eligible for a discretionary incentive plan and benefits. This pay scale is subject to change and is not necessarily reflective of actual compensation that may be earned, nor a promise of any specific pay for any specific candidate, which is always dependent on legitimate factors considered at the time of job offer. Early Warning Services takes into consideration a variety of factors when determining a competitive salary offer, including, but not limited to, the job scope, market rates and geographic location of a position, candidate’s education, experience, training, and specialized skills or certification(s) in relation to the job requirements and compared with internal equity (peers). The business actively supports and reviews wage equity to ensure that pay decisions are not based on gender, race, national origin, or any other protected classes.

Candidates responding to this posting must independently possess the eligibility to work in the United States at the date of hire.

Some of the Ways We Prioritize Your Health and Happiness

• Healthcare Coverage – Competitive medical (PPO/HDHP), dental, and vision plans as well as company contributions to your Health Savings Account (HSA) or pre‑tax savings through flexible spending accounts (FSA) for commuting, health & dependent care expenses.
• 401(k) Retirement Plan – Featuring a 100% Company Safe Harbor Match on your first 6% deferral immediately upon eligibility.
• Paid Time Off – Flexible Time Off for Exempt (salaried) employees, as well as generous PTO for Non‑Exempt (hourly) employees, plus 11 paid company holidays and a paid volunteer day.
• 12 weeks of Paid Parental Leave / Maven Family Planning – provides support through your Parenting journey including egg freezing, fertility, adoption, surrogacy, pregnancy, postpartum, early pediatrics, and returning to work.
• And SO much more! We continue to enhance our program, so be sure to check our Benefits page here for the latest. Our team can share more during the interview process!

Early Warning Services, LLC (“Early Warning”) considers for employment, hires, retains and promotes qualified candidates on the basis of ability, potential, and valid qualifications without regard to race, religious creed, religion, color, sex, sexual orientation, genetic information, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, protected veteran or disability status or any factor prohibited by law, and as such affirms in policy and practice to support and promote equal employment opportunity and affirmative action, in accordance with all applicable federal, state, and municipal laws.

The company also prohibits discrimination on other bases such as medical condition, marital status or any other factor that is irrelevant to the performance of our employees.

Early Warning Services LLC is a proud participant in E‑Verify, a federal program to help ensure a legal and authorized workforce. As part of our hiring process, we electronically verify the employment eligibility of all new hires through E‑Verify.

For more information on your rights and responsibilities under E‑Verify please visit Home | E‑Verify.

Early Warning Services® delivers innovative payment and risk solutions to financial institutions nationwide.

For over 25 years, Early Warning has been a leader in technology that helps protect and advance the financial system. We serve a diverse network of approximately 2,500 financial institutions, government entities and payment companies. Our product solutions enable real‑time funds availability for a variety of payment types through our payments network.

Early Warning Services® aims to make our recruitment process accessible to any and all users. If you have a disability or a special need that requires accommodation to navigate our website or complete the application process, please email [e-mail] for an assistance request.

View supplemental EEO is the law poster Early Warning has developed and maintains a written AAP and upholds pay transparency nondiscrimination.

Privacy Notice Effective: August 21, 2026 This privacy notice is intended to inform California residents of the personal information we collect, how it’s used and disclosed, and the rights you have in regard to such information.

Click below for the full privacy notice https://www.earlywarning.com/privacy-notice-employment-applicants