Director of People Operations - Academia

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Join us as we continue to redefine what's possible in the world of research. Discover careers that challenge, inspire and propel you toward a future where your ideas can truly change the world. At Academia.edu, we're not just shaping the future of research—we're shaping the future of possibilities.

We are looking for a Director of People Operations to lead the Human Resources, Employee Engagement and Office Management function at Academia. We are a growing organization; having hired 50 new roles in the past 12 months, and continuing headcount growth for the foreseeable future. The People Operations infrastructure has a solid foundation to build off of, and there are many opportunities and exciting challenges ahead of us that will require the incoming leader to build and deploy ideas from scratch. We are a collaborative, data-driven organization just as interested in supporting product growth as we are interested in the success of our people. This role requires a hands-on approach; we are looking for a candidate who has been where we are at, can meet the needs of the business in real time and see what's coming before we do. This role reports to the Chief People Officer and has two direct reports; Workplace Experience Manager and People Operations Coordinator.

We're excited to have a packed and lively office on Monday, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Three times a week those of us in the Bay Area come to our office located in the Financial District for All Hands, intense collaboration, brainstorming activities, and fun events. There are small rooms for 1-1 mentoring sessions or heads-down work, and larger rooms for team activities. We continue to support a flexible work environment for all of life’s surprises and needs with generous time off and flexible daily work schedules.

- Align the departmental strategies with the broader business objectives. 

- Navigate and communicate departmental initiatives and success metrics with executive leadership and other key stakeholders. 

- Own, direct, and interpret people operations metrics to suggest new and unique initiatives. 

- Co-own and project manage resourcing and headcount planning initiatives, including compensation and benefits analysis and modeling. 

- Collaborate with departmental peers (Talent Acquisition) and cross-functional leaders to ensure alignment and success of company wide initiatives.

- Ensure compliance with international, federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations; and develop, implement, and update HR policies and procedures to align with legal requirements and best practices.

- Conduct regular audits to ensure HR practices are in compliance with company policies and legal standards.

- Manage and support annual open enrollment, from plan design/selection, communications, and employee education to ongoing maintenance and suggested changes to achieve business goals and ensure employee satisfaction.

- Provide training to employees and managers on HR policies and compliance matters.

- Manage, enhance, and implement employee engagement programs to ensure job satisfaction and retention. These include engagement surveys, manager training, performance management, employee resource groups, and all company events. 

- Develop and manage performance management systems to ensure consistent and fair evaluations.

- Train managers on performance management techniques and provide support for performance improvement plans.

- Monitor and analyze performance data to identify trends and address any issues.

- Recognize and reward high-performing employees.

- Serve as a point of contact for employee and manager concerns and issues, providing guidance and resolution.

- Conduct exit interviews and analyze feedback to improve employee experience.

- Run Payroll (hourly and salaried) work with finance to QA and document all payroll changes and approvals. 

- People Ops vendor management and optimization. (Deel, Pave, Stable, etc.)HRIS owner and manager (Rippling) 

- Process improvements ongoing 

- Ensure service level and response time efficiency by providing employees with trusted resources (documentation, chat functions, and live support) for all benefits, payroll, and policy questions. 

- Minimum of 8 years of experience in human resources management and leadership supporting US and International employees.

- 10 + years at scaling /growth-stage startup (50 - 300 EEs)

- Professional certification (e.g., PHR, SPHR, SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP).

- Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field.

- In-depth knowledge of HR best practices, employment laws, and compliance requirements.

- Strong interpersonal and communication skills.

- Consultative and data-driven.

- Proven ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion.

- Excellent organizational and multitasking abilities.

- Proficiency in HR software and Microsoft Office Suite.

- Strategic thinker with a proactive approach to problem-solving.