People Operations Manager

Summary / Purpose of the role

The People Operations Manager owns People Operations end-to-end for a growing, globally distributed technology company (~200 people across 36 countries). This is more than administering HR processes. You will be accountable for the employee experience from onboarding to offboarding, own compliance across our jurisdictions, and champion culture and engagement. You'll also use People Data to spot risks and opportunities before they become issues. This full-time role reports to the Head of Global HR and works as part of a small, collaborative HR team, helping People Operations scale as the company grows globally.

Key Responsibilities

End-to-End People Operations

• Own the full employee lifecycle (onboarding, offboarding, records, and HRIS) as one coherent process rather than disconnected tasks
• Develop and continuously improve our new hire orientation program
• Maintain accurate employee records in our HRIS (BambooHR), run regular data audits, and get more out of the system
• Identify and close process gaps before they turn into compliance or employee experience issues
• Serve as the primary escalation point for operational HR questions across all our locations
• Be a trusted partner for employees on HR policies, benefits, and programs
• Help assess our HR systems as we look to consolidate them, and lead the implementation when we move forward

People Analytics & Insights

• Build and maintain recurring people metrics (headcount, turnover, engagement, compliance completion, and more)
• Connect the dots in the data, and turn it into clear, actionable recommendations for HR and business leaders
• Flag emerging risks such as attrition, compliance gaps, or engagement dips, rather than just reporting history

Compliance & Risk Management

• Ensure ongoing compliance with labor law across all our operating jurisdictions (US, EU, Serbia, and EOR/contractor markets). Own document management, contract validation, data collection, pre-employment due diligence, and employment eligibility verification.
• Own end-to-end administration of state and federal leave programs (including FMLA, statutory disability, State Disability Insurance [SDI], Paid Family Leave [PFL], EDD claims, and worker's compensation), managing seamless coordination with employees, payroll, HRIS platforms, and relevant state agencies to ensure full compliance, accurate documentation of claims, and consistent policy enforcement. Partner with global HR counterparts to ensure accurate documentation and compliance with statutory programs worldwide.
• Own compliance training programs and completion tracking
• Manage documentation, internal agreements, coordination, and updates for global mobility and visa-related relocations, partnering with internal stakeholders
• Own HR audit readiness for security certifications (e.g., SOC 2)
• Monitor regulatory changes and turn them into policy updates

Culture & Engagement

• Design engagement programs together with HR and leadership, tailored to a globally distributed and diverse workforce
• Partner with stakeholders to run performance management, engagement cycles and feedback mechanisms
• Maintain engagement metrics and standards, analyze the data, and share actionable insights with leadership
• Surface issues early and propose solutions, then help turn them into action plans
• Partner with leadership to keep our culture consistent as the company scales across regions
• Advance global talent optimization and cross-cultural inclusion across 36 operating countries, ensuring fair, high-mobility people operations that champion diverse perspectives, widen candidate slates, and respect regional cultural nuances over a single-country default.

Workplace Experience

• Provide functional and program leadership to the Workplace Experience team (Office Managers, HR Coordinators)
• Set the strategy and calendar for team events and engagement initiatives, keep program spend on budget, and own our swag and employee gifting strategy

Cross-Functional Partnership

• Work closely with Finance and Payroll on leaves, benefits, pay changes, garnishments, and new hire contracts
• Partner with Talent Acquisition, IT, and Legal to optimize processes and align People Operations with business priorities
• Bring the People Ops perspective into headcount planning, org design, and compensation and benefits initiatives
• Contribute to corporate HR projects that tie People Operations to the company's strategic goals

Qualifications

• 5+ years of progressive HR / People Operations experience, including time operating as a senior, self-reliant IC who owns a function end-to-end with minimal supervision
• A strong generalist background: onboarding and offboarding, open enrollment, HR dashboards, employee experience, and compliance
• Hands-on experience with HRIS platforms (Rippling, BambooHR, Workday, HiBob, or similar), including reporting and dashboards
• The ability to turn raw HR data into actionable insights, not just charts, using Excel/Sheets or BI tools
• Knowledge of employment contract, payroll, benefits, contractor, and immigration requirements, and of the labor law behind them
• Confidence using AI tools (Claude, Gemini, or similar) in your everyday work
• A builder mindset: you are comfortable with ambiguity and scrappy, hands-on work in a growing company, and you bring structure where it's still missing
• The right mix of IQ and EQ: analytical enough to connect the dots, and approachable enough to be a trusted partner to employees and leaders
• Attention to detail and an employee-centric mindset
• Strong program and project management skills across multiple priorities
• A collaborative approach and the ability to influence without formal authority
• Cultural sensitivity and comfort working with a diverse workforce across 36 countries
• Demonstrated practical experience using AI tools (Claude, Gemini, and others) to build applications and automations that boost your own and your team's productivity
• Bachelor's degree in HR, Business Administration, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience
• Fluent English

Highly desired

• Experience with HR compliance outside the US (EU, Serbia, or other international jurisdictions)
• Experience in a global, multi-entity environment, including PEO and EOR models
• Experience in a mid-sized company
• Experience working with Legal on employment matters
• PHR, SHRM-CP, or equivalent certification

Benefits and Perks

• Robust medical, dental, and vision insurance - fully covered for you and your family
• 401(k) with company match
• Unlimited PTO, plus paid holidays
• Hybrid work with flexible hours
• Life insurance and EAP support
• Professional development through Coursera
• Offices in Walnut Creek, CA and Burbank, CA, working alongside a global team

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Network Optix is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We celebrate the diversity of our workforce, which includes people of all cultural, national, racial, gender identities, and those who have served in the military. We strive for an environment where creativity and collaborative growth thrive. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know.

Please note: We do not accept unsolicited resumes from third-party recruiters or staffing agencies. Any unsolicited resumes sent to our employees or submitted to our careers page or job postings without a formal agreement in place will be considered property of Network Optix, and no fees will be paid in the event that candidate is hired by the company.