People Operations Manager
About the role
The People Operations Manager will serve as the operational backbone of Cognite's US/AMER People function. This role is hands-on and detail-oriented, focusing on the employee experience and ensuring compliance and accuracy in HR processes.
Responsibilities
Own the coordination with Cognite’s outsourced ADP payroll provider, ensuring accurate and timely transmission of all payroll inputs through automated processes, changes, and off-cycle adjustments.
Conduct required audits of payroll data, HRIS records, and employee files to ensure accuracy, compliance, and consistency across all US jurisdictions.
Act as the primary liaison between the People team and payroll—resolving discrepancies quickly and escalating material issues appropriately.
Own the automated and seamless onboarding and offboarding experience for US/AMER employees, in line with compliance requirements.
Process all HRIS lifecycle events accurately and promptly: new hires, role changes, leaves, promotions, transfers, and terminations.
Oversee the day-to-day administration of US employee benefits, including health, dental, vision, 401(k), and leave programs, ensuring high-quality, responsive service delivery.
Act as the operational liaison with benefits brokers and providers, supporting plan renewals, open enrollment, and the implementation of plan changes.
Serve as the primary first-line support contact for US/AMER employees and managers across all HR operational queries, triaging, resolving, and routing requests through Jira.
Support US employment compliance processes in partnership with the Senior Director, HR—covering federal and multistate requirements, leave management, and policy documentation.
Coordinate with Talent Acquisition, Finance, and People Business Partners on headcount changes, new hire processing, and position management.
Maintain a high standard of HRIS data integrity—ensuring all employee records are accurate, complete, and up to date at all times.
Identify and flag data discrepancies proactively, working with relevant team members to resolve them at the source.
Coordinate with global operations and systems teams to improve automation, data integrity, and process consistency.
Document, maintain, and socialize Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for recurring People Ops tasks in partnership with the global team, ensuring alignment with both global standards and local US requirements.
Qualifications
7+ years of HR Operations or People Operations experience in a fast-paced, scaling environment.
Experience with modern HRIS (such as HiBob) and payroll vendors such as ADP.
Strong working knowledge of US federal and Arizona state employment law, including leave management and benefits compliance.
Strong HRIS proficiency with a demonstrated commitment to data accuracy and integrity.
Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field; SPHR/SHRM-SCP certification preferred.
Hybrid in Phoenix/Tempe, AZ—3 to 4 days per week in office.
Experience in a high-growth technology or SaaS company.
Exposure to multistate US employment compliance and payroll across multiple jurisdictions.
Experience coordinating benefits open enrollment and managing vendor relationships.
Familiarity working within or alongside an international People & Organization team.