People Operations Manager
Total Rewards & Compensation Management
Total Rewards & Compensation Management—60%
Design, administer, and continuously improve compensation programs, including salary structures, job leveling, geographic differentials, and merit cycles.
Anchor the total rewards philosophy to Fair Trade USA's mission to ensure that compensation, recognition, and benefits programs actively reinforce the values of equity, dignity, and fair dealing that the organization certifies in global supply chains.
Lead annual compensation processes, including benchmarking, pay equity analysis, and merit planning.
Conduct and interpret compensation surveys (e.g., Mercer, Radford, WTW, or nonprofit benchmarks).
Perform regular pay equity analyses and recommend corrective actions where needed.
Partner with HRBP and Finance on compensation modeling for hiring, promotions, and workforce planning.
Develop and maintain job architecture frameworks (job families, levels, grades).
Advise hiring managers on offers to ensure equity, consistency, and budget alignment.
Own the total rewards communication strategy for four distinct audiences — executive leadership, managers, current employees, and candidates. Equip managers with answers before they need them.
Support design and administration of incentive and recognition programs.
Employment Law Compliance & Employee Relations
Employment Law Compliance & Employee Relations—30%
Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws; maintain audit-ready processes and documentation.
Identify patterns or trends in employee relations matters and recommend proactive solutions to mitigate risk and improve manager capability.
Own HR compliance processes, including audits, documentation standards, and corrective actions.
Develop and maintain HR policies aligned with legal requirements and best practices.
Provide day-to-day guidance on employee relations matters, including policy interpretation, performance management support, workplace concerns, and documentation, escalating complex or high-risk issues as appropriate.
Partner with HRBP leadership on sensitive employee relations matters, contributing documentation, timelines, and fact-based analysis to support decision-making.
Support the consistent and fair application of HR policies across the organization, ensuring alignment with legal requirements and organizational standards.
HR Operations & Operational Excellence
HR Operations & Operational Excellence—10%
Advises and supports hiring managers on recruitment processes, ensuring consistency, equity, and compliance.
Guides managers and employees on HR policies, processes, and compliance requirements, reinforcing consistency and accountability.
Evaluates and drives process improvements to enhance operational efficiency, accuracy, and employee experience.
Contributes to the onboarding experience as a total rewards educator to ensure new hires understand their compensation structure, benefits package, and the organization's compensation philosophy.
Ensures HRIS data integrity and reporting accuracy; conducts audits and resolves discrepancies to ensure reliable and compliant data management.
Generates and delivers workforce analytics and HR reporting, partnering with the Director, HRBP to develop dashboards and actionable insights.
Leads and contributes to People Operations initiatives that strengthen compliance infrastructure, scalability, and operational excellence.
Analyzes workforce trends to identify issues early, providing leadership with actionable and people-first solutions.