HR Operations

The HR Operations & Compliance Specialist is responsible for supporting the development, implementation, and ongoing maintenance of compliant and effective HR policies, employee handbooks, procedures. This role is ideal for an experienced HR professional who enjoys the operational and technical side of Human Resources and has demonstrated experience researching employment regulations, drafting and updating employee handbooks, developing HR policies, conducting compliance audits, and translating complex employment requirements into practical guidance for organizations and employees. The HR Operations & Compliance Specialist will work across multiple organizations and projects and must be comfortable navigating different organizational structures, industries, employee populations, and state-specific employment requirements. Key Responsibilities Employee Handbook & Policy Development Lead the review, drafting, revision, and maintenance of employee handbooks. Evaluate existing handbooks to identify outdated, inconsistent, missing, or potentially noncompliant policies. Draft clear, practical HR policies that align with applicable federal, state, and local employment requirements. Customize handbook language based on an organization's workforce, culture, operational needs, and geographic footprint. Develop handbook addenda and state-specific policies for organizations operating in multiple jurisdictions. Research emerging employment law and regulatory changes and recommend necessary policy updates. Maintain version control and documentation of handbook and policy revisions. Partner with employment counsel when legal review or interpretation is appropriate. HR Compliance Conduct HR compliance audits and identify gaps, risks, and opportunities for improvement. Monitor changes in federal, state, and local employment requirements. Support compliance related to wage and hour requirements, paid leave, sick time, accommodations, workplace conduct, employee classifications, personnel records, and required notices. Review organizational HR practices to ensure written policies are consistent with actual operating practices. Develop compliance calendars, checklists, trackers, and other tools to help organizations maintain ongoing compliance. Assist organizations in preparing for regulatory, licensing, funder, or internal HR audits. Clearly identify compliance concerns and provide practical recommendations for remediation. HR Operations Develop and improve HR processes, procedures, templates, and documentation. Create standardized HR forms, letters, checklists, workflows, and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). Support employee lifecycle processes including onboarding, personnel files, status changes, leaves, performance documentation, and offboarding. Audit employee personnel files and recommend corrective actions for missing or incomplete documentation. Review HR operational processes and recommend improvements that increase consistency, efficiency, and compliance. Support the development of scalable HR infrastructure for growing organizations. HR Documentation & Resources Draft and maintain HR templates, including offer letters, policy acknowledgments, corrective action documentation, accommodation forms, leave communications, separation documents, and employee notices. Create manager guides and implementation resources that help leaders consistently administer HR policies. Translate technical HR and compliance requirements into understandable language for employees and managers. Maintain organized documentation of research, recommendations, policy decisions, and completed work. Client & Project Support Participate in discovery meetings to understand organizational needs, workforce structure, existing practices, and compliance concerns. Manage multiple HR compliance and handbook projects simultaneously. Develop project plans and track deliverables, deadlines, approvals, and outstanding information. Present findings and recommendations to organizational leaders. Collaborate with HR consultants, organizational leadership, payroll/benefits partners, and employment counsel as needed. Exercise sound judgment regarding when an issue requires additional legal review. Qualifications Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Organizational Development, or a related field preferred. 5+ years of progressive Human Resources experience, with significant experience in HR operations, employee relations, policy development, or compliance. Demonstrated experience drafting, reviewing, and updating employee handbooks. Strong knowledge of federal employment regulations and the ability to research and interpret state and local employment requirements. Experience conducting HR compliance or personnel-file audits. Strong understanding of HR policies, employee documentation, leave administration, wage and hour practices, and employee lifecycle processes. Experience supporting multiple states, clients, business units, or organizations strongly preferred. SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, SPHR, or similar HR certification preferred. Required Skills The successful candidate will have exceptional HR writing and policy-development skills, strong attention to detail, and the ability to identify potential compliance issues before they become organizational problems. They must be highly organized, comfortable conducting detailed regulatory research, and able to distinguish between HR best practices, organizational preferences, and legal requirements. This individual should also be able to take an outdated or incomplete handbook, assess what is missing, research applicable requirements, develop recommendations, draft updated language, and guide the project through review and finalization. Ideal Candidate The ideal candidate is an HR "builder" who enjoys creating order, structure, and consistency. They are equally comfortable reviewing a 70-page employee handbook, auditing personnel files, researching a new state leave requirement, developing an HR compliance checklist, or creating an SOP that allows managers to consistently administer a policy. They are detail-oriented without losing sight of the employee experience and understand that strong HR operations should both protect the organization and create clear, equitable expectations for employees