HR Director

We are seeking a Mid-Senior to Senior People Operations & HR Lead to independently own day-to-day HR operations for a US-based company. This hands-on role requires practical, proven experience managing the entire employee lifecycle, advising managers, and navigating federal and state-specific US employment legislation. The right candidate will confidently establish compliant processes, handle sensitive employee relations, and know exactly when to manage matters internally versus coordinating with employment counsel.

Key responsibilities: HR operations & employee lifecycle • Manage the complete employee lifecycle, including onboarding, offboarding, terminations, and exit interviews. • Coordinate payroll, benefits administration, final pay, and employee records in accordance with applicable US requirements.

Compliance & risk management • Establish HR policies, standard operating procedures, and compliant processes for a growing company. • Navigate US employment legislation, wage and hour requirements, employee classification, leave policies, and anti-discrimination laws. • Maintain highly confidential HR documentation and determine when to escalate matters to employment counsel.

Employee relations & performance • Coach managers on performance management, feedback conversations, and employee development. • Directly manage sensitive employee matters and terminations with practical, rather than purely theoretical, HR expertise.

How success is measured: • Implementation of clear, scalable, and fully compliant HR policies and SOPs. • Seamless execution of core HR operations, including payroll, benefits, and lifecycle documentation. • Effective resolution of employee relations issues and proactive manager coaching. • Strong adherence to US employment laws with minimized legal risk.

• 5+ years of hands-on experience in HR, People Operations, or Human Resources Management, specifically supporting US-based companies and employees, with proven practical ability to manage employee relations and terminations (recruitment-only candidates or those with exclusively non-US/theoretical experience will not be considered).

• Experience supporting remote and multi-state US workforces; background in e-commerce, retail, beauty, or consumer brands; familiarity with FLSA, FMLA, ADA, Title VII, and applicable state employment laws; and experience managing HR compliance audits alongside external attorneys.

• HRIS and employee records management systems, US payroll and benefits administration platforms, ATS and performance management tools, Google Workspace/Microsoft Office, and platforms such as Rippling, Gusto, BambooHR, or ADP.