Director, HR Operations - HYBRID

First American•Santa Ana, CA

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Director, HR Operations will lead the operations team, including full life-cycle transaction management and employee services, ensuring the highest level of data integrity, processing accuracy and customer service. Partner with key HR and business stakeholders to develop, implement, and optimize standard operating procedures and adherence to service level agreements (SLA). Drive continuous improvement efforts that support First American’s direction and vision. This role will be pivotal in the transformation of HR Operations into a modern, technology-enabled function that leverages Workday’s evolving AI capabilities, self-service tools, automation, and digital workflows to deliver an exceptional employee and manager experience. Reporting to the VP, People Operations and Technology, this leader will influence the redefinition of the operating model for HR service delivery as AI-enabled platforms increasingly allow employees and managers to independently complete routine HR transactions. This role is responsible for driving operational excellence, simplifying processes, reducing manual intervention, and repositioning the HR Operations team toward strategic workforce enablement, governance, analytics, compliance, and employee experience optimization. The ideal candidate is a transformational HR operations leader, who is experienced in process redesign, change management, and digital transformation. This individual must be comfortable leading organizational change in an environment where AI and automation are fundamentally reshaping how HR services are delivered.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in human resources, Business Administration, or related field.
8+ years of progressive Operations responsibility in a business function or HR Shared Services, HRIS, or HR Transformation experience.
8+ years of leadership experience managing operations or shared services teams.
Proven leadership skills, leading by example, driving employee commitment through actions, and empowering employees to reach their full potential.
Strong understanding of AI, automation, and self-service technologies within HR platforms.
Experience implementing operational excellence methodologies and service management frameworks.
Proven ability to lead organizational change and influence senior stakeholders.
Strong analytical, problem-solving, and strategic thinking capabilities.
Excellent communication and executive presentation skills.

Nice To Haves

Experience in AI-enabled transformation initiatives.
Lean Six Sigma certification or equivalent operational excellence experience.
Familiarity with case management systems, knowledge management platforms, and digital employee experience tools.

Responsibilities

Lead a team of HR Operations professionals, providing direction, support and advancing their proficiency in all areas of operations.
Oversee and improve the processes and transactions for daily operations to ensure completion with a high degree of accuracy and consistency.
Collaborate with HR leaders to automate/optimize work through our technology solutions.
Collaborate with other functional areas to ensure both internal and external compliance requirements are met.
Lead the transition from transactional support to advisory and exception-based service delivery.
Foster a culture of agility, adaptability, and digital fluency.
Assess current team capabilities and redesign roles to align with future-state operational needs.
Upskill HR Operations staff in areas such as employee experience, analytics, problem-solving, process governance, vendor management, and AI-enabled support.
Ensure operational readiness for new Workday releases, AI functionality, and digital enhancements.
Develop and execute a multi-year HR Operations transformation roadmap in partnership with the VP, People Operations and Technology to enable self-service adoption aligned with AI-enabled technology and tools.
Partner with the Service Optimization & Insights team to identify and implement operational improvement opportunities including the expanded use of self-service capabilities and AI-enabled tools
Partner with HR AI and Service Optimization & Insights to support governance standards for AI-enabled processes and decision support tools
Leverage analytics to identify opportunities to eliminate manual processes, reduce operational complexity, and streamline end-to-end employee lifecycle activities.
Establish a scalable operating model focused on governance, issue resolution, employee experience, data integrity, compliance, and continuous improvement.
Establish & execute service delivery standards, SLAs, operational metrics, and governance processes.
Drive continuous improvement initiatives using Lean, Six Sigma, or similar methodologies.
Ensure high levels of data quality, integrity, privacy, and compliance.
Monitor operational risks, audit controls, and regulatory compliance requirements.
Ensure compliance with federal, state and local employment laws.
Participate in organizational change initiatives associated with AI adoption and evolving HR service models.
Implement change management and communication strategies to drive adoption of new tools and workflows.
Influence stakeholders on future-state HR service delivery strategy and workforce enablement.