Director, HR Operations

The MITRE Corporation•McLean, VA

5h•$219,000 - $329,000•Onsite

About The Position

Why choose between doing meaningful work and having a fulfilling life? At MITRE, you can have both. That's because MITRE people are committed to tackling our nation's toughest challenges—and we're committed to the long-term well-being of our employees. MITRE is different from most technology companies. We are a not-for-profit corporation chartered to work for the public interest, with no commercial conflicts to influence what we do. The R&D centers we operate for the government create lasting impact in fields as diverse as cybersecurity, healthcare, aviation, defense, and enterprise transformation. We're making a difference every day—working for a safer, healthier, and more secure nation and world. Our workplace reflects our values. We offer competitive benefits, exceptional professional development opportunities for career growth, and a culture of innovation that embraces adaptability, collaboration, technical excellence, and people in partnership. If this sounds like the choice you want to make, then choose MITRE - and make a difference with us. Department Summary: Lead Scalable Operations. Align People Strategy with Business Impact. We’re looking for a dynamic Director of HR Operations to orchestrate the operating model, systems, and service architecture of our HR organization—supporting over 110 HR professionals and 7,500 employees across a complex, mission-driven FFRDC. In this highly visible role, you will set the enterprise HR operating framework and enable sector-based HR teams to deliver consistent, compliant, and high-impact people services. Human Resources Information Services (HRIS), HR Service Center, and People Analytics report into this role. Partnering closely with business sectors, you will ensure workforce strategies are translated into scalable execution. You will bring operational discipline, innovation, and a collaborative mindset to everything from process design and compliance to workforce planning and cross-functional enablement.

Requirements

15+ years of progressive HR leadership experience; at least 5 years leading large-scale HR operations.
Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s preferred in HR, Business, or related field.
Strong background in complex, mission-driven environments (government, FFRDC, or highly regulated industries preferred).
Ability to work onsite four days a week (McLean or Bedford office location) with occasional travel (15%).

Nice To Haves

Experience with Workday and Service Center operations preferred.
Experience leading larger teams of over 20 staff across various locations.
Proven ability to design, integrate, and govern enterprise HR operations across distributed organizations.
Strong business acumen and the ability to collaborate cross-functionally at the executive level.
Expertise in data-driven HR practices and HRIS technologies.
Adept at building high-performing teams and driving organizational change.
SHRM-SCP, SPHR, or other HR certifications are highly desirable.

Responsibilities

Establish and govern HR service delivery standards across recruiting, onboarding, employee relations, benefits, compliance, and related functions.
Enable and optimize enterprise systems, workflows, and shared-service capabilities to ensure consistent, high-quality HR delivery across sectors.
Define, monitor, and report on KPIs to ensure performance, service levels, and operational efficiency.
Serve as the enterprise HR operations integrator, ensuring HR strategies are enabled through common platforms, processes, and governance.
Partner with sector and corporate leaders to align workforce strategies and enable execution at scale.
Act as the connective tissue between HR and the business to ensure proactive support, agility, and strategic alignment.
Architect, standardize, and govern scalable HR processes that support organizational growth and change.
Identify and drive opportunities to automate and streamline workflows, reduce complexity, and expand employee and manager self-service.
Ensure HR systems are fully integrated and compliant with enterprise platforms (finance, IT, legal, security).
Build and govern enterprise workforce analytics and reporting frameworks to surface insights on workforce trends, service performance, and future talent needs.
Translate insights into operational and strategic actions that improve organizational agility and HR effectiveness.
Lead, coach, and develop a team of 25 HR operations professionals responsible for enterprise platforms, service-delivery infrastructure, analytics, and shared services.
Foster a culture of accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement across the HR operations ecosystem.
Ensure HR operations meet all federal, state, and FFRDC-specific compliance requirements.
Anticipate risks, implement mitigation strategies, and maintain audit readiness across all HR service areas.