Director, People Operations - Hybrid

Commerce•Austin, TX

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

Welcome to the Agentic Commerce Era At Commerce, our mission is to empower businesses to innovate, grow, and thrive with our open, AI-driven commerce ecosystem. As the parent company of BigCommerce, Feedonomics, and Makeswift, we connect the tools and systems that power growth, enabling businesses to unlock the full potential of their data, deliver seamless and personalized experiences across every channel, and adapt swiftly to an ever-changing market. Simply said, we help businesses confidently solve complex commerce challenges so they can build smarter, adapt faster, and grow on their own terms. If you want to be part of a team of bold builders, sharp thinkers, and technical trailblazers, working together to shape the future of commerce, this is the place for you. The Director, People Operations is a strategic, forward-looking leader responsible for building and delivering a world-class operational foundation that powers every stage of the employee experience. This role reports to the Chief People Officer and oversees People Operations, Compliance, Payroll, HRIS, and Global Immigration—driving scalability, efficiency, and innovation across our global workforce. With a strong focus on process excellence, data integrity, automation, and AI-driven transformation, this leader ensures our systems, policies, and operations embody Commerce’s values and enable our people to do the best work of their careers. Partnering across the business, the Director, People Operations shapes the future of how we support, empower, and care for our people through seamless, compliant, and modern People Operations solutions.

Requirements

A strategic People Operations leader with 10+ years of experience across HR operations, HRIS, compliance, payroll, and global workforce support
4+ years managing people
Deep expertise in HR technology (Workday preferred), data governance, automation, and scaling systems in global environments
Skilled in SOX/SOC, privacy standards, and global employment compliance, bringing strong operational judgment and rigor
Analytical and insight-driven, with the ability to turn data into clear, actionable recommendations for People and business strategy
A collaborative influencer who builds trusted partnerships across Finance, Legal, IT, TA, and HRBPs
A thoughtful operator with exceptional integrity and discretion, adept at navigating complex and sensitive issues
Future-focused and AI-curious, always exploring innovative ways to streamline and elevate People Operations
Passionate about creating seamless, people-first experiences that reflect our values and enable employees to do the best work of their careers

Nice To Haves

A bold builder with a growth mindset—agile, curious, resilient, and fueled by grit—who thrives in ambiguity and drives continuous improvement

Responsibilities

Develop and execute the People Operations and HR technology strategy, delivering a multi-year roadmap focused on efficiency, automation, compliance, and a world-class employee experience
Lead, mentor, and develop a team of People Operations, Compliance, Payroll, and HRIS professionals, fostering a culture of service excellence, innovation, and continuous improvement
Oversee global employee lifecycle operations—including onboarding, offboarding, data management, case management, and vendor oversight—to ensure seamless, people-first experiences
Drive process excellence by assessing, designing, and optimizing scalable solutions across records management, data operations, payroll, and vendor management
Provide strategic oversight of global payroll governance in partnership with Finance, Accounting and the Payroll team, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and operational alignment
Lead regulatory and audit compliance efforts, including SOX/SOC and global privacy requirements, ensuring strong controls and audit readiness
Oversee global immigration programs, ensuring accurate execution, compliance, and a supportive experience for employees and candidates.
Champion technology-driven and AI-enabled innovation to streamline processes, enhance insights, and scale People Operations
Partner cross-functionally with Finance, Legal, IT, Talent Acquisition, and HRBPs to support organizational growth and operational excellence
Ensure robust data governance across all HR systems, maintaining the accuracy, integrity, and security of employee data
Deliver dashboards, analytics, and insights that inform business decisions and elevate People strategy
Ensure adherence to global employment laws, data privacy standards (GDPR, HIPAA), and required reporting obligations
Ownership of global HR policy development, maintenance, communication, and governance, ensuring policies are consistent, scalable, compliant, and aligned with culture