Director, People Operations

Harness•San Francisco, NY

3d•Remote

About The Position

Harness is seeking a Director, People Operations to lead and scale its Global People Operations function during a critical phase of growth. This leader will be responsible for building a world-class, efficient, and employee-centric operations engine that supports employees across all regions. The role will drive operational excellence across the full employee lifecycle, ensuring systems, processes, and programs are scalable, compliant, and aligned with business objectives. This position will partner closely with leaders across People, Payroll, Finance, Legal, and IT to deliver a seamless and high-quality employee experience globally.

Requirements

10+ years of experience in HR or People Operations, including global scope.
5+ years in leadership roles managing distributed teams.
Experience in high-growth, global tech companies (pre-IPO or public preferred).
Deep expertise in HR operations, compliance, and HR systems.
Experience with implementing ERPs such as Workday, UKG and SAP.
Proven success scaling processes, systems, and teams.
Experience building or scaling shared services organizations.
Strategic thinker with strong operational execution.
Data-driven decision maker with strong analytical skills.
Expertise in HRIS and systems (e.g., Workday or similar platforms).
Strong understanding of global employment laws and compliance.
Exceptional stakeholder management and communication skill.

Responsibilities

Define and execute a forward-looking People Operations strategy aligned to company growth and global expansion.
Build scalable, repeatable processes that enable speed, consistency, and quality across regions.
Drive continuous improvement and operational excellence across all People programs.
Oversee onboarding, internal mobility, and off-boarding processes globally.
Lead global immigration programs ensuring local compliance while delivering a high level of service.
Establish clear documentation, policies, and frameworks that are built and operationalized.
Ensure accurate and efficient employee data management and documentation.
Standardize and optimize lifecycle processes across the Americas, EMEA, and APAC.
Own and evolve the global HR technology ecosystem (e.g., HRIS, case management, integrations).
Lead system implementations, enhancements, and automation initiatives.
Ensure data integrity, governance, and reporting capabilities.
Ensure compliance with labor laws and regulations across all operating countries.
Develop scalable frameworks that balance global consistency with regional requirements.
Partner with Legal and Finance on audits, risk mitigation, and governance frameworks.
Own and maintain global policies, controls, and documentation.
Build and lead a People Shared Services model to support People Partners, along with employees and managers globally.
Establish SLAs, intake models, and case management processes.
Drive a shift toward self-service and manager enablement, reducing reliance on manual support.
Develop dashboards and reporting to provide actionable insights to leadership.
Track and improve key operational metrics (e.g., SLAs, data accuracy, employee experience).
Use data to proactively identify risks and opportunities.
Build and lead a high-performing, globally distributed People Operations team.
Establish clear roles, responsibilities, and career paths.
Foster a culture of accountability, service excellence, and continuous improvement.