Global Head of People Operations

EquiLend • New York, NY

1d • $200,000 - $240,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

We are looking for a Global Head of People Operations to join us in New York City. Our People team plays a central role in helping EquiLend scale with consistency, care, and operational excellence across our global business. As a financial technology firm supporting the securities finance ecosystem, we rely on strong, well-run internal operations to support our teams across North America, EMEA, and Asia-Pacific.

This role is an opportunity to shape how our global People Operations function works today and how it evolves for the future. You will lead the operational backbone of the People function across payroll, benefits, HR systems, onboarding, compliance, mobility, and data governance. Working closely with the Chief People Officer and partnering with teams across the business, you will bring together our existing foundations and build a more connected, scalable, and automated global operating model.

This is a senior leadership role for someone who combines strategic thinking with strong execution. We need someone who can set standards, improve controls, simplify complexity, and build processes that support a growing global workforce. Your work will directly improve employee experience, reduce operational risk, strengthen compliance, and give the business the infrastructure it needs to grow well.

Requirements

• 15+ years of relevant experience in HR Operations or People Operations, with significant experience transforming global processes and teams.
• Strong experience operating in complex, international organisations with employees across the Americas, EMEA, and APAC.
• Deep expertise in global payroll, benefits administration, HR compliance, employee data governance, and operational risk management.
• Strong knowledge of HRIS platforms, with a track record of improving system adoption, automation, and integration.
• Experience building or scaling People Operations infrastructure in a high-growth, regulated, or fast-moving business environment.
• Sound understanding of employment-related policy management across multiple jurisdictions, with the ability to create practical and consistent global standards.
• Experience managing immigration, visa, mobility, and work authorisation processes with external partners and internal stakeholders.
• Confidence working with people data, reporting, and KPIs to improve decision-making, process control, and operational performance.
• Strong leadership skills with experience managing and developing global teams while remaining close enough to the detail to drive execution.
• A flexible, can-do attitude, with a willingness to help on projects outside of his/her core mandate as needed with a one-team mindset.
• Excellent judgement, discretion, and attention to detail, especially in areas where accuracy, confidentiality, and compliance are critical.
• Clear communication skills and the ability to build trusted relationships across senior stakeholders, functional partners, and regional teams.
• A practical, hands-on approach with the ability to balance strategic improvement work with day-to-day operational leadership.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in fintech, technology or financial services would be valuable, and experience in private equity-backed environments would be particularly relevant.

Responsibilities

• Lead the global People Operations strategy across payroll, benefits, HR systems, onboarding, compliance, mobility, and employee data management.
• Review and streamline our global payroll landscape, improving structure, controls, vendor management, and operational resilience.
• Own the oversight and ongoing evaluation of global benefits programmes, ensuring they remain competitive, compliant, and cost effective.
• Strengthen business continuity across key People Operations processes by implementing clear coverage models and reducing single points of failure.
• Maximise the value of our HR technology stack (HRIS, ATS, LMS, etc.), improving automation, workflow consistency, and data quality. Leverage AI wherever possible to improve processes and find efficiencies. Build a more connected systems environment by improving integrations between hiring, HR, and payroll platforms.
• Create, update, and maintain a global employee handbook and local policies across jurisdictions, ensuring documentation is accurate and aligned to legal and business requirements.
• Design and implement a high-quality global onboarding experience that improves efficiency and supports a consistent employee journey.
• Establish clear global standards for headcount reporting, employee data integrity, performance process administration, and people metrics.
• Partner with internal and external stakeholders on global mobility and immigration processes, including visa and work authorisation activity across multiple jurisdictions.
• Act as the People Operations lead for employee data governance, ensuring compliant handling of employee data and alignment with relevant privacy requirements.
• Partner with IT and other internal teams to maintain robust joiner, mover, and leaver controls, including secure and timely offboarding processes.
• Lead, develop, and support the People Operations team, setting clear priorities and raising capability as the function evolves.
• Act as a senior partner to leadership by using operational insight and people data to inform decision-making and identify areas for improvement.

Benefits

• Be recognised for your contribution through a discretionary annual cash bonus, linked to individual and company performance.
• Work flexibly with the option to work remotely for up to 100 days per year.
• Take time to recharge with vacation entitlement that increases as you progress through career levels.
• Access medical and dental insurance from your first day of employment.
• Save for the future through our 401(k) benefit with EquiLend's contributions vesting from day one.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive
• Education Level: No Education Listed
• Number of Employees: 101-250 employees