HR & Operations Specialist

Laude Research Institute PBC•San Francisco, CA

11h•$110,000 - $145,000•Hybrid

About The Position

This role serves as the connective tissue between HR, Finance, and daily business operations. You will manage payroll and benefits administration, vendor and financial operations, and provide core employee support. You will also assist with contractor relationships, compliance filings, and expense management, while supporting the team by drafting and documenting internal policies and procedures. This is an ideal fit for someone who thrives on operational execution such as reconciling expense reports, coordinating benefits, and maintaining organized systems and who makes sure that our internal resources and documentation remain accurate and accessible as the team grows.

Requirements

4+ years of experience in HR/benefits administration, operations, or a similar hybrid role
Hands-on experience with payroll, accounts payable, expense management, and vendor/contractor coordination
Experience managing 1099 filings and W-9/W-8 collection for contractors
Experience supporting or working alongside a Finance function (budget tracking, reporting) a plus
Highly organized, detail-oriented, and comfortable managing multiple workstreams at once
Strong communicator who can be a trusted point of contact for employees and outside vendors alike
Discretion and good judgment when handling sensitive employee and financial information
Bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience

Nice To Haves

Experience with multi-state payroll compliance specifically
Experience supporting grant or disbursement processes

Responsibilities

Manage the end-to-end payroll lifecycle, including processing, multi-state compliance, filings, and employee pay-related inquiries
Administer employee benefits programs via Rippling, including health, dental/vision, and life, open enrollment, life-event changes, and day-to-day carrier coordination
Own payroll-related onboarding and offboarding, ensuring seamless transition of benefits and system access
Serve as a go-to resource for employees with HR and benefits questions
Drive employee policy development, maintenance, and compliance, including handbook distribution and acknowledgment tracking
Maintain and continuously improve the HRIS, ensuring employee data is accurate, well-organized, and audit-ready.
Manage People Ops documentation, processes, and internal resources, such as FAQs and process guides, to support a positive employee experience.
Manage accounts payable end-to-end via Ramp Bill Pay, synced with Xero: invoice processing, approval workflows, and timely payment
Administer and manage the company Ramp account, cards, approvals, receipt matching, and reporting for employee expenses
Support the Finance lead with budget tracking, spend reporting, and month-end reconciliation
Assist with payroll cash flow planning, including tracking upcoming payroll debits and bonus obligations
Manage performance bonus tracking and payment distributions
Manage vendor and contractor relationships end-to-end: onboarding, contracts, W-9/W-8 collection, payment setup, invoicing, and annual 1099 filings
Manage and maintain company business insurance policies, including renewals, COIs, and broker relationships
Serve as the primary liaison for the ops mailbox, triaging and resolving incoming requests or routing them to the right owner
Keep Google Drive organized and maintain shared mailboxes
Maintain organized, audit-ready records across HR, vendor, and financial documentation
Support the Head of Operations and Finance Lead on cross-functional initiatives as the company scales
Ensure ongoing operational compliance, including I-9 verification and state-specific labor law postings
Identify opportunities to improve and document operational processes