Manager/Associate Director, People & Culture Operations

Dispatch Bio • Philadelphia, PA

7d • $140,000 - $225,000

About The Position

Dispatch is seeking a Manager/Associate Director, People & Culture Operations to design and run the programs, processes, and systems that shape every stage of the employee experience. Reporting to the Chief People & Culture Officer, this role is a founding member of the small People & Culture team and owns the function’s operational backbone, with particular depth in benefits, compensation, and HR systems.

The role works with leaders and employees across all functions at Dispatch’s Philadelphia and San Francisco sites, collaborates with Finance and Legal, and manages relationships with external partners, including benefits brokers and carriers, payroll and HR technology vendors, compensation survey providers, and immigration counsel. It combines strategy and hands-on execution, from designing salary planning cycles to responding to benefits questions and improving system workflows.

Dispatch’s purpose is to help create a world where all cancer patients can be cured. The company is dedicated to engineering a universal treatment across solid tumors, developing novel therapies using viral vectors, universal targets, and novel cytokine biology. Its values include determined delivery, ownership, collaboration, and feedback.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• At least 5 years of progressive HR experience, including at least 3 years in a high-growth company environment.
• Demonstrated depth and hands-on ownership in benefits and compensation, including leading benefits renewals and open enrollment, building salary ranges and market benchmarking, and running annual compensation cycles.
• Hands-on HRIS administration experience, including implementing or optimizing HR systems and integrations with payroll and benefits.
• Strong analytical and data skills, including advanced Excel proficiency (such as pivot tables) and comfort building compensation and benefits cost models.
• Working knowledge of U.S. employment law and benefits compliance, including multi-state requirements.
• Track record of building People & Culture processes and programs from the ground up, and comfort moving between strategic and tactical work.
• Collaborative approach and ability to work cross-functionally.
• Excellent organizational, problem-solving, and time-management skills; strong attention to detail; and sound judgment in handling confidential information discreetly.
• Positive attitude, dedicated work ethic, and flexibility to operate in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to explain complex topics such as benefits and compensation clearly and with care.
• Comfort giving and receiving feedback, with a focus on continuous improvement.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in biotech or life sciences, including equity compensation at a venture-backed company and use of life sciences compensation surveys.
• Experience supporting employees in both Pennsylvania and California, or another multi-state, multi-site workforce.
• Hands-on experience using AI tools to streamline HR operations, such as workflow automation, employee self-service, communications, or people analytics, with an understanding of protecting confidential employee data.
• Experience managing employment-based immigration for employees, such as visa extensions and permanent residency, in partnership with outside counsel.
• Experience with Rippling.
• Professional certification such as CCP, CBP, CEBS, SHRM-CP/SCP, or PHR/SPHR.

Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and continuously improve People & Culture processes, policies, and programs across the employee lifecycle, with an approach suited to the company’s current needs and future growth.
• Own the design and administration of health and welfare, retirement, leave, and wellbeing benefits, including annual renewal and open enrollment, broker and carrier management, market benchmarking, cost analysis, and compliance.
• Maintain compensation infrastructure, including job architecture and leveling, salary ranges, market benchmarking, and equity guidelines, in partnership with Finance and Legal.
• Provide pay ranges and market data for Talent Acquisition offer development, monitor pay equity, and ensure compliance with pay transparency requirements.
• Lead annual performance and compensation cycles end-to-end, including process execution, merit and bonus modeling, equity refresh recommendations, manager tools and training, and employee communications.
• Administer the People & Culture technology stack, including HRIS, payroll, benefits administration, performance, and learning tools; lead selection, implementation, integrations, data integrity, and reporting.
• Take over from Talent Acquisition at offer acceptance and manage new-hire paperwork and preboarding through onboarding and the first 90 days, coordinating with hiring managers, IT, and Facilities across both sites.
• Use AI tools to improve People & Culture operations, including automating workflows, enhancing employee self-service, drafting communications, and accelerating analysis and reporting.
• Support Talent Acquisition-led employer branding by contributing content about benefits, programs, and culture, and sharing insights from employee feedback and engagement data.
• Answer employee questions about benefits, pay, leave, and policies, and create scalable self-service resources.
• Manage current employees’ visa and permanent residency processes with outside immigration counsel, ensuring timely filings and a supportive experience; coordinate the handoff with Talent Acquisition for candidate immigration matters through offer acceptance.
• Develop clear, timely communications about People & Culture programs and changes, and own internal People & Culture resources.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local employment requirements for a multi-state workforce, including Pennsylvania and California requirements for leave, I-9, required notices, and recordkeeping; partner with employment counsel as needed.

Benefits

• Highly competitive compensation package with meaningful ownership through equity.
• Excellent medical, vision, and dental coverage.
• 401(k) with generous contribution.
• Life insurance.
• Flexible PTO policy.
• Additional substantial benefits.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager