Manager, People Systems

Sound Physicians • ,

5d • $90,000 - $105,000 • Remote

About The Position

The Manager, People Systems is the technical owner of Sound Physicians’ People Systems ecosystem and a strategic partner to stakeholders across the organization. This role owns the architecture, configuration, optimization, and ongoing development of UKG Pro alongside the broader HR technology stack, translating People strategy into scalable, sustainable system solutions while protecting day-to-day platform reliability, data integrity, and the colleague experience. Reporting to the Director, People Operations & Systems, this is a working leader role on a small but mighty team. The Manager owns one direct report today, sets the pace for the People Systems function, and partners deeply with other People teams, Payroll, Finance, and IT. Success depends on genuine ownership of the platform and its commitments, disciplined prioritization across competing requests, and a partnership-first mindset that keeps stakeholders informed and moving forward. This role is both a doer and a leader, comfortable moving between hands-on configuration work and leading the function.

Requirements

• Deep, hands-on knowledge of UKG Pro across Core HR, Payroll, Time and Attendance, Benefits, Learning, Performance, Compensation, and BI reporting, plus experience with UKG WFM or a comparable time and attendance platform.
• Strong understanding of HRIS architecture, system design, and upstream and downstream data flows, with the ability to translate complex business needs into scalable, sustainable solutions.
• Testing and quality discipline, with a bias toward validating in a controlled way before anything reaches colleagues.
• Change management instinct: Plans how a system change lands with the people using it, including sequencing, communication, and training, not only whether the configuration works.
• Data fluency: A solid grasp of foundational data frameworks paired with curiosity about the business and how data can solve problems.
• Ability to manage and prioritize multiple concurrent requests without losing quality or responsiveness, with sound judgment on when to solve independently and when to escalate.
• Effective verbal and written communication, including translating technical concepts for non-technical stakeholders and keeping them proactively informed.
• Ability to influence without authority: Moves work forward with Payroll, Finance, IT, and People teams who do not report to this role.
• Ability to document system standards, decisions, and workflows clearly enough that others can support and extend the work.
• Working knowledge of AI tools (Claude, Copilot 365) and demonstrated interest in applying them to HR technology workflows.
• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Information Systems, Business, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• 7+ years of progressive HRIS or People Systems experience, with significant hands-on ownership of UKG Pro in a complex, multi-functional environment.
• Demonstrated experience as a technical system owner or platform lead over multiple release cycles, with a track record of stable operations and satisfied stakeholders.
• Experience leading UKG implementations, enhancements, or major system changes, including coordination with vendors and internal partners.
• Prior technical mentorship, coaching, or people leadership, ideally in a player-coach capacity within a small HRIS or People Systems team.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary technical owner and subject matter expert for UKG Pro, including Core HR, Payroll, Time and Attendance, Benefits, Learning, Performance, Compensation, BI reporting, Bryte AI and future modules.
• Own platform health end-to-end. Anticipate issues before stakeholders raise them, catch errors during design and testing, and escalate risks with proposed solutions.
• Define and maintain system architecture, configuration standards, governance, and technical guardrails to ensure scalability, data integrity, and long-term stability.
• Own the technical UKG roadmap in partnership with the Director, People Operations & Systems, aligning system capabilities with People Operations priorities.
• Act as product owner and project manager for the platform: intake and triage requests, prioritize transparently, and deliver on commitments with clear status.
• Lead hands-on configuration, testing, and deployment of enhancements, workflows, and integrations, validating rigorously before anything is released.
• Serve as technical lead for UKG implementations, upgrades, and reconfigurations, coordinating vendors and consulting partners, and partner with Finance on the WFM (Workforce Management) platform RFP and future system evaluations.
• Use AI tools (Claude and Copilot 365) to complement the HRIS and accelerate documentation, testing, workflow automation, and analytics.
• Own UKG BI reporting architecture, including standard reports, dashboards, and ad hoc analytics.
• Serve as system owner for UKG internal controls, including access, validation, and audit-ready configuration.
• Partner with People Operations and People Support on data quality audits and on the People Analytics reporting that informs People team decisions.
• Equip People Operations, Payroll, and Finance with the system tools, documentation, and reporting they need for data integrity and audit processes.
• Act as the primary technical liaison with UKG and external HRIS partners, driving issue resolution and accountability.
• Build relationships proactively across the organization, and provide impact assessments and technical guidance.
• Communicate proactively: Share status on active work and escalate risks early, with context and a proposed next step.
• Train stakeholders and document workflows so the platform stays supportable once a project moves into operations.
• Manage and mentor the People Systems team as a leader, coach, and educator, building both technical capability and partnership skills.
• Establish standards, documentation, and repeatable processes that support scalability and continuity.
• Support hiring, onboarding, and growth planning as the team evolves.

Benefits

• Medical insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Health care and dependent care flexible spending account
• 401(k) retirement savings plan with a company match
• Paid time off (PTO) begins accruing immediately upon start date at a rate of 15 days per year, in accordance with Sound's PTO policy
• Ten company-paid holidays per year

What This Job Offers

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