People Operations Manager (US)

fonio•New York, NY

4d•$70,000 - $150,000

About The Position

Fonio is hiring a People Operations Manager to own the employee lifecycle after a candidate signs, from contracts through offboarding, while building the operational foundation for the company’s rapid scaling. The role has solo, end-to-end ownership of People Operations and combines hands-on execution with process automation. Responsibilities include managing employment contracts for direct and indirect employees; coordinating equipment, accounts, and workspaces; supporting international colleagues’ relocation; introducing and owning an HRIS; and automating workflows across systems. The role also owns internal payroll processes, including calculating variable compensation for sales teams, and supports international hiring, time tracking, collective agreements, and international taxation topics. The manager will monitor compensation bands across teams and countries, organize internal and external events, and manage employee offboarding. People development work, including feedback cycles, learning and development, and career development such as an SDR academy, may be added later. The position works closely with other departments in a flat-hierarchy environment and has direct influence on Fonio’s culture. The role is associated with the New York office, and the offer includes paid relocation to Vienna for approximately two months.

Requirements

At least 3 years of People Operations, HR, or Operations experience; startup or scale-up experience is preferred.
Knowledge of US labor law, payroll, and collective agreements.
Structured, hands-on working style.
AI and automation/workflow skills.
People-first, low-ego approach and ability to thrive under intensity.
Strong English skills.

Nice To Haves

Experience in a startup or scale-up.

Responsibilities

Manage employment contracts for employees, including direct and indirect employment.
Organize employee equipment, accounts, and workspaces.
Support relocation of international colleagues.
Introduce and own an HRIS tool.
Automate workflows across systems.
Organize and own internal payroll processes, including calculating variable compensation for sales teams.
Support international hiring, time tracking, collective agreements, and international taxation topics.
Manage and monitor compensation bands across teams and countries.
Organize internal and external events, including hackathons and off-sites.
Manage employee offboarding.
Later, design feedback cycles, learning and development, and career development initiatives such as an SDR academy.