People Operations Manager

JA Riggs Tractor Company•Little Rock, AR

About The Position

The People Operations Manager leads Riggs Cat’s People Operations function and team, delivering employee support throughout the employee lifecycle while establishing standards, scalable processes, and consistent practices. The role combines hands-on team leadership with responsibility for hiring and onboarding, employee relations, separations, policy and compliance, benefits and payroll oversight, and improvements to people operations. The position works with department and branch managers, Finance, benefits vendors, and in-house counsel, and reports people metrics to leadership. The role is guided by Riggs Cat’s values: Urgent, Selfless, and Excellent. Work is performed primarily in an office setting, with regular visits to shops, service bays, and job sites, where noise may be high and safety equipment may be required. The position involves frequent sitting, talking, listening, kneeling, standing, squatting, and grasping; occasional walking; exerting 10 pounds of force frequently and 50 pounds occasionally; and travel up to 50–75%, dependent on market conditions and salesmen needs. It is considered safety sensitive.

Requirements

At least 5 years of progressive HR or People Operations experience, including at least 2 years managing HR staff.
Hands-on experience with recruiting, onboarding, employee relations, investigations, and terminations.
Working understanding of current employment regulations and HR compliance.
Experience drafting or revising policies and handbook language.
Familiarity with payroll, benefits, and reimbursement processes sufficient to oversee the work and troubleshoot exceptions.
Ability to communicate with professional office teams and skilled trades and technician groups.
Sound judgment and discretion when handling sensitive and confidential information.
Proficiency with an HRIS and standard office software.
Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field.
SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, or SPHR certification.

Nice To Haves

Experience in an equipment dealership, construction, manufacturing, or other technician-heavy, multi-location environment.
Experience with high-volume hiring or bringing on large groups of new employees at once.
Experience supporting a multi-site or multi-state workforce.
Experience with Paylocity and monday.com.

Responsibilities

Lead the People Operations team by setting priorities, standards, and service expectations and coaching and developing the Specialist and Generalist.
Build cross-training and documented procedures for payroll, benefits, and associate support.
Provide hands-on support during peak periods, including open enrollment, year-end payroll, high-volume hiring, and spikes in employee questions.
Develop a catalog of job roles and levels and work across departments to update salary and hourly ranges and criteria for movement between levels.
Work with department and branch managers on workforce needs, job postings, compliance, employee support, and disciplinary matters.
Run a consistent onboarding program for office and skilled hires, from paperwork and orientation through the first 90 days.
Develop scalable hiring and onboarding processes, including processes for bringing on entire teams.
Advise managers and associates on concerns, conflict, coaching, and corrective action.
Conduct and document workplace investigations and recommend fair, consistent outcomes.
Manage terminations as needed, including reviewing documentation, preparing for and conducting or supporting meetings, and completing separation steps.
Use exit feedback to identify improvements and identify and address retention risks.
Assist with drafting and updating policies and handbook language in collaboration with in-house counsel.
Communicate policy changes and train managers to apply policies consistently.
Maintain an understanding of federal and state employment regulations, flag risks, and involve in-house or employment counsel when appropriate.
Maintain accurate, confidential personnel records and audit-ready documentation.
Oversee accurate and timely benefits administration, payroll, and reimbursements in accordance with the handbook.
Partner with Finance and benefits vendors on renewals, enrollment, and payroll issues.
Report headcount, turnover, hiring progress, and other people metrics to leadership using leading and lagging measures.
Streamline HR processes and improve the use of the HRIS and tracking tools.