People Operations Specialist

TopDog Law

6h • $89,000 - $109,800

About The Position

The People Operations Specialist will serve as a key administrator and point of contact for various HR functions, including leaves of absence, employee relations, compliance, manager enablement, process improvement, core HR operations, and onboarding. This role is crucial for ensuring the smooth and compliant operation of the People Operations department as the firm scales. The specialist will manage the end-to-end leave of absence process, conduct or support investigations into employee concerns, ensure compliance with employment laws, provide guidance to managers, document and improve HR processes, administer HRIS, support benefits and payroll, and manage the pre-event onboarding experience for new hires. The role operates in a growing, evolving environment, requiring flexibility and a proactive approach to supporting the Director of People Operations and the overall business objectives.

Requirements

• 5+ years of hands-on experience with meaningful ownership of functional People Ops work
• Direct experience administering leaves of absence including FMLA, ADA, and state leave laws
• Experience handling employee relations matters including investigations, documentation, and manager guidance
• Working knowledge of employment law and compliance requirements across multiple states
• Track record of building, documenting, and improving processes and workflows
• Strong judgment, discretion, and ability to handle sensitive matters professionally
• Highly organized with excellent attention to detail and follow-through
• Clear, professional written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to manage a varied workload, prioritize effectively, execute with speed, and take initiative

Nice To Haves

• Experience with Rippling or similar HRIS and workflow automation platforms
• Experience in legal, professional services, or client-centric organizations
• Experience supporting distributed or remote teams
• Comfort with ambiguity and evolving systems in a fast-growing environment
• Strong communication skills—written and verbal
• Ability to think critically, prioritize effectively, and execute with speed

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary administrator and point of contact for all employee leaves of absence, including FMLA, ADA, state-mandated leave, personal leave, and military leave.
• Manage the end-to-end LOA process: intake, documentation, certification tracking, communication with the employee and their manager, return-to-work coordination, and record keeping.
• Ensure LOA administration is compliant with applicable federal, state, and local law across all jurisdictions where TopDog Law operates.
• Partner with payroll and benefits to ensure accurate continuation and tracking during leave.
• Maintain clear, organized records and keep managers informed throughout the process without violating employee privacy.
• Serve as the first point of contact for employee questions, concerns, and issues, handling them with professionalism, discretion, and good judgment.
• Conduct or support investigations into employee complaints, policy violations, and workplace concerns in partnership with the Director of People Operations.
• Document employee relations matters thoroughly and maintain accurate, organized case records.
• Help managers navigate difficult conversations, performance concerns, and team conflicts with clear guidance and consistent process.
• Identify patterns or recurring issues and escalate appropriately to the Director of People Operations.
• Ensure compliance with employment law, labor regulations, and requirements across all states and jurisdictions where the firm operates.
• Maintain and update employee handbooks, policies, and required postings as laws change.
• Administer required compliance training and track completion.
• Support audits, reporting requirements, and regulatory filings.
• Flag potential compliance risks to the Director of People Operations proactively.
• Be an operational business partner managers rely on for day-to-day guidance on people issues, policy questions, and employee management.
• Provide managers with clear, practical support on performance documentation, disciplinary process, accommodations, and employee concerns.
• Help managers follow consistent, compliant processes so that People Operations policies are applied fairly and uniformly across the firm.
• Work proactively with managers to surface and address people risk, retention risk, and performance concerns before they escalate.
• Develop and maintain manager-facing resources such as guides, templates, and checklists that make processes easier to navigate.
• Document, standardize, and improve People Operations processes so they run reliably and consistently without requiring constant oversight.
• Identify gaps in current workflows and propose practical solutions.
• Build and maintain templates, checklists, SOPs, and reference guides that support the team and reduce repeated effort.
• Support the Director of People Operations to implement new processes, tools, or programs as the firm scales.
• Administer HRIS (Rippling) including employee records, lifecycle updates, data integrity, and reporting.
• Support benefits administration and employee questions about coverage.
• Support payroll processing accuracy and coordinate with payroll on employee changes, leave tracking, and corrections.
• Partner with the People Operations Coordinator in Guatemala on shared workflows and recordkeeping.
• Maintain organized, audit-ready files and documentation.
• Coordinate with the People Coordinator on the TA team to ensure smooth onboarding transitions for all new hires.
• Own the pre-event onboarding experience for new hires who join before the monthly New Hire Day 1 event; host a dedicated onboarding call to bridge the gap and ensure no one starts without proper orientation.
• Cover culture, values, and company vision so new hires understand who we are and what we’re building before their first day in role.
• Walk new hires through their benefits, enrollment windows, and how to get questions answered.
• Introduce the People tech stack new hires will use regularly, including Rippling, Ninety, Nectar, and any other core tools, so they feel equipped and not overwhelmed.
• Continuously refine the onboarding call experience as the firm scales, the tech stack evolves, and new needs emerge.
• Support additional People Operations projects, initiatives, and priorities as directed by the Director of People Operations.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed