People Standards & Operations Manager

Odyssey House Inc.•Salt Lake City, UT

About The Position

The People Standards & Operations Manager leads the execution and continuous improvement of foundational People Operations processes, systems, and policies that support the end-to-end employee lifecycle. This role maintains expert-level knowledge of federal and state employment mandates and evaluates regulatory changes to minimize organizational risk across payroll, benefits, Workers’ Compensation, and day-to-day HR operations. Operating within an HR People Partner (HRPP) model and in close partnership with Centers of Excellence (COEs), this role ensures operational excellence, compliance, and scalable service delivery. The People Standards & Operations Manager oversees HR data integrity, HRIS administration, employee transactions, payroll governance, Workers’ Compensation administration, policy governance, and regulatory compliance—enabling HRPPs to focus on strategic advisory work and COEs to deliver specialized programs aligned to organizational priorities.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Accounting/Finance, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
Seven or more years of progressive HR experience, including five or more years in People Operations, HR Operations, or HRIS administration.
Two or more years of payroll processing or payroll operations responsibility.
Demonstrated experience administering Workers’ Compensation programs, including claims coordination and return-to-work support.
Expert knowledge of federal and state employment laws, including FLSA, FMLA, ADA, COBRA, ACA, ERISA, wage and hour laws, Workers’ Compensation requirements, and state final pay rules.
Hands-on experience with HRIS and time and attendance systems (e.g., Paylocity, Workday, UKG, BambooHR, ADP).
Advanced Excel and data analysis skills.
Proven ability to document, standardize, and operationalize HR programs.
Strong leadership skills with experience developing operational teams.
High level of discretion and sound judgment in handling confidential information.

Nice To Haves

Experience in nonprofit healthcare, behavioral health, or other regulated environments.
SHRM-CP/SCP or HRCI PHR/SPHR certification.
Experience supporting regulatory, accreditation, or payer audits.
Experience working within shared-services or HRPP operating models.

Responsibilities

HR Operations Leadership
Lead and oversee the People Operations team responsible for employee lifecycle transactions, including onboarding, job and position management, compensation changes, terminations, offboarding, benefits eligibility, leave coordination, and Workers’ Compensation administration.
Oversee end-to-end payroll processing and accuracy in close coordination with Finance.
Serve as the primary escalation point for complex People Operations, payroll, HRIS, leave, and Workers’ Compensation issues.
Develop, maintain, and enforce operational playbooks, SLAs, and standardized workflows.
Payroll Management & Governance
Direct operational payroll execution by overseeing employee data changes, compensation adjustments, garnishments, Workers’ Compensation wage impacts, and leave-related accruals.
Perform final validation of payroll prior to release, ensuring accuracy of wages, retroactive adjustments, and tax setup.
Serve as the subject matter expert for federal and state wage and hour compliance, including final pay and earned time off payouts.
Partner with Finance on GL mapping, funding approvals, and audit controls.
Manage payroll & holiday l calendars, deadlines, and stakeholder communications.
Maintain data integrity across HRIS, Time & Attendance, benefits, and payroll systems.
Lead post-payroll audits, root-cause analysis, and corrective actions.
Establish operational guidelines for supplemental earnings and Workers’ Compensation pay coordination.
Leave, Disability & Workers' Compensation Governance
Serve as the primary relationship manager for third-party leave administrators and Workers’ Compensation carriers.
Oversee end-to-end integration of leave, disability, and Workers’ Compensation data between TPAs, HRIS, and Payroll.
Ensure accurate application of disability offsets, Workers’ Compensation wage replacement, benefit arrears, and salary continuation.
Monitor compliance with FMLA, state leave laws, ADA requirements, and Workers’ Compensation regulations.
Act as the internal escalation point for complex or disputed leave or Workers’ Compensation cases.
Partner with HRPPs and leaders to support return-to-work programs, transitional duty, and job accommodations.
Review Workers’ Compensation claims trends, loss runs, and experience modifiers to identify risk and improvement opportunities
Compensation & Benefits Operations
Execute approved compensation transactions and ensure accurate payroll application of earnings, deductions, and taxes.
Support COEs in operational execution of merit cycles, incentive payouts, and benefits renewals.
Oversee operational administration of Health & Welfare benefit plans in alignment with plan documents.
Serve as the operational liaison for benefits brokers, carriers, and Workers’ Compensation vendors.
Lead annual Open Enrollment operational execution, including system testing and data validation.
Oversee administration of retirement plans (403(b)/401(k)), including contributions, loans, and testing support.
Ensure accurate application and reconciliation of benefit premiums, employer contributions, and leave- or Workers’ Compensation-related deductions.
Process Optimization & Continuous Improvement
Automate payroll-adjacent and Workers’ Compensation-adjacent workflows to reduce manual effort and errors.
Improve handoffs between HRPPs, COEs, Payroll, and Finance.
Track and analyze KPIs related to payroll accuracy, retro pay volume, and claims processing timelines.
HRIS & Data Governance
Maintain HRIS configuration supporting payroll, benefits, leave, and Workers’ Compensation accuracy.
Conduct routine audits of pay rates, deductions, leave balances, tax setup, garnishments, and classification data.
Compliance & Policy Administration
Ensure operational compliance with FLSA, wage and hour laws, Workers’ Compensation statutes, state final pay rules, PTO payout practices, and benefits eligibility requirements.
Support internal and external audits related to payroll, employment records, and Workers’ Compensation.
Operational Support to HRPPs & COEs
Provide reporting and operational insights related to payroll, benefits, leave, and Workers’ Compensation.
Translate strategic recommendations into executable, auditable operational workflows.
Team Leadership
Lead, coach, and develop the People Operations and Payroll support team.
Ensure cross-training, continuity, and consistent operational coverage.
Promote a culture of accuracy, accountability, and proactive risk management.
Success Measures
Payroll accuracy rate greater than 99.8%.
Reduced retroactive pay and post-processing corrections.
Timely execution of all lifecycle-driven compensation, benefits, leave, and Workers’ Compensation actions.
Clean audit results across payroll, employment, and Workers’ Compensation records.