Senior Director, Central Operations

Justworks•New York, NY

6d•Hybrid

About The Position

This role is for a Senior Director of Central Operations at Justworks. The position involves leading the transformation of the Operations organization, building the operational backbone, and driving an AI and automation agenda. The Senior Director will own a portfolio of centralized functions including operational excellence, data and KPIs, third-party systems, AI and automation transformation, and learning and development. The goal is to elevate Central Operations as a strategic engine that raises performance across the organization and positions Operations as a competitive advantage. The role requires a leader who can anticipate future trends in operations, particularly the impact of AI and automation. The individual will be responsible for establishing standards, systems, and capabilities for the Operations organization, and for leading change management to ensure transformation initiatives are adopted. Key responsibilities include leading the transformation and automation agenda, building and leading the Central Operations team, driving operational excellence, owning data and KPIs, governing systems and tools, and building the learning and development foundation for the Operations organization.

Requirements

10+ years of experience in operations, business operations, product, or a related function.
At least 3-5 years leading teams.
Demonstrated success building operational infrastructure (SOPs, KPIs, controls frameworks) in a fast-growing or scaling organization.
Proven track record leading transformation or automation initiatives, including hands-on experience evaluating, deploying, or governing AI or process automation tools in an operational context.
Strong analytical skills with the ability to define metrics, oversee data quality, and turn reporting into actionable insights.
Hands-on experience owning and governing operational tools and third-party platforms.
Experience building or overseeing L&D programs, particularly in an operations context.
Exceptional influencing and communication skills, with a proven ability to drive change across teams outside of direct ownership and influence at the executive level.

Nice To Haves

Experience operating in a compliance-adjacent, regulated, or high-stakes service environment where quality and accuracy have direct customer or legal impact is a plus.
Familiarity with process improvement methodologies (Lean, Six Sigma, or equivalent) is a plus.

Responsibilities

Lead the Operations transformation agenda, focusing on identifying, prioritizing, and deploying AI and automation solutions.
Reimagine workflows to improve efficiency, quality, and speed.
Serve as the primary Operations liaison for company-wide automation and AI initiatives, partnering with Technology, Customer Success, Revenue, and Finance.
Build change management capabilities within the organization to ensure transformation adoption.
Build, develop, and retain a lean, high-performing team, setting a high bar for excellence.
Set a clear strategic vision for the team, aligning them around shared goals.
Define and maintain the standards framework for the Operations org, including SOPs, controls, and quality benchmarks.
Drive continuous process improvement and manage a governance cadence for standards.
Own the KPI framework for Operations, including metric definitions, ownership, and target-setting.
Ensure the organization has timely, reliable, and actionable reporting, overseeing dashboards and data quality.
Own the Operations tool stack, including configuration, governance, vendor relationships, and license management.
Evaluate and introduce new tools in partnership with IT and Engineering.
Own L&D for the Operations organization, including onboarding, skills development, manager training, and capability programs.
Ensure team skills evolve with tools and processes, preparing the org for AI and automation integration.