Senior Specialist, People and Operations

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The People and Operations Senior Specialist is a hands-on role responsible for independently administering core HR processes across the employee lifecycle, payroll, and compliance, while supporting broader operations, including contracts administration. Reporting to the VP of People and Operations, this role combines sound judgment, strong execution, and a commitment to continuous improvement to strengthen our employee experience and organizational systems.

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About Welcome.US

Welcome.US is a national, nonpartisan initiative dedicated to inspiring, mobilizing, and empowering Americans and institutions across the country to support newcomers seeking refuge and help them thrive. Our mission is to unleash the desire and capacity of people across America to welcome newcomers and ensure they can build stable, fulfilling lives in their new communities. Our vision is a nation where strong, welcoming communities are upheld by durable policies and a shared culture of belonging.

Born out of the urgent humanitarian response to global crises, Welcome.US has grown into the broadest welcoming coalition in American history—bringing together citizens, community organizations, private sector partners, and local leaders to forge a movement rooted in service and opportunity. By empowering Americans to serve, share stories, and act together, we are transforming how the United States welcomes newcomers and driving toward lasting systems, policy, and cultural change.

In just a few years, millions of Americans from every background have participated in acts of welcome, strengthening communities from coast to coast. Today, Welcome.US continues to build a nationwide network of Welcomers, equipping them with the tools, partnerships, and opportunities needed to support newcomers and future American citizens, influence leaders, and expand welcoming capacity in every state.

About the Role

The People and Operations Senior Specialist is a new position on our People and Operations team, playing a central role in delivering a strong employee experience and ensuring the effective administration of our people-related policies, programs, and processes. Reporting to the VP of People and Operations, this role will independently execute and coordinate core HR processes across the employee lifecycle, payroll, and compliance, while supporting broader organizational operations, including contracts administration.

As Welcome.US enters its second year as an independent nonprofit, the Senior Specialist will be a key partner to the VP of People and Operations, bringing sound judgment, strong execution, and a commitment to continuous improvement as we strengthen our internal systems and practices. This is a hands-on role for someone who enjoys both supporting people and building the operational infrastructure that helps a growing organization run effectively. The role will independently administer established processes, exercise sound judgment, and partner with the VP on matters requiring policy interpretation, employee relations decisions, or broader organizational judgment.

Key Responsibilities

HR Compliance & Administration

• Strengthens and maintains procedures for employee personnel records, ensuring accurate, complete, and confidential documentation consistent with organizational policies and applicable requirements.
• Prepares and processes employment documentation, including offer letters, compensation changes, and other personnel actions; maintains accurate HRIS records.
• Administers employee leave processes, including documentation, tracking, and coordination with employees, supervisors, and the PEO (currently Justworks).
• Maintains the annual HR compliance calendar, coordinating and tracking required employee training, notices, handbook acknowledgments, employment documentation, and other compliance activities to ensure timely completion. Also coordinates organization-wide learning initiatives, such as AI training, as needed.

Employee Lifecycle & Program Administration

• Coordinates recruitment processes, including applicant tracking, interview scheduling, and candidate communications.
• Executes employee onboarding and offboarding processes in coordination with hiring managers and other internal teams, including payroll changes and supervisor handoffs.
• Administers organization-wide performance management cycles, including timelines, communications, completion tracking, and follow-through on annual reviews, midyear check-ins, and new-hire milestones.
• Tracks and coordinates professional development initiatives, including stay/growth conversations and individual development activities.
• Manages the annual HR calendar, ensuring timely scheduling, communications, and follow-through on employee lifecycle milestones and recurring people-related activities. At Welcome.US, this includes drafting and circulating an every-other-month HR newsletter and coordinating our biweekly All Staff meeting.

HR Data, Payroll & Benefits Administration

• Maintains and analyzes HR data, including workforce metrics, benefits utilization, employer costs, and other information supporting organizational planning; develops tools and processes for consistent tracking and reporting.
• Prepares and enters payroll changes, including new hires, terminations, compensation adjustments, stipends, bonuses, deductions, and leave impacts; prepares semimonthly payroll for final VP review and approval.
• Coordinates with the PEO and Finance team to resolve payroll discrepancies and maintain accurate compensation and deduction records.
• Coordinates routine benefits administration, including enrollment and life-event changes, employee communications and inquiries, documentation, and coordination with the PEO; escalates complex issues to the VP.
• Prepares salary and benefits projections, scenario analyses, and supporting data for annual budgeting and ongoing workforce planning.

Contracts Administration

• Develops and maintains a quarterly contract expense projection process to improve visibility into anticipated organizational commitments and spending.
• Coordinates with the current consultant contract administrator and progressively assumes responsibility for the following contract administration activities: Coordinates contract intake, review, approval, and exception workflows with department leads, Finance, the VP of People and Operations, and external parties.
• Maintains and updates standard contract templates, documentation, administrative procedures, and central tracking systems.
• Executes contract administration processes, including signature coordination, filing, and record maintenance.
• Tracks contract milestones, renewals, amendments, and closeouts; prepares status reports and flags upcoming decisions.
• Coordinates vendor onboarding and contract-to-payment handoffs with Finance.

The Ideal Candidate

We are looking for an experienced, resourceful People Operations professional who enjoys supporting people, bringing structure to complex processes, and ensuring important work gets done accurately and consistently. The ideal candidate brings substantial hands-on experience independently administering HR processes, exercises sound judgment and discretion, and takes a thoughtful, service-oriented approach to supporting employees and managers. They are comfortable navigating ambiguity, confident working with data and operational systems, and proactive in identifying opportunities to improve how work gets done.

They enjoy both the hands-on execution of recurring responsibilities and the opportunity to strengthen the people practices and operational foundation of a growing nonprofit.

Required Skills and Experience

• 6+ years of relevant professional experience, including substantial hands-on experience in human resources or people operations, with demonstrated responsibility for independently administering processes and workflows for the employee lifecycle.
• Strong organizational and project coordination skills, with exceptional attention to detail, sound judgment, and the ability to manage multiple priorities, deadlines, and stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to coordinate cross-functional workflows, identify operational risks, and improve procedures to ensure accuracy, efficiency, and consistent follow-through.
• Strong analytical and technical skills, including proficiency with spreadsheets, data tracking, reporting, and workplace systems; comfort learning and using AI productivity tools to improve efficiency and focus on higher-value work.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the discretion to handle confidential information, a service-oriented approach, and the ability to collaborate effectively in a fully remote environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with contract administration, procurement workflows, vendor management, or related operational processes.
• Familiarity with HRIS, payroll, applicant tracking, or contract management platforms, such as Justworks, Airtable, or similar systems.
• Experience working in a nonprofit, mission-driven organization, or small team where responsibilities span multiple functional areas.

What Success Looks Like

In the first 12–18 months, the People and Operations Senior Specialist will have:

• Established reliable, well-documented HR processes, ensuring consistent administration of employee policies, accurate records, and timely completion of compliance requirements.
• Assumed independent responsibility for core HR administration, including onboarding, offboarding, leave administration, performance management coordination, and payroll preparation, reducing the need for routine VP involvement.
• Improved the efficiency of People Operations workflows, streamlining processes, strengthening documentation, and reducing manual administrative work while maintaining a positive employee experience.
• Established consistent HR and Operations reporting, providing accurate workforce, compensation, benefits, and contract expense data to support quarterly executive reporting, budgeting, and organizational planning.
• Strengthened contracts administration, improving expense projections, tracking, and coordination while progressively assuming direct responsibility for core contract administration processes.

Compensation and Benefits

Welcome.US offers a generous compensation and benefits package in order to attract and retain top talent.

• Salaries and retirement Salaries commensurate with experience and aligned with other organizations of our size
• 401(k) with an employer contribution of 6% of salary available (with no waiting period) for full and part time employees
• Benefits for full-time employees Comprehensive health benefits for the employee and dependents, subsidized 85-100% depending on plan choice. Currently health insurance is provided through Justworks and plans are provided through Aetna and Kaiser.
• Benefits for full and part time employees Vision benefits through MetLife or Aetna and subsidized at 80%
• Dental benefits through MetLife or Aetna and subsidized at 80%
• Employer paid short and long term disability insurance
• Employer paid life insurance ($10,000)
• Monthly remote work stipend ($75)
• Paid time off for full time employees 13 paid holidays
• Winter closure December 26-31
• Flexible paid time off accrued each pay period First year of employment: 20 days
• After first year: 30 days
• 16 weeks of paid parental leave

To Apply

Welcome.US is committed to building and retaining a talented, diverse, and inclusive team. We strongly encourage people of all races, ethnicities, nationalities, religions, abilities, sexual orientations, and gender identities to apply.

Please submit a cover letter and resume demonstrating how your application reflects the role’s qualifications using this link.

This position will remain open until the right candidate has been identified; however, for priority consideration, candidates are encouraged to submit materials by Friday, November 6, 2026.

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A Senior Specialist, People and Operations

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About Welcome.US

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About the Role

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HR Compliance & Administration

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• Strengthens and maintains procedures for employee personnel records, ensuring accurate, complete, and confidential documentation consistent with organizational policies and applicable requirements.
• Prepares and processes employment documentation, including offer letters, compensation changes, and other personnel actions; maintains accurate HRIS records.
• Administers employee leave processes, including documentation, tracking, and coordination with employees, supervisors, and the PEO (currently Justworks).
• Maintains the annual HR compliance calendar, coordinating and tracking required employee training, notices, handbook acknowledgments, employment documentation, and other compliance activities to ensure timely completion. Also coordinates organization-wide learning initiatives, such as AI training, as needed.

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• Coordinates recruitment processes, including applicant tracking, interview scheduling, and candidate communications.