People Operations Manager

We are seeking a People Operations Manager to join our People & Culture team at AIRCO's New Britain, Pennsylvania site. This is a hands-on role responsible for the day-to-day People operations that keep AIRCO running, including payroll, benefits, HRIS, recruiting operations, employee lifecycle, compliance and performance administration.

You will report to the VP, People & Culture and partner closely with Finance, IT, EHS, Legal and business leaders. We are looking for someone who can build reliable systems, solve problems, improve how we work and deliver a strong employee experience across the full employee lifecycle. This is a full-time role based in New Britain, Pennsylvania, near Doylestown, with an expectation to work in person three days per week. 

What you get to do

• Own accurate, on-time multi-state payroll and benefits administration, including medical, dental, vision and retirement plans, open enrollment, employee changes, audits, reconciliations, vendor management and employee support.
• Own the HRIS and related People systems, integrations and employee data. Lead system improvements, vendor evaluations and implementations, and maintain clear standard operating procedures and recurring People calendars to support continuity and compliance.
• Run the operational side of recruiting in Greenhouse, including interview coordination, candidate workflows, offers, background checks and onboarding handoffs, partnering with hiring managers across corporate, engineering and operations roles.
• Own onboarding, offboarding, employee records, leave administration and other core employee processes, partnering with IT, Facilities, EHS and managers to ensure a smooth employee experience.
• Run the operational administration of check-ins, performance reviews, goals, ratings, promotions and compensation cycles, including system setup, communications, tracking and reporting. Support the VP, People & Culture and managers with employee relations and performance matters, escalating complex or higher-risk issues as appropriate.
• Maintain compliance across federal, state and local requirements, including I-9s, leave, workers' compensation, required training, employment records and recurring compliance deadlines. Coordinate employment-based immigration matters with outside counsel and manage key deadlines.
• Provide leadership with reporting and analysis on headcount, turnover, hiring, compensation and benefits, and support compensation decisions and workforce planning.
• Maintain People policies and the employee handbook, write clear communications for employees and managers, and identify opportunities to use AI and automation to reduce manual work and improve People processes.

• 6+ years of progressive experience in People Operations or HR, including hands-on, end-to-end ownership of payroll, benefits and core employee lifecycle processes.
• Experience supporting multi-state employee populations and managing multi-state payroll.
• Strong working knowledge of an HRIS and payroll platform such as ADP Workforce Now, Rippling, BambooHR or similar.
• Experience with an ATS such as Greenhouse.
• Strong understanding of U.S. employment compliance and good judgment around when to involve counsel.
• Strong analytical, organizational and project management skills, with the ability to manage recurring processes and time-sensitive work accurately.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and a service-oriented approach to supporting employees and managers.
• A builder's mindset: you improve the process rather than repeatedly solving the same problem.
• Availability to work in person three days per week in New Britain, Pennsylvania.

• Startup or growth-stage experience.
• Manufacturing, operations or EHS-heavy workforce experience.
• Experience leading an HRIS implementation or migration.
• Exposure to employment-based immigration.
• Experience using AI or automation in People Operations.
• PHR, SPHR, SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP certification.