Manager, People Operations

Job Title: Manager, People Operations

Team: People & Operations

Location: Hybrid in Newark (NJ) or New York (NY)

Employment Type: Full-Time

FLSA Classification: Exempt

Start Date: ASAP

About Braven

Braven is a career-accelerating program that prepares promising young people—many of whom are people of color, from low income backgrounds, or the first in their families to attend college—to secure a strong first opportunity after college graduation. 

We work with higher education and employer partners to offer a life-changing experience that begins with a semester-long course for college students followed by support that lasts through graduation.  

Together, we are helping to open up access to the American Promise, empowering a generation of leaders who mirror the diversity of our country.

To learn more, take a look at Braven’s Impact Report and Jobs Report.

About the Role

In order to achieve its ambition of serving 80,000-100,000 Fellows over the next decade, Braven is hiring a Manager, People Operations who will administer people systems, lead onboarding and offboarding processes, manage payroll, conduct benefits initiatives, and respond to employee inquiries and data requests.

This role is on the People team and reports to the Director, People Operations.

What You’ll Do 

People Systems, Data & Operations 40%

• Own the onboarding and offboarding process for incoming full-time staff, interns, graders, contractors, and exiting employees including pre-boarding communications and documentation, entering new hires into the PEO system (TriNet), overseeing background checks, completing I9 verifications, processing terminations, and collaborating with IT on equipment provisioning and returns. 
• Serve as the first point of contact for the People team for incoming people operations requests; manage our people operations request form, providing employees with empathetic and caring attention; collaborate with team members to review, process, and complete all employee requests according to established service level agreements
• Perform verification of employment requests such as background checks, NDAs, and media releases 
• Assist PEO in processing unemployment inquiries from multiple states
• Maintain, process, and collect all required forms and documentation
• Update and maintain people systems and employee files (TriNet, Kantola, Mobilo, personnel records) to ensure data integrity; and assist with audits, changes, and reporting. 
• Partner with Director, People Operations to collect, audit and report on people data; contribute towards creation of a People Analytics Dashboard; and assist with compilation of requested reports. 

Payroll & Timekeeping 25%

• Prepare biweekly payroll for final review
• Coordinate payroll reminders and communications for hourly teammates and their managers
• Maintain payroll notes
• Upload all submitted timesheets to payroll grid
• Manage timekeeping initiatives and requirements 
• Communicate with team members and managers about payroll schedule, process, systems, and training
• Ensure accurate and timely processing of payroll activities in accordance with compliance requirements including hourly employee management
• Coordinate payments for employees while on various leaves of absence

Benefits & Wellness 30%

• Lead benefits onboarding sessions for new hires
• Establish year-round campaigns around benefits education and wellness
• Collaborate with the Director, People Operations on the creation of formal recognition programs
• Collaborate on the execution of People Operations events: benefits open enrollment, annual compliance initiatives, wellness and recognition programs
• Contribute towards research on benefits, employment law, and compliance
• Aid People Operations team in maintaining non-profit industry-leading benefits and compliance practices

General Support and Other Duties 5%

• Communicate and socialize company-wide People Operations updates and content to staff
• Provide general administrative support to the People team
• Other duties as assigned

Requirements

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree 
• At least 3 years of People Operations/HR experience
• At least 2 years experience managing people systems (PEO, HRIS)

Preferred Qualifications

• Genuine passion and love for People work and deep understanding that it is a vital part of any organization
• Excellent capacity to independently discern what work is most important and take responsibility for actions, tasks, and deadlines
• Proven ability to adapt, effectively manage time, meet deadlines, and manage competing priorities
• Ability and comfortability with building and iterating; capable of crafting innovative solutions while continuously refining and improving existing processes. 
• Growth mindset with a focus on continuous learning, embracing mistakes and failures as learning opportunities
• Dedication to maintaining confidentiality and professional integrity
• Proactively communicates with manager and peers to maintain workflows and inform stakeholders
• Strong appetite for professional development, passionate about learning new things, and not afraid to admit when you don’t know something
• Excellent attention to detail
• Experience working cross-functionally to build relationships, influence peers, and collaborate 
• Ability to effectively give and receive positive and corrective feedback
• Strong proficiency in G-Suite (especially Sheets), Slack, Asana, People systems
• Payroll experience a plus, but not required
• Experience working with a PEO provider (such as TriNet) preferred, but not required
• Demonstrated commitment to equity and inclusion
• Exemplification of Braven’s core values
• Experience that has informed your belief in Braven’s mission and has prepared you to work with, or for, Braven’s student Fellow population. 

Work Demands

• Ability to work in-person in Newark, NJ or New York, NY
• Ability to travel roughly 4 times per year for team meetings

Additional Requirements

• Authorized to work in the U.S. 
• Must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and provide proof of such by the date of hire. Individuals may claim exemption from the vaccine requirement for medical or religious reasons. 

Application & Interview Process

While the interview process may vary slightly, the general process will be:

• Phone screen with Talent Team member
• Performance Task
• Interview with Hiring Manager
• Panel Interview with Key Partners
• Reference Checks

Benefits

Compensation and Benefits

The salary for this position, which depends on prior work experience and our assessment of your demonstrated fit for the role, will likely be between $68,600- $85,700. Braven offers competitive base salaries based on the midpoint of the market among not-for-profit organizations of similar size, with opportunities for salary growth over time. We believe in compensating staff members fairly in relation to each other, their qualifications, and their impact on behalf of the organization, and take internal and external equity seriously. Given our commitment to equity, Braven does not negotiate salary offers; instead each salary offer is determined carefully using external and internal benchmarking. You will have an opportunity to discuss salary in more detail after you begin the application process.

Braven also provides competitive, comprehensive benefits, recognition, and career development. While Braven reserves the right to change benefits at any time, current benefits include: 

• Unlimited vacation time in addition to org-wide holidays and week-long shutdowns in July and the end of the calendar year (this is a minimum of 19 days per year)
• Match of your 401K contribution up to 5% of your base annual salary, starting your first full month
• Coverage of 85% of health insurance premium for employee and dependents
• 12 weeks of paid parental leave 
• A one-month paid sabbatical after 4 years on staff

Location

We gather on site at least 3 days per week (on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday) and often work remotely 2 days per week (although certain commitments might adjust that from time to time). Therefore, this role requires teammates to live within commuting distance of New York, NY or Newark, NJ. We believe in the magic, connection, and collaboration that happens when people work together face-to-face and we believe in giving people flexibility to focus, balance personal priorities, and save themselves two commutes per week.

Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion 

At Braven, we are committed to attracting, engaging, developing, and retaining a diverse team. Braven operates in the context of our American culture, against the backdrop of systemic racism and oppression of marginalized people since our country’s founding. We are committed to assembling leaders at our organization who have emerged from everywhere, with a particular emphasis on those who share the racial and income backgrounds of our Fellows, and creating an inclusive culture that allows all teammates, of all experiences and identities, to thrive.  

Braven is an equal opportunity employer and considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected factor.  We encourage talented individuals of all backgrounds to apply.