People Operations Manager

COMPANY 🌱 RYZE was founded in 2019 by Andrée Werner and Rashad Hossain, out of a parents' basement, with a mission to change daily health, starting with the morning routine: a nutrient-dense mushroom coffee delivering clean energy, mental clarity, and immune support. Built on a Direct-to-Consumer foundation with a performance marketing engine, RYZE achieved hockey-stick growth and a community of over 1 million active subscribers. DTC remains the foundation, but RYZE has expanded into mass retail, quickly becoming the #2 items in Target's overall coffee category and is now executing a multi-channel expansion, with a cross-category launch coming in early 2027. RYZE is uniquely positioned to redefine how people think about daily wellness. We’re a lean, fast-moving, mission-driven team who believe daily rituals create the foundation for living your greatest life, and we’re just getting started! WHAT YOU'LL DO 🎯 We are seeking a People Operations Manager to lead our frontline people support and drive operational and strategic HR and People Operations processes. In this role, you will serve as a trusted advisor to managers across the company and own key people operations service areas (e.g., benefits and leave, compensation operations, multi-state compliance, immigration, reporting, unemployment claims). You will translate People Ops strategy into practical, team-level action while improving the processes that make the function run. Responsibilities will include: - Define and evolve team processes, tools, and communication practices to drive consistency - Lead execution of company-wide programs (performance reviews, merit communications, benefits education, engagement surveys) and provide input into program design - Collaborate with Payroll, Finance, Talent Acquisition, Legal, and IT on rollout and adoption, and bring field feedback to refine policies and processes - Oversee benefits administration and manage relationships with the broker, carriers, and plan administrators, including billing reconciliation with Finance - Lead open enrollment end-to-end and support benefits program reviews and vendor assessments - Own leave of absence administration (FMLA, state-mandated, parental, personal, military), including multi-state compliance, payroll coordination, and return-to-work and accommodation planning - Own assigned HR service areas and respond to unemployment claim inquiries - Oversee compensation changes (adjustments, promotions, reclassifications, off-cycle increases) and support merit and bonus cycles end-to-end - Build compensation tools and manager guides, and support pay equity analysis and the maintenance of grade structures and salary bands - Partner with Finance on compensation budgeting, headcount cost modeling, and payroll reconciliation - Own employer state registrations, Powers of Attorney, and state payroll tax, SUI, and workers’ compensation accounts, ensuring registration is in place before employees start in a new state - Respond to state agency notices and keep audit-ready records of registrations and compliance filings - Serve as an escalation point for employee relations issues, manager coaching, and conflict resolution - Partner with Legal and the Director of People Ops on ER investigations, documentation, and risk mitigation - Advise on federal, state, and local employment law compliance (wage and hour, I-9, leave, data privacy) and ensure consistent policy application - Translate People strategy (workforce planning, retention, talent management, career development) into tactical actions - Identify patterns across business units and recommend solutions and process improvements to People leadership - Serve as the key intake point for employee and manager questions, resolving moderate-complexity issues with People Generalists, global admin staff, and Senior People Partners Professional Qualifications - Bachelor’s degree in HR, Business Administration, or a related field (or equivalent combination of experience and education); Master’s or HR certification (SHRM-SCP, SPHR) preferred - 7+ years of progressive HR experience, including leading a People Partner or People Generalist team in a fast-paced, high-growth environment - Proven track record of designing and implementing strategic HR initiatives - Strong knowledge of employment laws, regulations, and best practices, including multi-state compliance, leave laws, COBRA, and ACA - Experience with benefits, leave, and compensation administration, including merit and bonus cycles - Deep understanding of the employee lifecycle, manager coaching, and HR best practices - Exceptional leadership, communication, and EQ, with the ability to influence at all levels and deliver feedback with clarity - Strong analytical and problem-solving skills; advanced Excel and PowerPoint; hands-on experience with HRIS (Rippling preferred), ATS, and data analytics - Ability to quickly learn new systems and act as an SME for key systems and processes WHAT WE OFFER 🌟 - Competitive compensation aligned with experience and market benchmarks. - Comprehensive benefits package - Paid time off and company-observed holidays. - Opportunities for professional growth and development. - A collaborative, inclusive, and supportive work environment. - Access to tools, resources, and training to support success in the role. Originally posted on Himalayas