Director of People Operations

Our client, a leading provider of end-to-end energy efficiency and clean energy solutions for commercial, industrial, and institutional clients, is looking to add a Director of People Operations to their team.

Hybrid in either Westchester County or Brooklyn, NY

*Must be willing to travel to other sites regularly

Summary/Primary Role:

The Director, People Operations is responsible for leading operational, compliance, and employee lifecycle functions across the organization. This role partners closely with the General Counsel and SVP, People, and collaborates with the Talent Manager to ensure the company’s people infrastructure is compliant, scalable, and operationally effective.

The Director oversees employee relations, HR systems, workforce reporting, employment compliance, and execution of the employee lifecycle, supporting both field and corporate employees while maintaining strong documentation, audit readiness, and regulatory compliance. The role ensures consistency, risk mitigation, and operational discipline across all People practices.

Principal Duties & Responsibilities:

People Operations & Employee Lifecycle

• Manage and continuously improve People operations infrastructure across the employee lifecycle.
• Oversee onboarding, performance management, leave management, and offboarding.
• Ensure consistent application of employment policies and procedures across corporate and field teams.
• Provide guidance on benefits, timekeeping, payroll processes, and HR systems.
• Partner with Finance/Payroll for accurate execution of compensation, PTO, leave administration, terminations, and workforce data management.
• Support workforce lifecycle processes for project ramp-up and demobilization.
• Identify operational inefficiencies and implement process improvements to enhance employee experience.

Employee Relations & Risk Management

• Administer employee relations matters including performance management, corrective action, investigations, and separations.
• Ensure employee relations processes are well-documented and compliant with company policies and applicable law.
• Partner with legal counsel on complex or high-risk employee matters.
• Provide guidance to managers on disciplinary actions and workplace conduct concerns.
• Maintain defensible documentation to mitigate employment-related risk.

HR Systems, Data Governance & Workforce Analytics

• Serve as operational owner of HR systems and ensure data integrity, accuracy, and security.
• Develop and maintain workforce reporting, dashboards, and analytics to support leadership decisions.
• Lead system enhancements, automation initiatives, and workflow improvements.
• Establish data governance standards and conduct periodic audits.

Compliance, Regulatory Governance & Audit Oversight

• Lead employment compliance across federal, state, and local jurisdictions, including multi-state operations.
• Conduct regulatory reporting (EEO-1, unemployment claims, OSHA records) and internal HR compliance audits.
• Support compliance documentation for project-based workforce requirements and monitor regulatory changes.

Field Workforce & Safety Coordination

• Support consistent People practices across corporate and field environments.
• Collaborate with Operations to address workforce challenges at multi-site projects.
• Ensure People processes meet the needs of field supervisors, project managers, and operational teams.

Cross-Functional Leadership & Organizational Collaboration

• Partner with the Talent Manager to coordinate recruiting, onboarding, engagement, and operational HR processes.
• Collaborate with Legal, Finance, Payroll, Safety, and Operations to ensure consistent workforce practices.
• Support organizational growth, restructuring, and workforce transitions.
• Identify and implement operational improvements to strengthen HR governance and scalability.

Qualifications:

• 8+ years of progressive Human Resources or People Operations experience.
• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Experience supporting operational or field-based employee populations; construction experience preferred.
• Strong knowledge of employee relations, performance management, and investigations.
• Expertise in federal, state, and local employment law, particularly New York regulations.
• Demonstrated ability to partner with leadership and mitigate risk.
• High emotional intelligence and professional communication skills.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Experience with HRIS and payroll systems; TriNet or similar preferred.
• SHRM-CP, PHR, or equivalent certification preferred.

Supervisory Responsibility:

• Oversees Office Manager for administrative and operational HR-related processes, including safety coordination.

Work Environment & Other Details:

• Hybrid role based in Brooklyn, NY or Armonk, NY.
• Travel to job sites within the Northeast required.
• Standard full-time schedule; additional hours as needed.
• Base salary range: $140,000–$160,000, plus annual performance bonus.
• Comprehensive benefits package included.
• Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S.

Equal Opportunity Employer:

The organization does not discriminate based on any characteristic protected by law.