HR Operations Manager

Responsibilities:

• HR Operations Execution 
• Build scalable, repeatable HR processes across onboarding/offboarding, performance management, payroll, benefits, HRIS, and compliance. 
• Establish and maintain clear SOPs, documentation standards, and audit-ready workflows across HR Operations. 
• Support and guide People Operations Generalists in day-to-day execution, removing blockers and ensuring high-quality output. 
• Own HRIS and payroll workflows, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and compliance with California and federal labor laws. 


• Total Rewards & Compensation Operations 
• Serve as the operational owner for Total Compensation execution, partnering with People Leadership and Finance to support annual and off-cycle compensation processes. 
• Analyze compensation data (base pay, bonuses, equity inputs, comp bands, and adjustments) to ensure accuracy, consistency, and alignment with internal frameworks. 
• Support compensation planning cycles by preparing data, validating eligibility, auditing changes, and ensuring timely system updates. 
• Maintain compensation documentation, audit trails, and reporting to support internal reviews and leadership decision-making. 
• Identify compensation-related process gaps or data issues and propose improvements that reduce rework and risk. 
• Partner with HR and Recruiting teams to ensure compensation decisions are executed cleanly and consistently across teams. 


• LA Site Leadership & Employee Experience
• Act as the People Ops point of contact for the Los Angeles office, supporting employees and managers on operational HR and Total Rewards-related questions.
• Partner with Facilities, IT, Security, and Finance to ensure a seamless and compliant employee experience across the employee lifecycle.
• Support local implementation of company-wide People programs, ensuring clarity, accuracy, and strong execution at the site level.


• Business Partnership & Operational Insights
• Provide operational and data-driven insights to People Leadership to inform decisions around compensation, performance, and workforce trends.
• Identify patterns in People data (compensation changes, turnover, payroll issues, benefits usage) and surface risks or opportunities proactively.
• Balance operational execution with continuous improvement, tightening processes while maintaining business speed.

Minimum Requirements:

• 6–8 years of progressive HR / People Operations experience, with deep ownership of HR systems and processes. 
• Demonstrated experience supporting compensation operations, data analysis, or Total Rewards administration (strategy ownership not required). 
• Strong understanding of payroll, benefits, and HR compliance, especially in California. 
• High attention to detail and comfort working with sensitive compensation data. 
• Ability to partner cross-functionally with Finance, HRBPs, and leadership without losing operational rigor. 
• A bias for action and comfort operating in a fast-paced, scaling environment. 

Preferred Skills and Experience:

• Experience with ADP and compensation planning tools. 
• Familiarity with equity administration workflows and bonus planning cycles. 
• SHRM-CP, PHR, or similar certification a plus. 

Working Conditions:

• Role is based on-site at the Los Angeles facility to ensure strong collaboration with engineering, manufacturing, and operations teams.
• Primarily office-based, with regular engagement on the production floor to support workforce initiatives and employee relations.
• Occasional travel to other Hermeus locations may be required for meetings, training, or company events.
• May involve extended hours during peak business cycles or critical program milestones.
• Fast-paced, dynamic, and highly collaborative environment aligned with Hermeus’ rapid design, build, and test culture.

Physical Requirements:

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Frequent walking through office, manufacturing, and test facility environments.
• Occasional standing, bending, or reaching as part of employee engagement or site walkthroughs.
• Must be able to lift up to 25 pounds occasionally (e.g., employee materials, office supplies, or equipment).
• Ability to adhere to safety requirements and wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) when entering production or test areas.
• Must be comfortable working in a fast-paced aerospace environment with exposure to light industrial noise and activity.