Manager, HR Systems & Services

General Position Summary

The Manager, HR Systems & Services is a hands-on HR leader responsible for reliable, compliant, and employee-centered HR services, with primary responsibility for payroll, benefits, Human Capital Management (HCM) systems, performance management administration, compliance, and employee support. Reporting to the VP, Human Resources, this role is expected to understand the Company’s priorities and culture, work independently, identify risks and improvement opportunities, and translate them into practical solutions. The position combines sound judgment and process improvement with detailed operational execution and close partnership across HR, General Afaris, Accounting & Finance, Legal, IT, and external vendors.

1. HR Operations & Employee Services – 20%

• Own and oversee recurring HR operational processes, ensuring accurate, timely, consistent, and employee-centered service delivery.
• Manage employee lifecycle activities including employee changes, transfers, leaves, separations, offboarding, employee records, and other HR transactions.
• Partner with Talent Acquisition to ensure a smooth transition from candidate acceptance through onboarding, including new-hire setup, HCM/payroll enrollment, benefit enrollment, required documentation, orientation, and onboarding coordination.
• Coordinate and administer employee leave processes, including applicable FMLA, disability, and other leave programs, ensuring appropriate documentation, deadlines, confidentiality, and employee/manager communication.
• Serve as an escalation point for operational HR and employee-service issues; independently research and resolve issues where possible and escalate matters involving significant business, legal, policy, or employee risk as appropriate.
• Establish and maintain HR operational calendars, checklists, standard operating procedures, service standards, documentation, and internal controls.
• Maintain cross-training and business continuity plans for critical HR operational processes.
• Identify recurring employee inquiries and operational pain points and develop practical solutions, communications, self-service resources, or process improvements to improve both efficiency and employee service.
• Coordinate HR vendor invoice processing, including review, submission to Accounting & Finance, payment follow-up, and supporting records.

2. Payroll Administration & Controls – 20%

• Own and coordinate the end-to-end bi-weekly payroll process in partnership with the Company’s payroll provider and internal stakeholders.
• Ensure accurate and timely processing of payroll-related changes, including new hires, terminations, compensation changes, deductions, benefit elections, garnishments, taxes, and other payroll inputs.
• Review payroll registers, exception reports, deductions, taxes, benefit deductions, and other payroll outputs for accuracy prior to payroll completion.
• Perform and support payroll reconciliations; investigate discrepancies, identify root causes, coordinate corrections, and document resolutions.
• Maintain accurate payroll records and ensure approved employee and compensation changes are properly reflected in payroll and HR systems.
• Research and resolve employee and manager payroll questions while maintaining a high level of customer service and confidentiality.
• Coordinate with Accounting & Finance and payroll providers on payroll funding, reporting, reconciliations, audits, tax matters, quarter-end and year-end activities, W-2 processing, and governmental inquiries.
• Monitor federal, state, and local payroll-related regulatory requirements and coordinate necessary operational or system changes.
• Develop and maintain payroll controls, process documentation, checklists, audit trails, and backup procedures to reduce errors and operational dependency.

3. Benefits Administration & Compliance – 30%

• Own the day-to-day administration of employee benefit programs, including medical, dental, vision, life and AD&D insurance, short- and long-term disability, FSA/HSA and related accounts, retirement plans, commuter benefits, and other Company-sponsored benefit programs.
• Manage benefit eligibility, enrollments, terminations, qualifying life events, beneficiary changes, COBRA administration, leave-related benefit changes, and employee benefit inquiries.
• Maintain accurate benefit elections, eligibility, deductions, and carrier data across UKG, payroll, carrier, and vendor systems.
• Perform monthly benefit reconciliations by comparing carrier invoices, employee elections, eligibility records, and payroll deductions; investigate and resolve discrepancies to ensure accurate employee deductions and employer payments.
• Coordinate benefit billing, funding, accounting reports, and related reconciliations with Accounting & Finance and external vendors.
• Support and administer the Company’s 401(k) plan, including employee elections, contributions, employer match, funding, vendor coordination, annual compliance testing, audits, and required employee communications.
• Lead the operational execution of annual Open Enrollment and benefit renewal implementation in partnership with HR leadership, brokers, carriers, and vendors.
• Prepare, coordinate, and maintain recurring benefit compliance requirements, notices, filings, and supporting records, including ACA reporting, Medicare Part D notices, Form 5500 support, retirement plan compliance requirements, and other applicable benefit-related obligations.
• Monitor changes in federal and state benefit regulations, evaluate their operational impact, coordinate with brokers, vendors, legal counsel, or other experts as appropriate, and implement required process, system, or employee communication changes.
• Develop and maintain employee benefit communications, orientation materials, guides, procedures, and self-service resources.
• Serve as a primary resource for employee benefit questions and complex benefit-service issues, coordinating directly with carriers and vendors when necessary.

4. HCM, Performance Management & Process Improvement – 20%

• Serve as a functional owner and administrator for the Company’s HCM systems and other HR systems supporting payroll, benefits, employee records, performance management, workflows, reporting, and other HR operations.
• Maintain HCM configuration, employee data, organizational data, system workflows, user access, permissions, security settings, and recurring system administration.
• Partner with vendors and IT to troubleshoot system issues, identify root causes, implement corrections, and maintain reliable integrations among HCM, payroll, benefit carriers, and other systems.
• Participate in HCM implementation and optimization activities, including requirements gathering, configuration review, testing, validation, issue resolution, documentation, training, and post-implementation improvement.
• Create and maintain recurring and ad hoc HR reports supporting payroll, benefits, compliance, budgeting, audits, workforce analysis, and management decision-making.
• Monitor HR data integrity and establish appropriate validation and reconciliation processes to identify and correct inaccurate or inconsistent data.
• Administer performance management processes and systems, including performance review cycle setup, workflow administration, employee and manager support, reporting, troubleshooting, and process improvement.
• Support the administration of annual merit increases, promotions, bonus processes, and other compensation-related HR system activities as assigned.
• Provide HR systems support and training to employees, managers, and HR team members.
• Identify opportunities to simplify, automate, standardize, or eliminate manual HR processes while maintaining appropriate controls and service quality.
• Maintain system and process documentation to support effective knowledge transfer, cross-training, and business continuity.
• Support HR data privacy, security, retention, and appropriate access requirements.

5. Compliance, Cross-Functional Support – 10%

• Maintain accurate, audit-ready HR records and coordinate recurring HR compliance reporting, filings, audits, and required employee notices, including EEO-1 and applicable state reporting.
• Maintain an annual compliance calendar and proactively manage deadlines, data, reviews, submissions, and supporting documentation.
• Monitor relevant federal, state, and local regulatory developments and coordinate operational changes with appropriate internal and external partners.
• Partner across HR, Accounting & Finance, Legal, IT, and vendors to support HR projects, resolve issues, and ensure consistent execution.

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, or a related field required.
• Master’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Organizational Development, or a related field preferred.

Certifications

• SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, SPHR, or CEBS preferred.
• Payroll, benefits, HCM, or project management certification is a plus.

Experience

• Minimum of 7-10 years of progressive HR experience with substantial hands-on responsibility for HR operations, payroll, employee benefits administration, and HCM.
• Demonstrated experience independently owning recurring HR operational processes from initiation through completion, rather than only supporting or coordinating activities performed by specialized teams.
• Hands-on experience administering employee benefit programs, including eligibility, enrollment, payroll deductions, carrier/vendor coordination, billing or reconciliation, and employee support.
• Experience administering payroll and reviewing payroll outputs, reconciliations, deductions, tax-related items, and payroll exceptions.
• Experience supporting retirement plan administration and recurring benefits or HR compliance activities preferred.
• Experience administering and optimizing HCM systems, including workflows, reporting, data validation, testing, user support, and system configuration; UKG experience strongly preferred.
• Experience administering performance management processes and systems preferred.
• Experience working with outsourced payroll providers, benefit brokers, carriers, third-party administrators, and other HR vendors.
• Experience supporting multi-state employee populations preferred.
• Experience working in a lean HR team where responsibilities span multiple HR operational areas strongly preferred.
• Experience in a multicultural, multinational, or cross-functional environment preferred.

Skills / Knowledge / Abilities

• Strong working knowledge of employee benefits administration, payroll administration, HCM, employee lifecycle processes, and HR operational controls.
• Exceptional attention to detail and commitment to accuracy, particularly when working with payroll, employee deductions, benefit eligibility, financial reconciliations, compliance deadlines, and employee data.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to identify discrepancies, trace issues to their root cause, and determine appropriate corrective action.
• Ability to understand complex operational requirements and translate them into clear, practical processes, controls, and employee communications.
• Strong systems aptitude and ability to understand relationships among HCM, payroll, benefit carriers, vendors, and related data flows.
• Demonstrated ability to independently research unfamiliar HR operational or regulatory issues, identify appropriate resources, involve subject-matter experts when necessary, and drive matters through resolution.
• Strong organizational, project management, prioritization, and follow-through skills, with the ability to manage multiple recurring deadlines and competing priorities.
• Strong customer-service orientation with the ability to deliver responsive employee support while also identifying opportunities for efficiency, self-service, and process improvement.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain complex payroll, benefits, system, or compliance matters clearly and concisely.
• Strong judgment and the ability to determine when matters can be resolved independently and when escalation is appropriate.
• Demonstrated discretion, integrity, and ability to handle confidential and sensitive employee information.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with HR colleagues who may have different roles, perspectives, and working styles.
• Ability to build productive relationships with employees, managers, executives, vendors, and cross-functional partners.
• Flexibility and adaptability to respond to changing business priorities and operational needs.

A benefits summary can be found by clicking on the Osaka Gas USA Benefits Overview.

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