Director, People Operations and Total Rewards (, AZ, United States)

Overview

The Director, People Operations & Total Rewards is responsible for the strategic leadership and operational execution of People Operations, Total Rewards, HR compliance, and HR technology governance. This role oversees HR Operations and HRIS resources and serves as the primary leader ensuring scalable, compliant, and efficient people processes. The Director partners closely with executive leadership to drive employee experience, operational effectiveness, cost management, and organizational capability.

Responsibilities

The Director provides leadership and oversight for the organization’s people infrastructure, including HR Operations, compensation, benefits, compliance, and HRIS governance. Key responsibilities include:

• Ensuring efficient delivery of HR services and maintaining regulatory compliance.
• Optimizing technology and processes to support scalable programs.
• Leading continuous improvement efforts and managing key vendor relationships.
• Developing internal capabilities and partnering across the organization to deliver a high-quality employee experience.
• Balancing strategic thinking with operational execution and reducing dependency on individual expertise.

Functional Competencies

• People Operations Leadership, HR service delivery, Employee lifecycle management
• Process design and optimization, Operational effectiveness, Metrics and dashboard development
• Project and change management
• Total Rewards: Compensation philosophy and administration, Salary structures and job architecture, Market pricing and pay practices, Incentive and bonus programs, Benefits administration and vendor management, Cost and utilization management
• Compliance and Risk Management: Employment laws and regulations, Policy development and administration, Audit preparedness, Risk assessment and mitigation
• Leave and accommodation processes, Regulatory reporting, HR Technology and Analytics, HRIS governance, Reporting and workforce analytics
• Data integrity and process controls, Technology optimization, Vendor management, Continuous improvement
• Financial and Business Acumen: Budget management, Workforce planning, Cost-benefit analysis, ROI evaluation, Resource prioritization
• Strategic planning, Talent Development, Coaching and development, Succession planning, Building organizational capability, Cross-functional collaboration, Team leadership

Core Competencies

• Strategic Thinking : Anticipates future needs, aligns priorities with business objectives, and develops long-term solutions.
• Business Acumen : Understands the relationship between people practices and business performance and makes decisions with both operational and financial impacts.
• Leadership and Influence : Builds trust, develops talent, and influences stakeholders across all levels.
• Operational Excellence : Drives process improvement, simplification, accountability, and execution.
• Change Leadership : Leads through ambiguity, embraces continuous improvement, and manages organizational change.
• Collaboration : Develops strong partnerships and fosters teamwork across functions and external partners.
• Problem Solving and Decision Making : Uses sound judgment, analytical thinking, and data to make effective decisions.
• Customer Focus : Delivers responsive, high-quality service while balancing employee experience with business needs.
• Accountability : Takes ownership of outcomes and holds self and others responsible for results.
• Continuous Learning : Promotes innovation, develops internal capability, and encourages ongoing professional growth.
• Communication : Communicates clearly and effectively, tailoring messages to executives, leaders, employees, and external partners.

Behavioral Competencies

• Collegiality: Building strong relationships, approachable, helpful, and supportive.
• Initiative: Readiness to lead or take action to achieve goals.
• Communicative: Ability to relay issues, concepts, and ideas orally and in writing.
• Member-focused: Going above and beyond to make members feel seen, valued, and appreciated.
• Detail-oriented and thorough: Managing and completing details without too much oversight.
• Flexible and responsive: Adapting to new demands and changes.
• Critical Thinking: Troubleshooting complex issues and multitasking.
• Integrity & responsibility: Ownership of decisions and confidentiality when required.
• Collaborative: Representing own interests while being fair to others for workable solutions.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business, or related field.
• 7+ years of progressive HR experience.
• 3+ years of leadership experience.
• Remote readiness: Internet service with 50 Mbps download and 10 Mbps upload while hardwired and not on a VPN.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in healthcare, insurance, or highly regulated industries.
• Experience with Workday or other enterprise HRIS platforms.
• Exposure to compensation and benefits programs.
• Experience supporting compliance initiatives.
• SHRM-SCP, SPHR, CEBS, or similar certifications.
• Lean, Six Sigma, or process improvement experience.

Pay and Benefits

Pay ranges are determined by skill, expertise, or experience and vary by geographic zone:Zone A: $110,000.00-$200,400.00
Zone B: $119,400.00-$218,450.00
Zone C: $128,500.00-$235,000.00
FLSA Status: Salary/Exempt
Eligibility for benefits, bonuses, and commission.

Benefits include medical, dental, supplemental health, life and vision coverage with no wait period, life and disability insurance, a 401(k) with company match, tuition assistance, paid parental leave, backup family care, flexible time off, growing work environments, employee resource groups, and social responsibility initiatives.

Equal Employment Opportunity

At Avēsis, we celebrate differences and are building a culture of inclusivity and diversity. We are proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer that considers all qualified applicants and does not discriminate against any person based on ancestry, age, citizenship, color, creed, disability, familial status, gender, gender expression, gender identity, marital status, military or veteran status, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic.