HR Manager

Local Foreigner is a boutique consultancy specializing in high-end curated travel. Whether orchestrating a romantic weekend in Paris or planning an epic Patagonian expedition, we transform travel aspirations into flawless realities. Our mission is to deliver the most personalized travel experience through caring service and a seamless planning process. We embody a sophisticated global perspective paired with warm, personal service — qualities we look for in every member of our team. We're looking for an HR Manager to own the full people function at Local Foreigner — the systems, policies, and relationships that support our employees and remote contractors and enable them to do their best work. You'll lead the full employee lifecycle from recruiting through offboarding, oversee our policies and compliance, manage compensation and benefits, and serve as a trusted, confidential resource for employees and managers on matters ranging from performance and development to workplace questions and concerns. This is a hands‑on role in a small, growing company and an opportunity for someone who wants to help shape how Local Foreigner approaches its people. You'll own the HR function from both a strategic and day‑to‑day perspective, making sure our people processes are thoughtful, consistent, well‑documented, and aligned with the needs of the business. You'll partner closely with company leadership on workforce planning, organizational development, and talent management, while building and improving the systems, documentation, and processes that support our team today and can evolve as we grow. RESPONSIBILITIES Own the full employee and contractor lifecycle, including recruiting, offers, onboarding, documentation, time off, and offboarding. Draft, maintain, and administer internal HR policies, contractor policies, and the employee handbook. Ensure policies are clearly communicated, consistently applied, and regularly reviewed and updated as the company and applicable requirements evolve. Develop and maintain the annual HR plan, including key initiatives, compliance requirements, benefits and compensation cycles, employee programs, and other priorities for the year ahead. Maintain HR systems and provide accurate reporting and data to support leadership decision making, including organizational, compensation, headcount, and other people related information Lead the annual performance and compensation review process company-wide, including coordinating reviews, supporting managers with performance conversations, conducting market benchmarking, and supporting leadership with annual raise recommendations and compensation communications. Partner with leadership on workforce planning, organizational development, and talent management, including headcount planning, tracking open roles, projecting future hiring needs, and identifying opportunities to strengthen our people practices as the company grows. Support talent development and retention by partnering with managers and leadership to identify development opportunities, support employee growth, and strengthen the employee experience. Serve as a trusted, confidential resource for employees, contractors, and managers on performance, development, workplace questions, and concerns. Lead employee relations matters, including performance improvement plans, corrective action, conflict resolution, and coach managers through performance and people related situations. Own HR compliance and risk management, ensuring required employment and HR processes are completed accurately and on time. This includes managing travel participation waivers, employment verification, required notices and records, and coordinating with outside counsel on employment matters. Maintain accurate and confidential employee and contractor records, including personnel files, agreements, compensation information, organizational data, required documentation, and other employment records. Own Local Foreigner's relationship with our PEO, including platform management, vendor coordination, employee administration, and issue resolution. Manage benefits administration, including health, dental, vision, and 401(k) plans. Lead annual open enrollment and support employees with benefits questions, changes, and issue resolution. Manage payroll for employees, reviewing payroll information for accuracy and timely processing. Manage payments for Philippines based contractors, including reviewing contractor invoices, confirming approved rates and time, and coordinating and processing payments accurately and on time. Oversee the annual collection of WBEN tax forms with support from the Administrative Coordinators. Manage companywide PTO, Remote Work, and leave processes, including holiday and floating holiday scheduling, time off tracking, and related employee communications, with support from the Administrative Coordinator. Support employee engagement, wellness, and culture initiatives, including administering the company's employee engagement budget and policy and coordinating company outings, team lunches, and other employee experiences. Partner and oversee the Administrative Coordinators on day-to-day HR administration and execution, ensuring recurring people processes are completed efficiently and consistently. Identify opportunities to improve HR processes, documentation, systems, and workflows and build practical, scalable infrastructure that strengthens the employee experience and supports Local Foreigner as it grows. WHAT YOU BRING Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field. 5+ years of progressive HR experience — including full-cycle recruiting, employee relations, and compliance — ideally within a fast-paced, small-business environment. Experience managing a PEO relationship (Justworks or similar) and familiarity with core employment law and compliance fundamentals. Demonstrated discretion and sound judgment handling confidential and sensitive employee matters. Experience supporting a remote, international contractor workforce is a plus. Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the confidence to coach managers and communicate effectively across all levels of the organization. Proactive, resourceful, and process‑oriented, with experience building or improving HR documentation, policies, and workflows from the ground up. Highly organized, with the ability to manage multiple confidential matters and deadlines simultaneously. Proficient in Microsoft Office and HRIS/PEO platforms; experience with Atlassian products (Jira Service Management, Confluence, etc) is a plus. Positive, people‑first attitude with genuine care for team culture, and a reflection of Local Foreigner's brand ethos. COMPENSATION & BENEFITS Salary: $120,000 Annually Location: New York-based, in-office. Benefits: Employee medical, dental & vision benefits Retirement & Profit-Sharing Plan (401k) 15 days of Paid Time Off, 11 annual holidays, 4 religious floating holidays Remote Fridays after six months of employment Up to 20 additional one-off remote workdays per year, subject to manager approval and business needs Training & Development opportunities Benefits are subject to change without notice. #J-18808-Ljbffr