Manager - Human Resources

HR Operations ManagerEquity Methods seeks a results-focused, detail-oriented HR professional to own and execute the firm's core human resources operations. In this role, you will manage multi-state compliance, payroll, benefits, onboarding, offboarding, and the many recurring processes that keep our team of 160+ professionals supported and the firm in good standing across more than ten states. This role reports to the CFO and works closely with firm leadership, external legal counsel, and outside vendors. You will be responsible for ensuring that every HR process runs on time, accurately, and with a level of care and polish consistent with how we approach everything at Equity Methods. You will be expected to exercise strong working knowledge of the regulatory landscape, flag issues proactively, and collaborate effectively with the CFO and external counsel on matters involving legal or compliance risk. We are looking for someone who combines operational rigor and hands-on execution with commercial awareness. This is not a role for someone who simply processes transactions. The ideal candidate understands why things matter, such as how a smooth onboarding experience shapes a new hire's perception of the firm and how compliance gaps create business risk.The Role in a NutshellServe as the firm's day-to-day HR operations owner, responsible for the accurate and timely execution of payroll, benefits administration, onboarding, offboarding, and related processes across all states in which the firm has employees.Manage multi-state employment compliance, including tracking and implementing requirements related to wage and hour laws, mandatory postings, state-specific leave laws, pay transparency rules, and new-hire reporting. Maintain current knowledge of the regulatory environment and flag emerging issues to the CFO and legal counsel.Administer employee benefits programs, including health insurance, 401(k), HSA/FSA, and other offerings. Support the annual open enrollment process by coordinating logistics, employee communications, and enrollment tracking.Own the employee handbook and HR policy documentation. Ensure policies are current, reflect multi-state requirements, and are updated as the firm expands into new jurisdictions.Manage I-9/E-Verify compliance and maintain accurate employment eligibility documentation for all employees.Serve as the HRIS system administrator—maintaining employee records, ensuring data integrity, running reports, and driving adoption of system capabilities that reduce manual work.Coordinate and project-manage the annual performance review and merit pay cycle. This includes managing timelines, distributing materials, tracking completion, and ensuring the process runs smoothly. The substance of performance evaluations and compensation decisions will be owned by firm leadership.Coordinate mandatory training programs (e.g., harassment prevention, security awareness) across the firm, including tracking completion and ensuring compliance with state-specific requirements.Administer workers' compensation, including coordination with the firm's insurance broker, managing claims, and ensuring appropriate coverage as the workforce evolves.Manage onboarding logistics for new hires—ensuring that equipment, systems access, paperwork, and day-one readiness are handled seamlessly—and execute offboarding processes that are thorough, professional, and compliant.Collaborate with the CFO and external legal counsel on compliance and HR-related topics. This includes conducting research, compiling information, and bringing well-organized perspectives that inform sound decisions.Support the tracking and analysis of key HR metrics, including recruiting, turnover, performance, and employee satisfaction.Contribute to and support strategic HR initiatives as they arise, bringing strong project management skills and attention to detail.Our Culture and Method of Doing Business. We are:Zealous about exceptional client service and delighting every client, large or small. For this role, we think about internal clients.Commercially minded. We exercise judgment and intuition, not just process. Sometimes the right call involves taking a calculated risk because it makes good business sense.Agile and execution-focused. We are people of action. We don't have managers who just sit back and talk.Growth-oriented. We welcome new challenges and support professional development in our outstanding colleagues.Feedback-heavy and mentoring-rich. Our team members achieve professional growth via hands-on experience and ongoing feedback.All about impact. Our professionals love the opportunity to make a positive impact on clients, each other, and the long-run trajectory of the business.Hardworking. All the above items take time, even for very smart and efficient people. We don't punch out at 5 when our team needs us.Qualifications & Requirements5 or more years of progressive HR experience (with a minimum of two years of HR manager experience), with meaningful exposure to multi-state compliance and HR operations in a professional services or similarly dynamic environment.Strong working knowledge of federal and state employment laws, including wage and hour regulations, FMLA, ADA, I-9/E-Verify requirements, and state-specific leave and pay transparency laws. Specific California experience is needed.Hands-on experience administering payroll, benefits (health, 401(k), HSA/FSA), and workers' compensation programs.Experience managing or coordinating performance review cycles and annual open enrollment processes.Proficiency with HRIS platforms and comfort serving as a system administrator who drives data quality and reporting.Strong project management skills and the ability to manage multiple concurrent workstreams with competing deadlines.Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Ability to produce polished employee-facing communications and internal documentation.Strong detail and accuracy orientation in all activities.Commercial awareness and a service-oriented mindset—you understand that HR operations exist to support the business and its people, not the other way around.Ability and willingness to think critically, research independently, and solve problems without heavy supervision.Comfort in a fast-paced, evolving environment with fluid role boundaries.Bachelor's degree required. PHR, SHRM-CP, or equivalent certification is valued.Background check required.About Equity Methods Equity Methods is a finance, accounting, and human capital consulting firm that embraces the synergistic role of technology and subject-matter expertise to create exceptional client engagements. We deliver impact-rich services across three core practice groups: financial reporting, valuation services, and HR advisory. With over 160 professionals and experience serving over 1,000 publicly traded clients (including 50 Fortune 100 companies), Equity Methods combines the best traits of an industry-leading professional services firm with the best of an entrepreneurial, technology-enabled company. For 10 consecutive years, Equity Methods has been rated #1 in client satisfaction and loyalty among financial reporting providers in Group Five's Stock Plan Administration Benchmarking Study. We have consistently been rated a Top Company to Work for in Arizona.