Human Resources & Payroll Director

Company Description

Galileo Learning’s mission is to develop innovators who envision and create a better world.

We provide out-of-school enrichment programs that build innovation skills, growth mindset, and creative confidence across a variety of offerings. We run neighborhood summer day camps for families, deliver expanded learning programs for school districts, and empower educational institutions and service providers with curriculum and instructional support.

We bring our mission to life through the Galileo Innovation Approach (GIA): combining mindset, process, and knowledge to drive meaningful outcomes for students and for each other. This shows up in how we collaborate, make decisions, and continuously improve our work.

We are:

• Visionary: We think beyond what exists today and work toward what’s possible.

• Courageous: We take ownership, make decisions with imperfect information, and lean into challenges.

• Collaborative: We work across teams and perspectives, assuming positive intent and building strong partnerships.

• Determined: We follow through, hold a high bar for quality, and stay focused on delivering results that matter for our students and partners

• Reflective: We learn from experience, use data and feedback to improve, and continuously evolve how we work.

We operate with a high level of ownership and care for our work, our partners, and each other.

As the Director of Human Resources & Payroll at Galileo Learning, you will play a pivotal role in shaping and enhancing our HR, payroll, compliance, and employee relations functions to support our mission of empowering young innovators. You will lead a small but mighty team overseeing HR operations, payroll, and compliance, ensuring our policies, practices, and employee experience meet the highest standards of legal compliance, equity, and organizational values.

You will guide complex employee relations matters, oversee payroll operations for all employee groups, ensure alignment with compliance standards, and partner across departments to foster a safe, positive, and inclusive work environment. Your leadership will extend to final payroll approval, high-stakes investigations, escalated employee matters, and ensuring efficient, scalable processes that uphold trust and accuracy.

Why this Role Matters

This role powers the operational and people foundation that makes Galileo's mission possible. By maintaining high-trust compliance, equitable employee relations, and reliable payroll across all HQ and seasonal staff, the Director of Human Resources & Payroll ensures that our organization can scale smoothly while remaining deeply committed to our core values. You will serve as a vital partner to leadership, driving continuous process improvement and cultivating an environment where diverse talents shine and every employee is supported.

You will be Accountable For

HR Leadership and Team Management

• Lead the design and implementation of HR policies and procedures, ensuring they are up-to-date and compliant with relevant laws and regulations.

• Develop and implement risk management strategies to ensure a safe and healthy work environment.

• Oversee compliance with workplace safety regulations and lead initiatives to mitigate risks.

• Manage, coach, and develop a team of 3 year-round direct reports, setting priorities, timelines, and success measures for each functional area of HR.

• Lead the development of HR resources to provide guidance and support on complex personnel issues and termination consultations.

• Partner with leaders to proactively address workplace concerns and maintain positive employee relations.

Employee Relations

• Serve as the escalation point for complex and sensitive employee relations matters, including workplace investigations, performance concerns, and disciplinary actions.

• Ensure all employee relations processes are handled with fairness, consistency, and in compliance with applicable laws and organizational policies.

• Provide coaching and guidance to leaders on addressing workplace concerns proactively.

• Partner with legal and compliance resources as needed to mitigate risk and ensure adherence to best practices.

Payroll Oversight

• Direct payroll strategy, developing sustainable and scalable processes to enable accurate and timely payroll processing.

• Oversee payroll operations for HQ staff, Camp Directors, and seasonal summer staff.

• Manage and support the Payroll Lead and Payroll Specialists, ensuring accurate and timely pay for all employees.

• Be accountable for final payroll approval and ensuring efficient, scalable payroll practices.

• Partner with the People Program Manager to ensure systems issues are resolved and that payroll reporting needs are met, without being the sole ADP administrator.

HR Compliance and Reporting

• Oversee employment requirements for all staff, including onboarding compliance, background check, and ongoing certifications across HQ, CDs, and summer staff.

• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations.

• Regularly review and update HR policies to reflect changes in legislation and best practices.

• Develop and manage an auditing system for HR processes to ensure accuracy, compliance, and continuous improvement.

• Generate and analyze HR reports to provide actionable insights to leadership and support data-driven decision-making.

ADP HR Relationship Management

• Manage the relationship with ADP HR services, with primary focus on the HRBP relationship.

• Coordinate with ADP representatives to address and resolve system issues and enhancements, in collaboration with the People Program Manager.

Total Rewards

• Oversee the development and administration of total rewards programs, including compensation, benefits, and recognition initiatives.

• Conduct market research to ensure Galileo's compensation and benefits offerings remain competitive and equitable.

Performance Management

• Lead the performance management process, including goal setting, performance evaluations, and development planning.

• Partner with leaders to ensure consistent and effective performance management practices across the organization.

• Collaboratively inform learning and development priorities for HQ staff and partner with the head of People and CEO to lead the managers' learning resources and learning sessions.

Qualifications

• Inspired by Galileo's mission and purpose; eager to participate in a professional, welcoming, camp-inspired culture.

• 8+ years of progressive experience in human resources management, with at least 3 years leading and developing a team.

• Demonstrated expertise in employee relations, including managing complex workplace investigations, performance management, and disciplinary actions with fairness and consistency.

• Strong working knowledge of multi-jurisdiction employment compliance, with deep fluency in California employment law (wage and hour, leave, pay transparency, and final pay requirements).

• Hands-on experience overseeing large-scale or seasonal payroll operations, including final payroll approval and the design of scalable, accurate payroll processes; experience with ADP strongly preferred.

• A track record of upholding and promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in all aspects of people operations.

• Proven ability to develop and audit HR processes for accuracy, compliance, and continuous improvement, and to translate HR data into actionable insights for leadership.

• Experience administering total rewards programs, including compensation benchmarking, benefits, and recognition.

• An operations self-starter and innovator who is comfortable navigating complex or ambiguous challenges, motivated to simplify structures and systems, and dedicated to execution.

• A strong communicator with proven excellence in building relationships, influencing others, and communicating clearly and effectively across all levels of an organization.

• SHRM-SCP, SHRM-CP, SPHR, or PHR certification preferred.

We strongly encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds and experiences, and we are committed to equitable and inclusive hiring practices. If you think you have what it takes to be successful in this role, we encourage you to apply!

Work Location

Preferred location: Oakland, CA or Greater San Francisco Bay Area. Employees located in the San Francisco Bay Area adhere to a hybrid office and work-from-home policy. Galileo Headquarters is located at 111 Myrtle St, Ste 300, Oakland, CA 94607.

Remote, work-from-home location may be possible in the following states: California.

Schedule & Time Commitment

This is a full-time position, averaging 40 hours per week. While we prioritize work-life balance, there may be times when additional hours are necessary to meet deadlines and ensure the success of our programs.

Compensation

We anticipate total compensation for this salaried, Full-Time, exempt position to be approximately $115,000 - $140,000 annually. Exact compensation may vary and will be based on multiple factors, including geography and professional experience.

Our pay practices are guided by a commitment to equity and informed by market benchmarking and internal audits to minimize bias and ensure fairness across all roles.

Benefits

We offer comprehensive benefits that reflect our commitment to supporting diverse needs:

• No-cost medical insurance for employees (additional plans and options to add dependents available at cost)

• Vision and Dental Insurance

• 401k benefits after 1 year of employment

• Flexible Paid Time Off - time off is not limited, and we strongly recommend that employees take time off to rest and recharge.

• Unlimited free camp for your child(ren), OR two free weeks to be gifted (including AM/PM Extended Care)

• Friends and Family Discount for Galileo Camps

• Priority scholarship nominations for Galileo Camps

• Generous parental leave and extensive support with leave planning

• Employee Assistance Program, options for life insurance, and more!

Additional Information

Please note that our job descriptions are a summary of the typical functions of the job, not an exhaustive or comprehensive list of all possible responsibilities, tasks, and duties.

We comply with the ADA and provide reasonable accommodations that allow qualified applicants/employees to perform the essential functions of the job. To request an accommodation, contact our Human Resources team.

During the onboarding process, in accordance with applicable local and state requirements, you may be required to complete a Tuberculosis (TB) screening, background check(s), and state-mandated training(s). More details will be provided during your onboarding process.

Physical Demands

• Occasionally lift and carry up to 30 lbs.

• operate a computer (including typing, reading)

• Seeing, hearing, and speaking, both nearby and at a distance

• Use hands and fingers to help with classroom supplies and operate equipment

• Frequent standing, walking, kneeling, and sitting

Equal Opportunity Employer

Galileo Learning is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any type and provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.