Senior Manager, HR Operations

Senior Manager, HR OperationsNew York, NYSemafor is a global news platform for an increasingly complex world in which consumers are overwhelmed by too many news sources and unsure what to trust. We are building Semafor to enable world-class journalists to deliver reporting and insights with rigor in journalistic forms that ensure a new level of transparency. Our editors and reporters distill the most important stories from all over in formats that uncover the forces shaping the stories, explain the interests behind polarizing narratives, and replenish the stock of shared facts. As a global platform, Semafor recognizes that smart people can disagree and that informed readers need to understand alternative points of view from competing centers of power and culture in a multi-polar world. Want to join us? Read on.About This RoleWe're looking for a Senior Manager of HR Operations who combines strong people-operations expertise with hands-on office management skills and sharp project management instincts. This is a hybrid role: part of your time will be spent running the systems, processes, and compliance work that keep our employee lifecycle running smoothly, and part will be spent as the operational backbone of our physical workspace — including leading our upcoming office move from planning through execution.You'll report directly to the CFO and work closely with Finance, HR, IT, and department leaders across the company to ensure our people operations are efficient, accurate, and aligned with broader business systems.What You'll DoHR Operations & Employee LifecycleOwn the end-to-end onboarding and offboarding process, ensuring a smooth, compliant, and well-documented experience for new hires and departing employeesManage and maintain our HR systems and technology stack — including Rippling (HRIS), ChartHop (people analytics/org data), and Greenhouse (ATS) — ensuring data integrity and system optimizationIdentify opportunities to optimize workflows, automate manual processes, and improve the employee and manager experience through HR technology.Maintain and update personnel files in accordance with legal and company recordkeeping requirementsOwn the employee handbook and policy documents, keeping them current with employment law and company practiceManage the PTO approval process and ensure accurate tracking and reporting of time offProduce regular HR reporting and analytics for leadership, including headcount, turnover, and compliance metricsProvide operational support across key People initiatives, including talent management, annual performance reviews, compensation planning, promotions, organizational changes.Develop, document and continuously improve People Operations processes and standard operating procedures to support scalability.Cross-Functional & Systems AlignmentPartner with Finance to align Rippling/ChartHop data, tagging conventions, and terminology with the Finance ERP system, ensuring consistency across systemsCoordinate with IT on device inventory management and equipment provisioning/deprovisioning tied to employee onboarding and offboarding in RipplingDesign and configure workflows in Rippling, ChartHop, and Greenhouse to support key people initiatives, including annual performance reviews and employee engagement/feedback surveysServe as a key point of contact across departments for people-related process questions and improvementsWorkplace Operations& Project LeadershipLead the planning and execution of the company's upcoming NYC office move, partnering with Finance, IT, building management, and external vendors to deliver the project on time and within budget. Responsibilities include project planning, timeline management, vendor and building coordination, budget tracking, furniture/equipment logistics, risk management, and employee communications to ensure a seamless transition with minimal business disruption.Act as the day-to-day office manager for a fast-paced, open office environment, overseeing supplies, vendor coordination, equipment, and general office operationsApply strong critical thinking and project management skills to anticipate risks, solve problems proactively, and keep cross-functional stakeholders aligned throughout the moveCoordinate with building facilities teams on repairs, security, and general office upkeepSupport the setup and execution of company events, all-hands meetings, and employee recognition programs as neededWhat Makes You QualifiedBachelor's degree preferred, or equivalent professional experience5+ years of experience in HR operations, people operations, or a related field, ideally with some office management or facilities exposureDemonstrated experience managing a project with significant logistical complexity (e.g., office move, systems implementation, event at scale) is a strong plusHands-on experience with Rippling, ChartHop, and Greenhouse strongly preferred; comfort configuring, troubleshooting, and optimizing HR technology toolsStrong understanding of core HR processes: onboarding/offboarding, personnel recordkeeping, leave/PTO administration, and policy documentationExcellent project management skills — able to build a plan, manage a timeline, track a budget, and drive multiple workstreams to completionStrong critical thinking and proactive problem-solving skills; comfortable making decisions independently and escalating judiciouslyExcellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate clearly across all levels of the organizationHighly organized and detail-oriented, with strong follow-through on deadlines and deliverablesProficiency in Google Workspace and SlackProfessional demeanor with the ability to maintain strict confidentialityComfortable working in a fast-paced, evolving environment and wearing multiple hatsAdditional Job DetailsSalary Range: Pay is based on several factors including but not limited to education, work experience, certifications, etc. Base: $130,000 - $145,000 per year.Semafor offers a Flexible Paid Time Off (PTO) policy to our full-time, salaried employees who may take paid time off as-needed without a prescribed limit or defined balance.Semafor, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer and enthusiastically encourages people from all backgrounds and experiences to apply. Semafor, Inc. will consider all applicants without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical and/or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, age, sexual orientation, military or veteran status, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.