Director, People Operations and Administration in Port Chester, New York at The Shade Store

Director, People Operations and Administration

Title: Director, People Operations & Administration

Location: Remote; Port Chester, NY (Hybrid)

Compensation: $145,000 160,000 (annual base salary)

ABOUT THE SHADE STORE

At The Shade Store, we have handcrafted the finest Shades, Blinds and Drapery for 75 years. We believe designing beautiful custom window treatments should be an effortless experience, so we offer outstanding services to help our customers every step of the way, from inspiration to installation. We are always looking for friendly, passionate individuals to join our team and deliver the finest custom window treatment experience. Our team is expanding, and there has never been a more exciting time to be a part of it.

THE POSITION:

The Director, People Operations & Administration serves as the operational backbone of the People function and is responsible for the governance, execution, continuous improvement, and administration of key human resources programs and processes across the employee lifecycle. In addition to serving as the system-of-record owner for employee data, transactions, and compliance administration, this role leads several enterprise People programs, including onboarding and offboarding.

Reporting to the Vice President, People Operations & Total Rewards, the Director will partner closely with the entire people function, Finance, Legal, and business leaders to ensure People programs are executed consistently, efficiently, and in alignment with company policies and strategic objectives. They are responsible for building scalable operating practices, creating operational rigor through documented procedures and controls, and ensuring a high-quality employee experience throughout key moments of the employee lifecycle.

As a newly established role, this position offers a unique opportunity to build and shape the operational foundation of the People function, creating scalable processes, controls, and programs that will support the organization's continued growth.

This position may be performed remotely or in a hybrid capacity from our Port Chester, NY headquarters; candidates able to regularly work on-site are strongly preferred.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

People Operations Leadership

• Lead the People Operations function and oversee employee lifecycle administration, operational governance, and service delivery.
• Develop scalable operating practices, controls, and standards that support organizational growth while maintaining compliance and data integrity.
• Lead and develop People Operations team members, fostering accountability, continuous improvement, and operational excellence.

Employee Lifecycle Administration

• Own the design, administration, and continuous improvement of enterprise onboarding and offboarding programs, ensuring an effective and consistent employee experience.
• Own and govern employee lifecycle transactions, including hires, transfers, reporting changes, organizational changes, and separations.
• Ensure all employee transactions are processed accurately, timely, and in accordance with established approval workflows and control standards.
• Partner with Payroll, Benefits, Talent Acquisition, and People Business Partners to ensure seamless execution of employee lifecycle events.

Data Governance, Controls & Compliance

• Serve as the business owner of employee data governance and People systems administration.
• Establish and maintain controls surrounding employee data, organizational changes, compensation actions, approvals, and system access.
• Maintain appropriate segregation of duties, approval workflows, and user access controls across People systems and processes.
• Maintain compliance with employment administration requirements, including personnel records, I-9 administration, E-Verify, document retention, and FLSA classification reviews.
• Monitor evolving employment laws and regulatory requirements, translating changes into operational processes, controls, and practices that support ongoing compliance.
• Conduct periodic audits of employee records, approvals, workflows, security access, and transaction activity.
• Identify operational risks and implement corrective actions to strengthen compliance and control effectiveness.
• Support workforce reporting and data requests by ensuring the integrity, availability, and governance of employee data.

Operational Excellence & Process Governance

• Create, document, and maintain standard operating procedures (SOPs), process documentation, approval matrices, and RACI frameworks across People processes.
• Establish governance standards for employee transactions and operational workflows.
• Evaluate existing processes and implement best practices that improve efficiency, scalability, consistency, and audit readiness.
• Partner with HRIS resources to optimize workflows, automation, reporting, and system controls.

Additional Functional Leadership

• Lead the operational administration of annual compensation and bonus planning cycles, partnering with stakeholders across the People and Finance teams and business leadership to ensure accurate and timely execution.
• Manage the People team budget, invoices, vendors, and contracts, partnering with Finance and external providers to ensure effective stewardship of departmental resources and services.
• Serve as the People Operations lead for audits, due diligence activities, compliance reviews, and other enterprise initiatives requiring HR data, documentation, and operational support.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

• 8+ years of progressive HR operations, HR administration, or shared services experience, ideally including leadership at the Senior Manager or Director level.
• Extensive experience supporting multi-state U.S. operations, including New York, Florida, California, and remote workforces.
• Strong knowledge of FLSA classification requirements and experience conducting exemption reviews and job classification assessments.
• Experience supporting large populations in retail, manufacturing, field, or multi-site operations preferred.
• Strong knowledge of HR compliance requirements, including I-9, E-Verify, document retention, and employee records administration.
• Demonstrated experience designing and maintaining internal controls, process governance, and operations workflows.
• Proven ability to lead process improvement, increase efficiency of existing operations, implement best practices, and deliver organizational change initiatives.

• Interest or experience in leveraging AI and emerging technologies to improve operational efficiency, automate processes, and enhance the employee experience.

• Direct experience with Paycom preferred or comparable HCM platforms.
• Exceptional attention to detail and commitment to data accuracy.
• Ability to balance service delivery with compliance and control requirements.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and organizational skills.
• Ability to influence and collaborate across all levels of the organization.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills for interacting with employees, management, and external stakeholders
• PHR, SPHR, SHRM-CP, or SHRM-SCP certification or equivalent highly preferred.
• Bilingual Spanish a plus, but not required

WHY WORK AT THE SHADE STORE

We set out to create a company culture that is enjoyable and rewarding, where team members can have meaningful impact. Below are some of the perks and benefits of working at TSS:

• Competitive salary

• Medical Benefits

• 401k with Company Match

• Up to $100k Life Insurance & Short-Term Disability (Employer Paid)

• Legal and Pet Insurance Plans

• Employee Assistance Program

• Product Discount

THE SHADE STORE offer is contingent upon:

• Proof of legal authorization to work in the United States for The Shade Store, which will be confirmed by E-Verify within three business days of your hire date

The Shade Store provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type 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.