Job Summary

The Director, HR Operational Excellence is responsible for leading the governance, performance management, continuous improvement, analytics, knowledge management, and project delivery functions within HR Operations. Working in partnership with the Directors of HR Operations Service Delivery and People Systems, this role enables the execution of the HR Operations strategy by establishing operational standards, improving processes, advancing data-driven decision making, and ensuring consistent application of policies, procedures, controls, and service delivery practices across the organization.

Reporting to the Senior Director, HR Operations, the Director partners closely with HR Operations Service Delivery, People Systems, Payroll, Total Rewards, Talent Acquisition, business leaders, and external partners to improve organizational effectiveness, increase operational efficiency, strengthen governance, and enhance the employee experience.

This leader is responsible for establishing and sustaining an operational excellence culture focused on continuous improvement, knowledge management, analytics, project execution, compliance, and operational performance. The role plays a critical leadership function in supporting both Day 1 operational stability and the future modernization of HR Operations through process improvement, automation, self-service, and AI-enabled capabilities.

Responsibilities

HR Operations Strategy & Governance

· Partner with the Senior Director, HR Operations and peer leaders to execute the HR Operations strategy, operating model, and priorities.

· Lead the Operational Excellence function, including Knowledge & Policy Management, Process Excellence, and Reporting & Analytics.

· Drive operational consistency through adoption of established policies, standards, controls, and governance practices.

· Monitor organizational performance and identify opportunities to improve service delivery, operational effectiveness, employee experience, and productivity.

· Lead cross-functional initiatives that improve operational performance, reduce risk, and strengthen organizational capabilities.

· Establish and facilitate operational review processes that promote accountability, transparency, and continuous improvement across HR Operations.

Operational Excellence & Continuous Improvement

· Build and maintain a culture of continuous improvement across HR Operations.

· Lead process redesign, harmonization, standardization, and optimization initiatives.

· Identify opportunities to improve efficiency through process improvement, workflow automation, self-service enablement, and technology adoption.

· Implement methodologies that improve operational effectiveness, productivity, quality, and scalability.

· Establish operational maturity and service delivery improvement roadmaps.

· Ensure operational excellence efforts remain aligned to business priorities and organizational objectives.

Knowledge Management & Policy Governance

· Provide executive oversight for organizational knowledge management and policy governance programs.

· Ensure policies, procedures, service catalogs, standard operating procedures, and knowledge articles are maintained and continuously improved.

· Establish governance processes that promote consistency and reduce operational risk.

· Ensure employees, managers, and HR teams have access to accurate, current, and actionable knowledge resources.

Reporting, Analytics & Workforce Insights

· Lead the development of workforce analytics, operational reporting, and business intelligence capabilities that enable data-driven decision making across HR and the broader organization.

· Develop and maintain executive dashboards, scorecards, and performance metrics that provide visibility into workforce trends, employee experience, organizational health, compliance, and service delivery performance.

· Translate workforce and operational data into actionable insights that influence workforce planning, talent decisions, organizational effectiveness, and business outcomes.

· Ensure reporting integrity, data quality, and governance while identifying opportunities to leverage advanced analytics, predictive insights, and emerging technologies to improve organizational performance.

Compliance, Risk & Controls

· Establish and maintain operational controls that support compliance with company policies and applicable legal and regulatory requirements.

· Partner with HR, Legal, Payroll, Internal Audit, and business leaders to address compliance risks and control gaps.

· Lead operational audits, control reviews, and risk assessments.

· Ensure key compliance activities are documented, monitored, and reviewed on a regular basis.

· Promote a culture of accountability, transparency, and operational discipline.

Technology Enablement & Digital Transformation

· Partner with People Systems leadership to identify opportunities for technology-enabled improvements.

· Support optimization of Workday, ServiceNow, reporting platforms, automation tools, and employee self-service capabilities.

· Prioritize operational requirements and business needs that drive system enhancements and digital transformation efforts.

· Support the adoption of emerging technologies, including AI-enabled service delivery capabilities.

Qualifications

· Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Industrial Engineering, Operations Management, Analytics, or related field.

· 12+ years of progressive experience in HR Operations, Shared Services, Operational Excellence, Process Improvement, Consulting, or related disciplines.

· 7+ years of leadership experience managing managers and operational teams.

· Demonstrated experience leading transformation, process improvement, governance, reporting, analytics, or operational excellence initiatives.

· Strong analytical, problem-solving, and strategic planning capabilities.

· Experience establishing operational performance metrics and governance frameworks.

· Proven ability to influence and collaborate across multiple organizational functions.

· Experience managing complex projects and organizational change initiatives.

Preferred Qualifications

· Experience supporting U.S., Canadian, and Mexican HR Operations environments.

· Experience within industrial distribution, manufacturing, logistics, or other operationally intensive industries.

· Experience building or transfor