Manager, Human Resources Operations

Overview:

Draper is an independent, nonprofit research and development company headquartered in Cambridge, MA. The 2,000+ employees of Draper tackle important national challenges with a promise of delivering successful and usable solutions. From military defense and space exploration to biomedical engineering, lives often depend on the solutions we provide. Our multidisciplinary teams of engineers and scientists work in a collaborative environment that inspires the cross-fertilization of ideas necessary for true innovation. For more information about Draper, visit www.draper.com.

Job Description Summary:

The Manager, HR Operations oversees daily human resources functions that keep the workforce running smoothly. This role manages a team of HR Operations staff and is responsible for supervising day to day HR processes—including recruiting support, employee onboarding & off boarding, benefits administration, HRIS data integrity, and general employee inquiries—while ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local labor laws. The role blends strong leadership, a customer focused service mindset, and a continuous improvement drive to deliver high quality, risk mitigated HR services.

This role will be on-site in Draper's Cambridge, MA facility.

Job Description:

Duties/Responsibilities

• Manage HR Operations team including hiring, training, and coaching; setting clear performance expectations, managing coverage during peak periods, and ensuromg high performance while maintaining a culture of accountability and collaboration.

• Direct day-to-day HR administrative operations for recruiting administrative support, benefits administration, employee transactions, onboarding, offboarding, HR expenses and invoices, general HR inquiries, and manager/employee self service

• Recruiting administrative support; scheduling phone screens/interviews, managing candidate travel, processing candidate expense reports, supporting recruiting event inventory and logistics

• Benefits administration; open enrollment support, employee life events, employee inquiries, and tuition reimbursement

• Onboarding; processing background checks, monitoring pre-employment activities, I9 processing and compliance and coordinating new hire orientation logistics

• Ensure all activities comply with federal, state, and local labor laws, maintain accurate employee documentation (I‑9s, authorizations, benefits elections) to mitigate risk, and conduct regular audits of HRIS data, onboarding checklists, and benefits records.

• Evaluate existing HR workflows, identify inefficiencies, and implement scalable, standardized HR practices. records maintenance, HRIS (e.g., Workday, PeopleSoft) data management

• Develop and maintain up‑to‑date SOPs, checklists, and flowcharts for all HR Operations activities.

• Collaborate with various HR teams to resolve complex issues, identify process improvements, and communicate change.

• Partner with Finance/Payroll, Security/IT, and other internal functions to resolve issues and support ongoing process/systems enhancements.

Skills/Abilities

• Proven experience in any combination of recruiting support, onboarding, benefits administration, and HRIS data management.

• Proficiency in HRIS systems (ideally Workday), applicant tracking systems (ATS), Benefits Administration Systems (e.g. Aptia, BCBS), and Microsoft Office/Google Workspace.

• Detail‑oriented with excellent communication, problem‑solving, and customer‑service skills.

• Strong interpersonal skills to handle sensitive employee relations issues and collaborate with peers and all levels of management.

• Ability to lead a team, delegate tasks, and mentor staff.

Education

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent experience).

Experience

• 6 years of HR experience, at least 2 years supervising/leading an administrative team.

Additional Job Description:

Applicants selected for this position will be required to obtain and maintain a US government security clearance.

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Job Location - City:

Cambridge

Job Location - State:

Massachusetts

Job Location - Postal Code:

0213