Manager, HR Operations

Company Introduction WorldStrides is the global leader in educational travel and experiential learning. The company was founded in 1967 to provide middle school travel programs to Washington, D.C. and has grown to provide a wide range of programs for more than half a million students annually to over 100 countries around the world. WorldStrides offers experiential learning programs in educational travel, performing arts, language immersion, career exploration, service-learning, study abroad, and sports. Each of these experiences helps students to see beyond the classroom and to see the world – and themselves – in new ways. Job Description : The Manager, HR Operations, runs the engine behind HR Delivery at WorldStrides. Reporting to the Senior Director of HR Delivery, this leader owns HR operations and HR shared services end to end and leads the HR Generalists and the operations team, alongside the HRBP and L&D teams that complete HR Delivery. The role drives the enterprise HR initiatives that impact every team member’s experience across the globe. You will turn programs into execution and build processes that scale. You set the standard for accuracy, speed, and team member experience across every HR transaction. Responsibilities: Lead and grow the HR Operations team: manage the HR Operations Specialist and two HR Generalists, set clear priorities, and build a team that runs without single points of failure. Own end-to-end HR operations. Run HR shared services and optimize for enhancements. Partner with local HR support across our offices: work closely with on-site HR teams, including our largest office in Mérida, to deliver one consistent team member experience. Lead onboarding and offboarding: a strong first 90 days for new team members and a clean, compliant exit for departing ones. Lead employee relations for full-time and seasonal team members: investigate concerns, guide managers, and resolve issues consistently and in line with policy. Run the annual HR calendar: lead the engagement survey, performance review cycles, merit and bonus processes, promotion cycles, compensation processes, and policy rollouts, each with a clear plan, owners, and status reporting. Drive compliance through execution: partner with Sr Dir of Governance and team on HR governance and compliance, and run HR practices that keep WorldStrides compliant with federal, state, and global labor law. Partner across the business: work with Finance on payroll accuracy and headcount reporting, and with HRBPs and hiring managers to keep the team member lifecycle fast from offer through exit. Maintain clean HR data that informs decisions at the HR leadership and business leadership levels. Partner with L&D on HR inbox analytics: spot recurring questions and gaps, then build proactive training that closes them. Automate manual HR operations: eliminate error-prone steps through better process, tooling, and AI agents the team builds and maintains. Lead with AI: leverage existing and new AI tools to improve how the team operates and elevate the team member experience. Success in the first year: You have identified problem areas and redesigned workflows to deliver programs and processes faster and smoother with the support of AI or other platforms. New team members experience a smooth, welcoming onboarding that sets them up to contribute fast. HR shared services meets SLAs, and self-service resolves a growing share of routine questions. Every core process has current documentation and a trained backup on the team. The team operates as a high-performing unit with clear goals and development plans in place. Qualifications: Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business, or a related field, or equivalent experience. 4+ years of HR experience, including 1+ years in HR leadership. Experience building or running an HR shared services or HR service center model. Track record of launching enterprise HR programs such as engagement surveys or compensation communications. Working knowledge of U.S. employment law and multi-state compliance. Hands-on HRIS experience and strong Excel skills. Exceptional accuracy with confidential data. Preferred Experience supporting operations in Mexico or other international locations. Experience automating HR workflows, including building AI agents. Process improvement or project management training. Work Perks: Comprehensive health benefits: medical, dental, vision, life, AD&D, accident, critical illness, disability insurance, FSA/HSA options with employer HSA contributions, and a generous 401(k) match. Generous paid ti