Sr Manager, Payroll and People Operations

Who We Are:At Starbird, we’re not just serving crispy, crave-worthy chicken — we’re redefining what fast casual can be. We believe food should be fresh, flavorful, and feel-good — and the same goes for how we treat our people. As a rapidly scaling restaurant brand expanding corporate and franchise locations, our people systems must be as strong as our food and hospitality. We are building operational infrastructure that is compliant, data-driven, scalable, and designed for long-term growth.Your Role:The Sr. Manager, Payroll & People Operations, is the central nervous system of the team and operational engine of the People & Culture function. This role owns the pay and HRIS systems and pay execution, related compliance programs, benefits administration, and workforce data infrastructure that support a complex, multi-location California workforce. You will directly manage the HRIS Data Lead, and together you will help ensure data and compliance integrity across all people systems.This is a build-and-scale role — not a maintenance role, in a rapidly growing people and culture team. Success requires operational rigor, strong internal controls, comfort in ambiguity, and the ability to balance compliance precision with employee experience.Who You Are:A seasoned People Operations leader with deep expertise in payroll, HR systems and complianceDoggedly determined trouble-shooter who consistently looks for ways to overcome challenges and achieve client successHighly analytical and detail-oriented, with strong data and process disciplineComfortable operating in high-growth, fast-paced environmentsA continuous improvement mindset — always refining systems and eliminating riskStrategic enough to see the big picture; tactical enough to execute flawlesslyA trusted partner to leaders, employees, Finance, Legal, and ITCalm under pressure and steady during operational changeA decisive problem-solver who identifies issues early and deploys practical solutionsHighly ethical and able to manage confidential information with discretionWhat You’ll Do:General Management Oversee People systems and vendors that support hiring and the employee lifecycle (e.g., ATS, HRIS, onboarding/offboarding, payroll, benefits administration, workers compensation), ensuring reliability, clean handoffs, and strong user experienceDesign, document, and rigorously test critical People processes and internal controls, with a strong focus on auditability, relevant controls where applicable, and long-term scalabilityManage People and Culture dashboards shared company wide, and all reporting for the department – weekly, quarterly and annual Oversee and directly manage the HRIS Lead ensuring role and goal clarity and daily, weekly, monthly objectives to ensure data, compliance and reportingOversee general people/culture tools and troubleshoot company-wide employee questions/concerns/issues as first line defenseEscalate larger scale challenges to general management when neededManage a steady, trusted partnership with Finance, Tech, and other operational areas during moments of operational change, or ambiguity, balancing rigor with empathy and speedPayroll OperationsOwn end-to-end biweekly payroll for exempt and non-exempt team membersEnsure compliance with California wage & hour laws (overtime, meal/rest, split shifts, etc.)Reconcile Harri and Paylocity data for system accuracyReconcile benefits and 401K deductions and contributions accurately Manage PTO and sick leave accrual accuracy and reconciliationsOversee payroll audits, corrections, garnishments, and special compensation plansServe as primary liaison to payroll vendors and troubleshoot system issuesTrain employee base and managers on payroll processes and accountabilityBenefits AdministrationAdminister health, welfare, retirement, and wellness programsWork in partnership with HRBPs to manage open enrollment planning and executionEnsure ERISA compliance and accurate eligibility trackingPartner with Head of Department, brokers and vendors on renewals and plan designResolve employee benefit escalations with professionalism and empathyOversee ACA tracking and reporting complianceCompliance & Risk ManagementEnsure full compliance with Federal, California, and city-specific employment regulationsOversee timely and ongoing required compliance training (harassment prevention, workplace violence, safety) partnering with L&D when appropriateEnsure employee personnel file compliance and conduct periodic audits completeness and complianceManage annual and ongoing compliance auditsMonitor regulatory changes and implement updates proactively Maintain and update Employee Handbook for annual rollout each February Partner with HRBPs to translate policy into operational executionPeople Systems & InfrastructureOwn and optimize all People systems (Paylocity, Harri, benefits platforms, workers’ comp system and vendors)Ensure complete HRIS data integrity, reporting accuracy, and audit readinessDesign scalable people operations workflows across the full employee lifecycleDocument and maintain SOPs and internal controls for all People operations processesPartner with Finance and Legal on compliance-relevant reporting and controlsWorkers’ Compensation & Leave ManagementManage workers’ compensation vendor relationships and in partnership with HRBPs in field, the ongoing case administrationOversee injury reporting, claim tracking, and return-to-work programsEnsure compliance with FMLA, CFRA, PDL, ADA, and related leave lawsCoordinate interactive process and reasonable accommodationsMonitor trends and implement preventative risk strategiesPartner with Operations to reduce workplace injuries and claims exposureOnboarding & OffboardingEnsure seamless system setup, benefit enrollment, 401K enrollment and training compliancePartner with HRBPs to manage structured offboarding, final pay compliance (California timelines), exit interviews and documentationAct as lead driving onboard and offboard cross-functional team SOP *Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.What You’ll Need: Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experiencePHR/SPHR certification preferred7+ years of progressive and complex payroll and systems operations experience Advanced compensation and pay management of hourly workforce Proven, progressive experience managing and developing programs and peopleDeep expertise in California employment law and multi-location complianceAdvanced knowledge of wage & hour, FMLA, ADA, ERISA, OSHA, Workers’ CompensationAdvanced technical skills. Proficiency in computer applications and systems including Office Suite and Google Suite (with strong emphasis on Excel), project management tools (Asana, Jira), Human Resource Information Systems (Paylocity, other) and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems as they relate to all things talent Advanced Excel skills and comfort working with large data setsStrong experience with Paylocity (highly preferred) and ATS systems management, systems migrations and auditingDemonstrated success building scalable processes in high-growth environmentsExceptional project management and organizational skillsProven ability to partner cross-functionally with executive leadershipAbility to maintain strict confidentialityStartup or growth-stage experience preferred