Sr. HR Manager

Our promotional merchandise distribution client is seeking a Sr. HR Manager to lead and modernize the HR function for a fully remote, growth-stage organization. This is a high-impact, hands-on role for an experienced HR leader who can own compliance, scale hiring, strengthen culture in a distributed environment, and build a performance-driven workforce.

The Sr. HR Manager will serve as the primary HR business partner to leadership, manage the full employee lifecycle, and oversee multi-state employment compliance. The successful candidate will bring proven experience scaling people operations from approximately 50 employees to 150+ in a fully remote environment, with a track record of building infrastructure, not just maintaining it.

Key Responsibilities.

Compliance and Risk Mitigation (Primary Priority):

• Own multi-state employment compliance across all jurisdictions where the company operates.
• Maintain accurate state registrations for unemployment insurance, withholding, and state-specific employment requirements.
• Audit and maintain payroll system configurations for tax accuracy, deductions, garnishments, and jurisdictional setup.
• Ensure compliance with FLSA, FMLA, ADA, EEOC, OSHA, state leave laws, pay transparency laws, and applicable local ordinances.
• Maintain and update the employee handbook, non-solicitation and confidentiality agreements, onboarding and offboarding documentation, and contractor agreements (domestic and international).
• Manage employment-related legal matters in coordination with outside counsel, including separations, departures, and post-employment disputes.

Talent Acquisition and Onboarding:

• Partner with leadership and recruiting agencies to support the company's 2026 hiring plan.
• Own the candidate experience, offer letter generation, background checks, reference checks, and pre-employment processes.
• Lead a structured, repeatable remote onboarding program that ramps new hires to productivity quickly.
• Manage vendor relationships with recruiting partners and applicant tracking infrastructure.

Employee Relations and Performance Management:

• Serve as the primary point of contact for employee relations matters across the organization.
• Coach managers on performance management, documentation, corrective action, and termination decisions.
• Lead investigations involving employee feedback or complaints.
• Drive a quarterly performance review cadence and support the design and rollout of performance improvement plans.

Compensation, Benefits, and HRIS:

• Administer the full benefits program (medical, dental, vision, disability, 401(k), unlimited PTO).
• Manage the annual benefits renewal in partnership with the broker, including plan design, employee education, and open enrollment.
• Own Paylocity as the system of record: payroll review, time and attendance, employee data integrity, and reporting.
• Support compensation reviews and partner with finance on commission plan documentation for the sales organization.

Culture and Retention in a Remote Environment:

• Build and maintain culture programs designed for a distributed workforce.
• Run regular employee engagement surveys, analyze results, and execute on action plans.
• Partner with leadership on retention strategies, recognition programs, and internal communications.

AI and HR Technology:

• Identify, evaluate, and implement AI and automation tools to streamline HR operations, including recruiting, onboarding, employee documentation, and compliance workflows.
• Champion AI adoption within the HR function and serve as a partner to other departments on people-related automation initiatives.

Required Qualifications:

• 8 to 12 years of progressive HR experience, with at least 3 years at the Senior Manager level or above.
• Demonstrated experience scaling a company.
• PHR, SPHR, or SHRM-CP / SHRM-SCP certification preferred.
• Deep expertise in multi-state employment compliance, with hands-on experience managing payroll tax registrations, state-by-state employment law, and HRIS configuration audits.
• Proven Paylocity administration experience, or equivalent enterprise HRIS expertise with rapid Paylocity onboarding capability.
• Strong experience with AI tools and HR automation, including practical implementation of AI-powered solutions in recruiting, onboarding, or employee operations.
• Experience supporting a sales organization, including familiarity with commission plan documentation, sales-specific performance management, and high-volume hiring.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to coach senior leaders, draft policy, and operate independently.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience building an HR function from the ground up or rebuilding one during a growth phase.
• Experience with international contractor management.
• Familiarity with non-solicitation enforcement, post-employment disputes, and coordination with outside employment counsel.

What We Offer:

• Fully remote, work-from-anywhere within approved U.S. states.
• Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, disability, and 401(k) benefits.
• Unlimited PTO.
• Direct exposure to executive leadership, including CEO and VP of Operations.
• A high-trust, high-accountability culture where the right hire will own meaningful scope from day one.
• Competitive compensation, commensurate with experience.