People Operations Manager
Somewhere
🇿🇦 Hirezar Summary for South African Applicants
This fully remote full time position at Somewhere is open to applicants from South Africa. The estimated monthly salary is R55,500 – R74,000 ZAR. This role is suited for senior-level professionals. As a remote position, you can work from anywhere in South Africa — whether you're based in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, or a smaller town.
Job Description
Job Title: People Operations Manager (Remote | Contractor)
Role Overview
The People Operations Manager is a senior individual contributor responsible for owning and improving People Ops programs, workflows, and systems. This role does not manage people directly. Instead, it focuses on process ownership, operational excellence, and supporting managers across the organization.
This role is closer to an HR Business Partner in scope, but without people management responsibilities. It bridges execution and strategy by improving how People Ops work is delivered across HR systems, employee lifecycle processes, and manager support.
Key Responsibilities
HR Process & Program Ownership
* Own end-to-end People Ops processes including onboarding, offboarding, ER workflows, and HR data governance
* Continuously improve HR workflows, SOPs, and documentation standards
* Identify inefficiencies and redesign processes for scalability and compliance
* Ensure alignment of HR operations with U.S. employment and regulatory requirements
Manager & Employee Support
* Act as a primary escalation point for complex manager and employee issues
* Provide direct HR guidance to people leaders on employee relations, performance, and policy application
* Support managers in navigating sensitive situations and workforce decisions
Employee Relations (Advanced Scope)
* Lead drafting and review of formal documentation including PIPs, written warnings, and corrective actions
* Handle nuanced employee relations cases and determine appropriate resolution pathways
* Ensure accurate case documentation and consistent application of policy
Work Design & Job Classification
* Support job design, role clarity, and job classification frameworks (manager vs program manager distinctions)
* Assist in compensation alignment discussions through job leveling logic and role evaluation inputs
* Partner with leadership on structuring roles for scalability and operational efficiency
Systems, Data & HR Operations
* Oversee integrity of HRIS and ATS data workflows and standards
* Audit processes and ensure accurate, compliant employee records across systems
* Generate and interpret HR data to support operational decisions
Talent & Lifecycle Coordination (Oversight Level)
* Provide guidance and oversight to recruitment coordination, onboarding, and offboarding workflows
* Ensure consistency and quality in execution of lifecycle processes handled by specialists
Benefits & Compliance Support
* Oversee benefits-related operational processes including enrollment workflows and documentation standards
* Ensure proper escalation of complex benefits issues to appropriate stakeholders
Process Improvement & Technology
* Champion automation and AI-enabled improvements across People Ops workflows
* Define and maintain SOPs for all major HR operational processes
* Identify opportunities for scaling People Ops through technology and structured process design
Qualifications
Required
* 5+ years in HR / People Operations, ideally with HRBP or senior generalist exposure
* Strong experience in HR operations, employee relations, and process design
* Experience with HRIS and ATS platforms
* Deep understanding of U.S. HR compliance fundamentals (PHR or SHRM-CP preferred or equivalent experience)
* Proven ability to handle complex employee relations cases
* Strong documentation, writing, and policy interpretation skills
* Experience with job design, job classification, or compensation frameworks
Preferred
* Background in HR Business Partnering (without people management focus preferred)
* Experience in distributed or global organizations
* Exposure to comp and job leveling frameworks
* Experience building SOPs and scalable HR systems
* Familiarity with AI and HR automation tools
Core Competencies
* Strong process ownership mindset (end-to-end accountability for workflows)
* High judgment in escalation and decision boundaries
* Detail-oriented with strong compliance awareness
* Strong communicator with managers and leadership
* Systems thinker (process + data + people lifecycle integration)
* Comfortable operating independently in ambiguity
* Tech-forward and automation-oriented
Tips for South African Applicants
Timezone Advantage
South Africa (SAST, UTC+2) overlaps well with European business hours and has a few hours of overlap with US East Coast. Mention your timezone flexibility in your application.
Salary in Context
At R55,500/month, this role pays well above the average South African remote salary. The USD equivalent ($3,000/mo) benefits from the favourable exchange rate.
Application Tips
Tailor your CV to international standards — use a clean format, highlight remote work experience, and include your English proficiency. Many SA applicants succeed by emphasising their strong work ethic and cultural adaptability.
Load Shedding Preparedness
If you're applying for a remote role, having a backup power solution (UPS, inverter, or generator) and mobile data as a backup internet connection shows employers you're prepared for South Africa's infrastructure challenges.
About Somewhere
Somewhere is a company in the Recruitment & Staffing industry that hires remote workers from South Africa. They currently have 614 open positions on Hirezar. View all Somewhere jobs →