[Remote] Manager, People and Talent Operations

Note: The job is a remote job and is open to candidates in USA. Ascend is a leading aggregator of regional accounting firms in the U.S., empowering entrepreneurial CPAs with innovative growth solutions. They are seeking a Manager, People and Talent Operations to oversee the HR function, manage compliance, and streamline talent operations while fostering a culture of growth and efficiency.ResponsibilitiesContribute to lifecycle processing — onboarding, offboarding, transfers, and status changes — in partnership with primary HRIS owners; ensure People Ops inputs are accurate and timelyMaintain and apply HR policies and the employee handbook; resolve Tier 1 inquiries via self-service and handle escalated Tier 2 cases requiring policy interpretation or cross-system researchBuild and maintain SOPs and process maps; identify automation and self-service opportunities to reduce manual touchpointsSupport new partner-firm integrations with People Ops expertise; partner with Total Rewards, People Technology, and People Integration on shared workstreams and M&A surgesDrive employment verifications and unemployment claims through trusted vendors in partnership with firm Heads of PeopleOwn I-9 processing and E-Verify compliance end to end — timely completion, reverifications, storage, retention, and periodic internal audits and remediationOwn required government filings (EEO-1, state new-hire reporting, Census, etc.) and serve as internal owner for compliance audits; coordinate vendors and track corrective actionsTranslate regulatory and counsel guidance into updated policies and SOPs; keep labor law postings and statutory notices current across all worksites and remote jurisdictionsProvide compliance dashboards and status reporting to People Ops leadership, Legal, and Finance on a monthly/quarterly cadenceOwn the immigration program governed through Legal vendor — set standards, prioritize cases, and own work-authorization outcomesDefine and run intake, routing, and triage; ensure cases move efficiently through counsel and that stakeholders know how to engageManage the vendor relationship — SLAs, status tracking, key date and expiration management, escalations, and ad hoc case coordination as partner firms joinServe as the internal point of accountability for stakeholders on immigration status, risks, and timelinesOwn ER intake, triage, and involvement of vendor; set consistent severity and handling pathsEscalate investigation findings internally across Legal, the Head of People, and the Head of People Operations for alignment; ensure all outcomes are defensibleSurface ER trends to cross-functional People team stakeholders and identify opportunity areas for manager and employee developmentOwn day-to-day Greenhouse ATS functional administration — user access, workflows, job approvals, and troubleshooting for recruiting usersEnsure recruiting compliance within Greenhouse — EEO/OFCCP data capture, disposition reasons, audit trails, and consistent, defensible hiring recordsSupport pay transparency compliance across jurisdictions; ensure job postings include required pay ranges and that practices keep pace with changing state and local lawManage recruiting tool subscriptions, licenses, and spend with Finance; build and maintain recruiting reporting and dashboards covering pipeline, time-to-fill, and compliance metricsGovern the ER/leave partnership — own scope, escalation paths, service quality, and the leave administration experienceOversee the immigration program end to end; manage intake standards, case prioritization, spend, and reportingOversee the EOR relationship for applicable populations; ensure statutory compliance, accurate worker data, and a smooth employee experience. Prepare ELT memos when cases need visibility or approvalOversee the UI Claim programOversee the Employment Verifications programSkillsBachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field5+ years of progressive HR/People Operations experience with demonstrated ownership of compliance, ER, or immigration programsWorking knowledge of I-9/E-Verify requirements, multi-state employment law, and federal reporting obligations (EEO-1, ACA)Experience managing third-party HR vendors with accountability for SLAs and service qualityHands-on experience with an ATS (Greenhouse preferred); familiarity with recruiting compliance and EEO/OFCCP requirementsWorkday HRIS proficiency; comfort with data validation, reporting, and system workflowsStrong judgment in employee relations situations; ability to advise managers, apply policy consistently, and escalate appropriatelyDeep working knowledge of multi-state employment law, I-9/E-Verify compliance, and federal HR reporting obligationsProven ability to manage multiple complex vendor relationships and compliance workstreams simultaneously without gapsFamiliarity with ATS administration and recruiting compliance — EEO/OFCCP data integrity, pay transparency requirements, and defensible hiring recordsExceptional organizational discipline — able to track cases, deadlines, and escalations across immigration, ER, compliance, and talent operationsClear, confident communicator with internal clients and vendor partners; comfortable advising managers and Heads of People on sensitive mattersProactive compliance orientation — stays current on regulatory changes and updates processes before issues ariseCollaborative and adaptable in a fast-growing, multi-entity environment where the playbook continues to evolveComfortable leveraging AI tools and automation to improve HR processes and reduce manual effortPrior experience in a PE-backed, multi-entity, or professional services environment preferredSHRM-CP/SCP or PHR/SPHR certification a plusBenefitsHighly competitive cash and equity bonus compensation package, including attractive benefits.Company OverviewAscend is a consulting firm that helps CPAs reach their goals. It was founded in 2023, and is headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, USA, with a workforce of 1001-5000 employees. Its website is https://ascendtogether.com.Company H1B SponsorshipAscend has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships, with 1 in 2026, 11 in 2025, 16 in 2024, 12 in 2023, 9 in 2022, 11 in 2021, 6 in 2020. Please note that this does not guarantee sponsorship for this specific role.