People Operations Lead

Position Summary

Zion Cloud Solutions is hiring its first dedicated HR leader. The People Operations Lead owns Human Resources end to end for a US workforce of roughly 100 employees across 18 states, plus the contractor base that supports client delivery. The role reports to the C-Suite executives .

This is a hands-on role, not a coordinating one. The right candidate has personally owned a PEO relationship, multi-state payroll tax compliance, and contractor classification at a professional services or consulting firm, and is comfortable building policy and process where none exists today. They work directly with Payroll, Finance, IT, outside employment counsel, and the Hyderabad, India office.

Key Responsibilities

Payroll, PEO and Multi-State Compliance

• Own the day-to-day relationship with the PEO (Paychex/Oasis): worksite setup, payroll submissions, benefits administration, and issue resolution.

• Maintain state registrations, unemployment insurance accounts, and withholding setup so each employee is taxed in the state where they live and work.

• Review every new hire, transfer, and address change for worksite and withholding accuracy before it reaches payroll.

• Ensure taxable fringe benefits (vehicles, employer-paid premiums, reimbursements) are reported correctly through payroll.

• Own I-9 and E-Verify completion and record retention.

• Receive, log, and respond to agency notices and audits in coordination with Finance and the PEO.

• Maintain compliance calendars for federal and state filings, posters, and required employee notices.

Contractor Classification

• Write and maintain a written independent contractor classification policy and apply it to every new engagement.

• Review contractor status annually and whenever a worker moves between employee and contractor status.

• Ensure every contractor has an executed agreement, a W-9 on file, and payment routed through Accounts Payable, never through payroll or expense channels.

• Own the year-end 1099 process end to end with Finance: payee review, form preparation, filing, and corrections.

HR Operations and Employee Lifecycle

• Run onboarding end to end: offer letters, background checks, employment documentation, system access, and orientation.

• Process transfers, promotions, compensation changes, leaves, and terminations with accurate records and timely coordination with Payroll, Benefits, and IT.

• Run offboarding, including final pay compliance by state, benefits continuation, and equipment and access recovery.

• Maintain accurate, confidential employee records in the HRIS and ensure data integrity through regular audits.

• Serve as the primary contact for employee and manager HR questions.

Employee Relations and Policy

• Own the employee handbook and HR policies; keep them current with federal and state law across all states where ZCS employs people.

• Serve as the first point of contact for employee relations matters; conduct and document investigations and escalate to the C suite process owners  where appropriate.

• Guide managers on performance management, corrective action, and consistent policy application.

• Engage outside employment counsel when needed and manage that relationship.

HR Data and Reporting

• Produce monthly headcount, turnover, hiring, and employee-change reporting for leadership.

• Maintain an accurate employee census by state, worksite, status, and benefits enrollment.

• Support ad hoc reporting requests from leadership, Finance, and external parties.

India Coordination

• Align HR policies, onboarding standards, and reporting formats with the Hyderabad office so leadership sees one consistent view of the workforce.

• Coordinate with India HR and Finance on cross-border staffing questions, transfers, and policy exceptions.

Immigration Coordination

• Coordinate visa and work authorization matters with the CEO and outside immigration counsel; maintain required public access and employment records.

Required Qualifications

• 7–10 years of progressive HR experience, including at least 3 years as the senior or sole HR owner for an organization.

• SHRM-SCP or SPHR certification.

• Direct, hands-on experience administering payroll and benefits through a PEO (Paychex/Oasis, ADP TotalSource, TriNet, Justworks, or equivalent).

• Multi-state employment experience: state registrations, withholding, unemployment insurance, final pay rules, and leave laws across multiple states.

• Experience building and applying an independent contractor classification policy and running a year-end 1099 process.

• Experience owning an employee handbook and leading workplace investigations.

• Strong Excel skills and a track record of accurate, on-time HR reporting.

• Able to work on-site in Rosemont, IL.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience at an IT services, consulting, or staffing firm with a mix of W-2 employees and independent contractors.

• Experience with Paychex Flex and the Oasis PEO platform specifically.

• Experience coordinating with an offshore HR team.

• Exposure to employment-based immigration processes (H-1B, LCA public access files).