Director, People Operations

Job Summary

The Director, People Operations will own and continuously improve the core infrastructure that shapes the employee lifecycle at Unreal, including total rewards, payroll, compliance, employee relations, people systems, onboarding, and offboarding. This leader will be both strategic and hands-on, ensuring our People Ops foundation is consistent, compliant, and scalable as Unreal grows. Because of our stage and size, this role covers a broad range of responsibilities that in larger organizations might be split across multiple positions.

Over the next 12–18 months, success in this role means building the systems and processes that set us up for scale, elevating programs we already have in place, and serving as a trusted thought partner to the VP of People & Business Operations. The Director, People Operations will collaborate closely with the Director, Org Development & Culture, who owns performance management, learning & development, employee engagement, Unreal’s People Partner office, culture initiatives, and the Manager, Talent Acquisition & Strategy, who leads recruiting, workforce planning, and employer brand. Together, this trio will ensure Unreal attracts, develops, engages, and supports our people while scaling with integrity and staying true to our values.

The Director, People Operations will be a vital member of the Unreal People team and report directly to the VP, People & Business Operations.

What You’ll Do

• Lead and continuously improve core People Ops programs across total rewards, payroll, compliance, employee relations, HR systems, onboarding, and offboarding.
• Lead the benchmarking, analysis, and administration of compensation and benefits programs to keep them competitive and transparent; partner with the Director, Org Development & Culture to shape Unreal’s compensation philosophy.
• Fully own payroll operations end-to-end, including processing, compliance, audits, and employee support, ensuring accuracy and timeliness every pay cycle.
• Manage all aspects of employee leave (FMLA, parental, medical, state-specific programs, etc.), ensuring compliance, clear communication, and a supportive employee experience.
• Establish and maintain compliance policies and employee relations frameworks, partnering with leadership and legal as needed.
• Own and optimize our HRIS and people data, ensuring accuracy, reporting, and automation that enable leaders to make informed decisions.
• Enhance onboarding and new hire processes for a consistent and engaging employee experience.
• Partner with leaders to navigate employee relations, providing sound, empathetic, and culturally aligned guidance.
• Monitor People Ops metrics (turnover, engagement, compensation benchmarks, etc.) and use insights to inform improvements.
• Identify gaps and implement scalable solutions that anticipate business growth.
• Act as a trusted thought partner to the VP, People & Business Operations, contributing expertise and perspective on People Ops strategy.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with IT, Finance, and senior leaders to align People Ops initiatives with business priorities.

Who You Are

• 8-10 years of experience across the People function, with demonstrated depth in People Operations and broad exposure to areas like total rewards, compliance, systems, and employee experience.
• Experienced in total rewards, with deep expertise in compensation strategy, benefits administration, and market benchmarking.
• Knowledgeable in employment law, compliance, and employee relations, with comfort handling sensitive and complex situations.
• Skilled at HRIS ownership and/or implementation, with a strong grasp of systems, data, and reporting.
• Seasoned in scaling People Operations within a growth-stage environment.
• Both strategic and hands-on; equally comfortable designing frameworks and rolling up your sleeves to execute.
• A “no task too big or small” leader with sound judgment, discretion, and an empathetic approach.
• A clear, approachable communicator who can simplify complexity and adapt your style to fit Unreal’s energetic, people-first culture.
• A builder at heart: proactive in spotting gaps, creating solutions, and fostering trust at every level.

While Unreal’s culture is remote-first, our team highly values occasional in-person collaboration. As a result, Unreal team members get together for departmental and company-wide events a few times per year. Employees at Unreal are expected to attend apart from extenuating circumstances.

The base compensation range for this position is between $160K - $180K annually. This position is also eligible for a 20% bonus. The salary range listed reflects the minimum and maximum target for new hire salaries for this position. Individual compensation is determined by additional factors, including role-related experience and relevant education and certifications. Bonus payout is pro-rated to start date. Employees must be employed by September 30 of the calendar year to be eligible for bonus for that calendar year.