Director of HR at How to Manage a Small Law Firm

Director of HR Operations (Payroll & Benefits Heavy)

Who are you?

You are the person who knows that “HR” isn’t just policies and paperwork… it’s the infrastructure that holds the entire company together. And when it comes to payroll and benefits, you treat it like mission-critical infrastructure, not an afterthought.

You get a strange level of satisfaction from clean payroll runs, reconciled benefits invoices, and knowing that everything is compliant across multiple states (because yes… that matters more than most people realize).

You are both strategic and hands-on. You can sit at the leadership table talking about organizational design, retention and workforce planning… and then turn around and audit a payroll discrepancy down to the dollar.

You don’t just maintain systems, you improve them. You don’t just follow processes, you question whether they should exist in the first place.

You are comfortable navigating employee relations issues, compliance questions, and the occasional “this could get messy” situation with professionalism, discretion, and just enough backbone to handle it correctly.

You take 100% personal responsibility. If something breaks, you fix it. If something is unclear, you define it. If something doesn’t scale, you rebuild it.

And yes… you have real, deep experience in payroll, benefits, and HR operations where getting it wrong actually has consequences.

Who Are We?

We are How To Manage A Small Law Firm. No, you don’t need to have worked in a law firm before. Yes, they are businesses (we promise).

We started at a dining room table (literally) and have been named to the INC 5000 list multiple times. Today, we support more than 500 law firms across the country by acting as their fractional CEO, COO, CFO, and more.

We are growing quickly. Which means systems are being built while they are being used. Which means we need people who can handle a little bit of chaos and turn it into structure without slowing everything down.

We are a remote team with a national footprint. We care deeply about our people, our clients, and doing things the right way… even when it’s harder.

We work hard, we move fast, we fix things, and we expect a high level of ownership from everyone on the team.

“So what exactly is the job?!?”

Fair question.

The Director of HR Operations is responsible for leading, managing, and continuously improving the entire HR function with a heavy emphasis on payroll and benefits.

You will oversee everything from compensation and benefits to compliance, employee relations, recruiting infrastructure, and organizational development… while also being willing to roll up your sleeves and jump into the details when needed.

This is not a “sit back and delegate everything” leadership role. This is a “build it, run it, fix it, and scale it” role.

You will partner with senior leadership to define HR strategy, support organizational goals, and ensure that our people systems actually support the growth of the business (instead of slowing it down).

What will you actually be doing?

· Oversee and direct all Human Resources programs including payroll, benefits, compensation, recruiting, and employee relations
· Own and manage multi-state payroll operations ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and compliance
· Administer and continuously improve employee benefits programs while balancing employee satisfaction and cost containment
· Manage relationships with external vendors (including PEOs, brokers, and HR systems providers) and evaluate when to bring functions in-house
· Establish and track departmental metrics that align with company strategic goals
· Evaluate and implement payroll and HRIS system upgrades and improvements
· Develop, maintain, and improve HR policies, programs, and practices to keep pace with company growth
· Partner with leadership on organizational design, workforce planning, and strategic initiatives
· Lead recruiting infrastructure and hiring practices to ensure we attract and retain high-quality talent
· Support and guide managers on employee relations issues, performance management, and disciplinary processes
· Conduct investigations and resolve escalated employee concerns when needed
· Lead compensation strategy including market research, pay bands, and pay practice evaluation
· Recommend and implement benefits changes to improve retention and employee satisfaction
· Ensure compliance with all federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations
· Support training and development initiatives (internal and external)
· Drive organization development efforts including succession planning, retention strategies, and change management
· Monitor and shape company culture to support performance and employee satisfaction
· Maintain clear communication channels across the organization (surveys, meetings, feedback loops, etc.)
· Serve as a hands-on resource across all HR functions when needed (yes… this includes rolling up your sleeves)

What does success look like?

· Payroll runs accurately and on time… every time (no surprises, no fire drills)
· Benefits programs are competitive, well-managed, and actually understood by employees
· HR systems and processes scale with the business instead of breaking under pressure
· Compliance risks are proactively managed, not reactively cleaned up
· Leadership has confidence in HR data, insights, and execution
· Employees feel supported, informed, and treated fairly
· The company can grow without HR becoming a bottleneck

“What’s the compensation?”

We offer a competitive base salary with performance-based incentives tied to execution, impact, and contribution to company growth.

Our benefits package includes medical, dental & vision coverage, 401k with match, disability insurance, unlimited PTO, and access to a wide range of personal and professional development opportunities.

Who tends to thrive in this role?

Someone who:

· Has 10+ years of progressive HR leadership experience
· Has deep, hands-on expertise in payroll and benefits administration
· Understands multi-state compliance and complexity
· Can operate both strategically and tactically without hesitation
· Is highly detail-oriented but still able to move quickly and pivot!
· Is comfortable in a fast-paced, evolving environment
· Can lead, build, and improve systems simultaneously
· Has strong interpersonal, coaching, and communication skills
· Maintains a high level of confidentiality and professionalism

Who should NOT apply?

Please do not apply if you:

· Prefer to stay purely strategic and avoid hands-on work
· Do not have meaningful payroll and benefits experience
· Need a highly structured corporate environment with zero ambiguity
· Struggle with accountability or ownership
· Expect someone else to clean up operational mistakes

Important Details (Yes, read this part)

This is a FULL TIME role.

Remote does NOT mean part-time. It means you get to do a full-time job from your home. Still full-time. Still real work.

We can currently only hire candidates in the following states: AZ, CO, FL, GA, IL, MD, MI, NC, NJ, NY, PA, TX, VA, WA. (Blame taxes. Seriously.)

Physical Requirements

Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer.

Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times.

Travel

Occasional travel will be required for quarterly conference participation

Position Type / Expected Hours of Work

This is a full-time position. Hours will be determined with your supervisor. Occasional evening and weekend work may be required as job duties demand.

If you’re the kind of person who sees a fragmented HR function and thinks “we can build something better”… and then actually does it… we should talk.