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People Operations Administrator

Sierra Club • Full-time • Washington, DC • $80k - $85k / year • 3w ago

Job Title: People Operations Administrator

Department: People

Location: Sierra Club office, and/or remote. This position requires an ability to travel.

Reports To: Director of People Operations

Supervises: N/A

Context: At the Sierra Club, we believe in the power of interdependence. Together, we remain committed to the fight for a healthy climate built on a foundation of environmental, racial, economic, and gender justice – a future where all people benefit from a healthy, thriving planet and a direct connection to nature. As the climate crisis and deeply entrenched systemic racism all fuel injustice, we will continue to fight for a bold, transformational agenda that recognizes the interconnectedness between our planet, our humanity, and our future. By recognizing that our destinies are tied, we continue to name that all things are fundamentally connected, and the overlap between ecology, race, gender, and representative government will move to either advance our collective humanity or to oppress it. Sierra Club has close to 700 staff across the country and a network of 64 local chapters that are led and fueled by thousands of volunteers. We are also proud to be a unionized employer, with three labor unions representing more than half of our employees.

Scope: The People Operations Administrator provides essential administrative and operational support across the People Operations function, with a primary focus on benefits and leaves (approximately 70% of the role). This position helps ensure that employees receive timely, accurate, and equitable support by partnering closely with the Leaves & Benefits Manager, the People Operations & Compliance Project Manager, People Partners, Payroll, Tech, and benefit vendors.

In addition to supporting benefit and leave workflows, this role contributes to the People Operations team by processing personnel changes, responding to employee inquiries, maintaining data accuracy, and assisting with operational projects that strengthen the People function.

This is an ideal role for someone early in their HR career who is detail-oriented, service-minded, and eager to learn the foundations of People Operations.

Job activities include but are not limited to:

Benefits & Leaves Support (70%)

Leave of Absence (LOA) Administration Support
Serve as the first point of contact for basic/routine employee questions about leave processes, timelines, required forms, and available resources, re-directing more complex questions to the Benefits & Leaves Manager.
Draft and send standard communications Enter and update LOA-related data in WorkDay under the direction of the Leaves & Benefits Manager.
Support with leave documentation requirements.
Support Payroll on processing days (twice monthly).

Benefits Administration Support
Process routine benefits changes/transactions in WorkDay.
Assist employees with basic benefits questions and direct them to appropriate resources, plan documents, or the Leaves & Benefits Manager for more complex needs.
Assist with data collection for routine benefits compliance tasks.
Help maintain updated benefits content on internal platforms and support rollout of communications, reminders, and educational materials.
Assist Leave & Benefits Manager with coordination of wellness programming and benefits information sessions.
Support Payroll on processing days (twice monthly).

People Operations Support (30%)

HRIS & Data Administration
Act as back up to the People Operations & Compliance Project Manager to process personnel changes in the HRIS.
Support with basic WorkDay troubleshooting, re-routing more complex issues to other People Team members or Tech, as appropriate.
Help maintain data integrity across HRIS, payroll, and benefits systems.

Employee Service & Ticketing Support
Help monitor the People Operations ticketing queue and respond to routine questions about policies, systems navigation, benefits basics, and leave process steps.
Route more complex inquiries to the appropriate People Team member and ensure timely follow-up.
Track common questions and themes to help inform improvements to employee resources.

General People Operations Tasks
Contribute to departmental projects, process improvements, and data clean-up initiatives.
Provide logistical support for People Team programs, such as training sessions, wellness activities, or staff engagement activities.
Other tasks as assigned.

The successful candidate must demonstrate the following skills, experience and competencies:

Detail-Oriented. Strong attention to detail and accuracy.
Good Communicator. Excellent written and verbal communication skills with a customer-service mindset.
Discreet. Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion.
Reliable. Excellent follow-through and responsiveness.
System Experience. Comfort working with data, spreadsheets, and HRIS platforms.
Organized. Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple tasks and priorities.
A Learner’s Mind. Curiosity and willingness to learn about benefits, leaves, compliance, and HR operations fundamentals.
Committed to evolution. Committed to continuously deepening and evolving your own understanding of systems of oppression through study, openness, and humility. And you easily recognize your own relationship to privilege and power, examining and shifting your behaviors as appropriate.
Uplifting and additive. See mistakes as opportunities for growth; problems as catalysts for solutions, and inspire others along the journey. You carry a constructive approach, can-do attitude, a sense of humor, and authentic kindness wherever you go.

The strongest candidates will also demonstrate the following skills, experience and competencies:

1+ years of administrative, HR, operations, or customer support experience (internships and volunteer experience welcome).
Experience with WorkDay is preferred, but experience with any HRIS system is a plus.
Familiarity with common HR processes (onboarding, benefits basics, data entry, ticketing systems).
Experience working in a fast-paced environment with multiple stakeholders.

$80,000 - $85,000 a year

Compensation and Benefits

The salary range for this position is $80,000 - 85,000 annually.

The Sierra Club offers a competitive salary package commensurate with skills and experience plus excellent benefits that include medical, dental, and vision coverage, and a retirement savings 401(k) plan.

This is a category 6, non-exempt, non-represented, confidential position.

To Apply

The Sierra Club provides equal employment and advancement opportunities to all staff members. Employment decisions are based on merit, qualifications, lived experience and skills. The Sierra Club does not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, immigration status, socioeconomic status, ancestry, age, size, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, familial status, veteran status, disability, AIDS/HIV status, medical condition, prior conviction, arrest history, traits historically associated with race, including, but not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles, or any other characteristic protected by law.

The Sierra Club values applicants who are people that identify as Black, Indigenous, and other minoritized groups; women; queer, transgender, gender non-conforming, and gender fluid people.

Explore, enjoy and protect the planet.