People Operations Partner

At Blank Street, we’re on a mission to become the defining food and beverage brand of our generation. From the very beginning, we’ve set out to add a spark to ordinary experiences through elevated products, attention-to-detail, and a commitment to making every moment memorable. We’re motivated by the millions of customers we serve across cities, and know that our potential is unlimited. It all starts with our people and their commitment to make magic happen each and every day.

Like the sound of this? Keep reading.

The People Operations Partner is a trusted People partner to our field organization, supporting a high-volume, multi-unit food & beverage business across multiple markets.

This role partners closely with General Managers, Shift Leads, and Operations Managers to build strong teams, develop leaders, navigate employee relations, and create an exceptional employee experience across our stores. You'll work at the intersection of People and Operations, helping leaders solve real-time challenges around performance, staffing, engagement, retention, and team health.

This is a highly field-facing role. You'll spend significant time in our stores, building relationships with frontline teams and leaders, understanding what's happening in the business firsthand, and translating people insights into action. The ideal candidate is energized by the pace and complexity of hourly, customer-facing environments and enjoys being close to the operation rather than operating solely from a corporate office.

The role is based in-person out of our Brooklyn, NY office, reports to the HRBP Manager, and requires frequent travel across the markets and stores you support.

• You’re an expert at handling employee relations issues and can navigate them with sound judgment
• You’re confident coaching managers, not just giving advice, but helping others actually reach a solution and drive results 
• You have a strong grasp of People Ops fundamentals (onboarding, compliance, documentation, investigations) and know how to apply them in real situations
• You’re highly organized and detail-oriented
• You’re responsive, action-oriented, and follow through
• You’re comfortable with ambiguity, pivots, and fast pace
• You’re a clear, thoughtful communicator through all mediums 
• You genuinely enjoy supporting people and making the job fun

• Partner with Talent Acquisition and Operations leaders on hiring strategy, interview calibration, and workforce planning across your markets
• Support strong hiring decisions by assessing talent quality, team fit, and long-term potential
• Ensure new hires have a smooth and consistent onboarding experience from offer acceptance through ramp-up
• Proactively identify hiring gaps, staffing risks, and organizational needs within your markets

• Coach and support GMs, Shift Leads, and Operations Managers on performance management, accountability, feedback, and team dynamics
• Drive execution of People programs including performance coaching frameworks, engagement action planning, and policy rollouts
• Support internal promotions, succession planning, and leadership development across your markets
• Help leaders navigate difficult conversations confidently, fairly, and consistently

• Lead employee relations matters and investigations from intake through resolution with strong documentation, judgment, and professionalism
• Identify trends in turnover, attendance, engagement, and performance - partnering with Operations leaders to take proactive action early
• Act as a trusted resource for employees and managers, balancing employee experience with business needs
• Build strong relationships across your markets to maintain a clear pulse on team health, morale, and operational challenges

• Partner cross-functionally with TA, Payroll, Training, Finance, and Operations to support smooth business operations
• Use people data, operational trends, and feedback to identify risks, recommend solutions, and support business decision-making 

• 4+ years of HR or People Ops experience, ideally in a fast-paced retail or hospitality environment
• Working knowledge of labor laws and compliance requirements (I-9s, wage & hour, documentation standards)
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines in a high-volume environment
• Demonstrated ability to stay organized and detail-oriented across multiple workstreams
• Comfortable using HR systems and tools (HRIS, ATS, Google Suite)
• Ability to handle sensitive information with discretion and sound judgment
• Must be based in NYC with flexibility to travel throughout the market as needed