Senior People Operations Manager (Foster City)

At MidPen, we build communities that change lives. Since 1970, we have been committed to our mission: to provide safe, affordable housing of high quality to those in need; establish stability and opportunity in the lives of residents; and foster diverse communities that allow people from all ethnic, social, and economic backgrounds to live in dignity, harmony, and mutual respect.

We develop affordable housing, provide professional property management for all our communities, and coordinate robust onsite support programs that help residents thrive. We are active in 12 Northern California counties and have earned recognition as one of the nation’s leading non-profit developers and stewards of affordable housing. Our current portfolio of more than 130 properties is home to 20,000 working families, seniors, and people with special needs. We take pride in delivering affordable housing solutions, and we invite you to join us on a journey toward social, economic, and racial equity.

MidPen is, once again, proud to be certified as an official Great Place to Work® in 2025.

The Senior People Operations Manager is a people leader responsible for the daily execution and continuous improvement of HR operations across the employee lifecycle. This role serves as the operational anchor for compliance, systems integrity, reporting, and scalable People Operations delivery.

The role partners closely with People Business Partners, Talent, Payroll, and systems vendors to deliver accurate, timely, and employee-centered People Operations at scale.

• Own and continuously improve core People Operations processes, including personnel data management and employee records.
• Ensure accurate, consistent execution of transactions across HRIS, payroll, benefits, and downstream systems.
• Develop and deliver systems training and maintain audit-ready documentation.
• Serve as escalation point for complex operational issues requiring judgment and cross-functional coordination.
• Mentor and develop team members in advanced problem-solving.
• Lead adoption of AI tools to automate workflows and improve operational efficiency.

• Map and document end-to-end People Operations processes (e.g., onboarding, job changes, compensation, compliance).
• Identify inefficiencies and risks; design and implement streamlined, scalable solutions.
• Establish SOPs and clear handoffs to ensure consistency and continuity.
• Partner with People leadership to align operations with organizational growth and system evolution.
• Use data, feedback, and metrics to continuously improve processes.
• Partner with Analytics to support KPI dashboards and reporting needs.

• Maintain operational ownership of People compliance programs.
• Ensure accurate tracking, reporting, and audit readiness for state and federal requirements.
• Partner on policy updates and operational rollouts.

• Act as operational product owner for People systems, ensuring data integrity and integrations.
• Deliver recurring and ad hoc People Operations reporting.
• Identify system and process improvements, including AI-enabled solutions.

• Directly manage People Operations staff and set priorities and development plans.
• Establish operating rhythms, service standards, and communication practices.
• Balance daily execution with capacity planning for peak cycles (e.g., annual compensation, benefits, year-end payroll). 

• Partner with People Business Partners on employee and organizational changes.
• Collaborate across Talent, L&D, Total Rewards, IT, Finance, and Accounting.
• Provide People leadership with operational insights and recommendations.

• 7+ years of progressive HR or People Operations experience, including ownership of complex operational processes.
• Strong working knowledge of HR compliance, payroll and benefits administration, and HRIS systems.
• Experience managing People Operations staff or leading operational workflows.
• AI-forward mindset with experience in automation or reporting.
• Proven ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment.
• High attention to detail paired with strong judgment and problem-solving skills.
• Proven ability to effectively communicate across all levels of the organization.

$177,000 - $182,000 Annual Salary - Pay based on applicable experience and qualifications

Bilingual in English and Spanish preferred

MidPen Housing Corp. provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

We are committed to providing an inclusive and accessible hiring process. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or interview process, please notify your recruiter. Consistent with its obligations under the law, MidPen Housing Corp. will provide reasonable accommodation to any employee with a disability who requires accommodation to perform the essential functions of his or her job.