People Operations Manager

The Opportunity

At Open Farm, we believe the way we work should be as thoughtful and purpose-driven as the food we make. As we continue our rapid growth and mission to Do Some Good® for animals and the planet, we’re looking for a People Operations Manager who is energized by building exceptional employee experiences and scaling people practices that fuel both performance and wellbeing. 

This is an opportunity for a strategic, hands-on People leader who thrives in a fast-paced, values-driven environment. You’ll help embed our values into every stage of the employee journey — balancing business impact with culture, engagement, and care. 

Reporting to the Chief People Officer, you’ll serve as a player-coach and trusted advisor across the organization. You’ll blend strategy with execution — leading key People programs, optimizing systems and processes, and ensuring our infrastructure is compliant, scalable, and aligned with our values. You’ll lead one direct report to start and partner closely with Talent Acquisition, Communications & PR, Legal, and Finance to build a People Operations function that supports our next stage of growth. 

What You’ll Do: 

Elevate the Employee Experience 

• Lead and continuously evolve core People programs including Reward & Recognition, Performance Management, Talent Planning, and Engagement.
• Champion Learning & Development initiatives — launching mentorship programs, leadership development, and coaching that unlock potential at every level.
• Leverage engagement survey insights to partner with leaders on meaningful, department-level action planning.
• Own the full employee lifecycle — from welcoming new hires to supporting thoughtful transitions — ensuring every touchpoint reflects our culture and care.
• Bring creativity and forward-thinking ideas to policies, programs, and processes that enhance our people offering as we scale.
• Lead our annual internship program, creating a high-performance, high-support experience for emerging talent.
• Continuously iterate and improve People & Culture initiatives with a mindset of excellence and impact. 

Strengthen People Data & Operations 

• Serve as the primary system administrator and subject matter expert for our People platforms (including BambooHR and Culture Amp), ensuring data integrity, security, and insightful reporting.
• Build analytics and dashboards that translate People data into meaningful insights and strategic recommendations.
• Identify opportunities to modernize, automate, and streamline People Operations processes for efficiency and scale.
• Manage vendor relationships (benefits brokers, HRIS, engagement platforms), including renewals, optimizations, and strategic improvements.
• Train managers and employees to confidently and effectively use our systems.
• Partner closely with Finance and Payroll to ensure seamless and accurate processes. 

Lead Policy & Compliance with Care 

• Develop and maintain clear, thoughtful HR policies and processes that reflect our values and support our teams.
• Proactively monitor employment law changes across jurisdictions and ensure ongoing compliance as we grow globally.
• Partner with leaders on compliance matters, policy interpretation, and best practices.
• Oversee processes for all employee types (full-time, part-time, contractors), including leaves of absence and employment-related matters.
• Support global expansion efforts with scalable, compliant People frameworks. 

Design Benefits that Matter 

• Own and evolve Open Farm’s benefits programs, including health & welfare, RRSP/401(k), wellness initiatives, and leave policies.
• Lead annual benefits renewals and open enrollment with clear, engaging communication and smooth system execution.
• Serve as a trusted resource for complex employee benefits questions.
• Continuously assess competitiveness and alignment of offerings to ensure we support our team in meaningful ways.
• Partner with brokers and providers to optimize plans and resolve escalated matters. 

Champion Culture & Communication 

• Foster a positive, high-performance culture by providing thoughtful guidance on employee relations matters.
• Innovate and elevate People Operations communications that inform, engage, and inspire our team.
• Oversee our HR SharePoint and ensure easy access to resources and information.
• Support employer branding efforts through creative external communications that showcase Open Farm as a purpose-driven, high-performance workplace.
• Partner with Communications & PR on award applications and recognition opportunities. 

What You Bring To The Table:

• A genuine love of pets and belief in our mission to Do Some Good®.
• 4–6 years of progressive HR experience (CPG experience is an asset).
• 1–2+ years of people leadership experience, with comfort balancing coaching and hands-on execution.
• Proven experience managing and optimizing HRIS platforms (BambooHR experience is a plus), including system implementations or migrations.
• Strong knowledge of employment law, compliance requirements, and compensation practices.
• A systems thinker with a project management mindset — able to juggle multiple priorities and drive initiatives to completion.
• Exceptional communication skills — you can simplify complex topics like benefits and compensation for diverse audiences.
• Strong analytical capabilities, translating data into insights and action.
• Intellectual curiosity, resilience, and a continuous improvement mindset. 

An Enablement & Care-First Mindset 

• You approach HR as an enabler of the business — creating the conditions for individuals and teams to do their best work.
• You lead with trust, integrity, and fairness, fostering psychological safety while holding a high bar for accountability.
• You see policy and process not as control mechanisms, but as tools to empower clarity, consistency, and growth.
• You care deeply about the employee experience and believe that supporting people well drives meaningful business outcomes. 

What We Offer You 

• An opportunity to grow, develop, and thrive within a mission-driven, dynamic, and fast-growing company alongside thoughtful and passionate individuals.
• Competitive compensation and a full suite of benefits, including a monthly pet feeding program for someone who loves to keep their pet well-fed year-round.
• Great office culture (with numerous adorable pets!) where your pet interrupting a video call or meeting is the norm.
• Comprehensive healthcare coverage and RRSP plans with company match.
• Discounted food, apparel, and insurance for your furry family members.
• PTO plus company-wide wellness and personal days to support your well-being.
• Volunteer days to give back to our community.

This role requires candidates to be available to work on-site a minimum of 4 days per week.  

Vacancy Type: Existing Vacancy