Senior Manager, Compliance and Employee Relations

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in United States.

📋 Description

• Maintain a matrix of requirements across states, markets, and school partners that includes screening, credentialing, training, and additional placement necessities.

• Define the requirements for background screening, fingerprinting, credentialing, and mandatory reporting training for guest educators.

• Establish and oversee controls to prevent assignments from occurring before the necessary clearances are completed.

• Coordinate matters related to educator misconduct and required reporting with Operations, the VP of People, and legal counsel.

• Manage routine and moderately complex employee relations cases independently, which includes conducting investigations, documentation, recommendations, and resolutions.

• Collaborate with managers and HRBPs on responses, corrective actions, and necessary follow-ups.

• Take ownership of Kokua's workforce compliance standards, controls, and framework throughout the employee lifecycle.

• Develop scalable compliance processes, controls, documentation, and training while ensuring audit readiness.

• Track changes in employment requirements and update team guidance accordingly.

• Act as a specialist partner to HRBPs on compliance standards, formal investigations, and employee relations risk management.

• Oversee compliance readiness checklists and provide recommendations for new market launches.

• Research requirements and collaborate with stakeholders and external counsel prior to launches.

• Advise organizational leaders on risk management, escalations, accommodations, leave, conduct, safety, wage and hour issues, immigration, and employment compliance.

• Report on trends in employee relations cases, compliance readiness, remediation efforts, market launch preparedness, and business enablement.

⛳️ Requirements

• A minimum of 6 years of progressive experience in HR, employee relations, or compliance, including direct experience in investigations.

• Proven success in implementing multi-state compliance programs within a high-volume, distributed workforce, demonstrating measurable improvements in accuracy, turnaround time, or operational simplicity.

• Strong understanding of employment practices and requirements across various U.S. jurisdictions.

• Experience with I-9/E-Verify, background checks, credential compliance, wage and hour laws, leave, accommodations, or other workforce compliance programs.

• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to convey complex or sensitive issues clearly to non-HR audiences.

• Demonstrated capacity to work independently, manage competing priorities, and establish structure in a growing organization.

• Experience in complex, employee-protective states such as New York, Illinois, or California.

• PHR/SPHR or SHRM-CP/SCP certification.

• Experience in staffing, contingent workforce, or HR within the education sector.

• Previous involvement in supporting or leading HR/compliance initiatives related to entering new states or markets.

• Familiarity with designing compliance tools or training aimed at non-HR audiences.

🏝️ Benefits

• Eligibility for bonus compensation.

• Participation in Kokua Education's benefits program.

• Medical coverage.

• Dental coverage.

• Vision coverage.

• 401k retirement plan.

• Company matching contributions.

• Paid time off.