People Operations Specialist

Summary

Join KAYAK's People Operations team as a Specialist, supporting the global workforce of OpenTable and KAYAK brands. You will handle employee inquiries, troubleshoot HR systems (Workday), optimize HR processes, manage employee lifecycle transactions, conduct new hire orientations, and support payroll and benefits. This US-based role (preferably West Coast) requires flexibility to support Australia. You'll advise on HR policies, conduct data audits, assist Talent Acquisition, and contribute to process improvements. The ideal candidate possesses 2+ years of HR experience, strong HR knowledge, analytical and problem-solving skills, excellent communication, and teamwork abilities.

Requirements

• HR Experience: 2+ years of experience working in an HR role focusing on HR Operations, HRIS management and HR process improvement, preferably in a multi-national or global company. Experience working with Workday HRIS is a plus
• HR Knowledge: Solid working knowledge of employment life cycle practices, specifically in the USA, with a curiosity to learn more
• Analytical Thinking: Uses analytical skills to understand and investigate employee issues and can apply the correct processes or procedures. Has effective problem-solving skills to address routine HR inquiries and seeks guidance for more complex cases. Understands when to advance potential problems
• Productivity: Can proficiently manage routine HR tasks, interpret policies and processes accurately and independently, prioritise effectively, handle multiple tasks and conflicting priorities and meet deadlines for projects and special requests
• Communication: Can Communicate professionally and effectively - both verbally and in writing. Has the ability to provide clear and concise responses to employees, and the response addresses the inquiry and anticipates potential questions
• Teamwork: Can gain trust and build relationships with immediate and wider teams and collaborate effectively. Is a solution-oriented teammate who is a self-starter and can work independently and as part of a global team
• Leadership: Independently ask questions about career paths and growth and development opportunities. Continues to find opportunities to learn about areas of specialism and demonstrates a curiosity to learn about different regions, cultures, legislation, and ways of working

Responsibilities

• Support the global workforce by providing prompt and effective responses to employee and business inquiries via Zendesk, applying independent judgment in line with company SLAs
• Troubleshoot Workday (HRIS) issues related to employee lifecycle processes and self-service functionality via Zendesk
• Identify gaps and areas for improvement in HR processes, establishing and optimizing workflows to better support business needs
• Process employee lifecycle transactions in Workday, including hires, onboarding, offboarding, role changes, and internal transfers, ensuring a positive employee experience and adherence to best practices across all locations
• Conduct orientation sessions for new hires and serve as a point of contact throughout onboarding, addressing questions and providing guidance
• Support payroll, benefits processing, leave administration, and background/identity checks, ensuring standard processes and compliance
• Advise HR Business Partners and cross-functional teams on HR policy and process best practices, driving efficiency and compliance
• Interpret HR policies and provide solutions for complex situations requiring independent judgment
• In the absence of established policies and processes, conduct research into relevant legislation and best practices to ensure compliance and to develop solutions
• Conduct HR data audits to ensure data integrity, accuracy, and compliance with company policies and regulatory requirements
• Assist our Talent Acquisition team with scheduling and coordinating phone and video interviews, offer /contract generation, and background and identity check management, across global locations, as required
• Contribute to the continual development and enhancement of our people processes and workflows, aiming to drive HR process efficiency as well as employee experiences
• Participate in team-identified projects/initiatives and any ad hoc projects

Preferred Qualifications

General HR practices for other countries are a plus. Open to learning more about LATAM and APAC countries

Benefits

• Generous paid vacation
• Day off on your birthday
• Company matched retirement plans
• Health, dental and vision insurance plans
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Headspace Subscription
• Drinks, coffee, snacks, games
• Flexible hours
• Universal Paid Parental leave
• Annual cash bonus
• Health benefits
• Flexible spending account
• Retirement benefits
• Life insurance
• Paid time off (including PTO, paid sick leave, medical leave, bereavement leave, floating holidays and paid holidays)
• Parental leave and benefits