Sr Benefits & People Operations Manager

About this role

ABOUT THIS POSITION

As our Sr Benefits & People Operations Manager you will own the programs and systems that keep our people supported and our company protected: benefits, leave of absence, HRIS, and multi-state compliance. Our ideal candidate is continuously improving the operating systems behind People & Culture by identifying inefficiencies, redesigning workflows, leveraging AI and automation, and building scalable processes that reduce manual work while improving the employee experience.

This is a deep-expertise role, not a generalist role: you'll operate autonomously within your domains, partner directly with the VP of People & Culture, and be the company's go-to authority on the moments that matter most in an employee's life.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

• Own the full benefits lifecycle: renewal analysis and negotiation alongside our broker, plan design recommendations, open enrollment from communication through reconciliation, and day-to-day administration including invoice auditing and carrier escalations

• Administer leave of absence end to end across federal and state programs — FMLA plus state paid family and medical leave in California, Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Washington — along with disability coordination and the ADA interactive process

• Own the HRIS as our people system of record (data integrity, workflows, integrations, and reporting) and serve as P&C’s payroll partner to Finance, ensuring new hires, changes, and terminations flow accurately and on time

• Run the multi-state compliance calendar across all states (registrations, required notices and postings, EEO-1 and ACA reporting, policy updates, workers' compensation, and unemployment claims), proactively identifying compliance risks, evaluating tradeoffs, and recommending solutions to keep the company audit-ready

• Manage our vendor ecosystem (benefits broker, carriers, leave and COBRA administrators, wellness programs, HRIS) — holding partners accountable on service and cost, and bringing recommendations, not just problems

• Own the operational backbone of the employee experience: onboarding and offboarding workflows, including background checks and I-9 administration, and new hire orientation delivery

• Put AI and new technology to work across people operations — automating recurring workflows, sharpening reporting, and continuously finding ways to run benefits, leave, and compliance leaner and better

• Handle the company’s most sensitive information with absolute discretion, and escalate risks with a recommendation attached

• Pitch in beyond your lane: we're a lean People & Culture team, and we help each other succeed. Everyone flexes to cover what the moment needs, from a big event week to an all-hands-on-deck deadline

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

• 7+ years of progressive experience in benefits and people operations, with hands-on ownership of benefits administration and leave management as your core craft

• Demonstrated multi-state compliance experience, including direct administration of state paid leave programs (e.g., California, New York, Massachusetts, or Washington)

• HRIS administration experience where you’ve been the system owner, not just a user

• A track record of managing brokers, carriers, and vendors as an informed, demanding partner

• The ability to translate regulation into plain language for employees and into risk-weighted recommendations for leadership

• The judgment and autonomy to operate as a department of one within your domains — you own outcomes, not tasks

• You actually use AI and reach for tools like ChatGPT, Claude, or Zapier to automate the repetitive and sharpen your work. Experience matters less than curiosity and a knack for figuring things out

• Reside in Austin, Texas, and be willing to work from the office 1–2 days per week

BONUS POINTS

• CEBS, SHRM-CP/SCP, or PHR/SPHR certification

• Experience supporting an HR audit, M&A due diligence, or a benefits platform/vendor transition

• Experience building or professionalizing people operations on a lean team in a high-growth environment

• Experience with UKG

ABOUT ACEABLE

Aceable has helped 20 million people get licensed in driver's ed, real estate, insurance, and mortgage. Behind every license is a first car, a new career, a fresh start. Making those moments possible is why we built Aceable.

We're profitable, growing, and investing heavily in AI to make licensing education better. Our courses are mobile-first, fully accredited, and built around one obsessive question: what's the most effective and engaging way to get someone to actually learn this? We’re proud that our students consistently outperform competitors on pass rates.

We move fast, ship to real students in weeks, and give our people genuine end-to-end ownership. If you want to build something that directly helps people start new careers (and have fun doing it) you're going to fit right in.

ABOUT THE PEOPLE & CULTURE TEAM

The Aceable People & Culture team is small by design and big in impact. We support every Ace with the systems, programs, and judgment that make Aceable a compassionate, inclusive, and genuinely fun place to work. On this team there are no layers and no silos — you'll own your domains end to end, partner directly with leadership, and see your work show up in people's lives every week.

ACEABLE PERKS

• Join one of Austin's Best Places to Work in 2024 & 2025

• Competitive total rewards (base salary + bonus/stock options, if applicable)

• 401k match

• Robust medical, dental, and vision benefits

• Generous paid time off programs + 19 paid holidays per year

• Flexible work schedule

• Wellness programs

• Our own space on the top floor of a downtown Austin building with free parking

• Weekly lunch, a fully stocked fridge, and plentiful snacks

• Company events and activities (holiday events, happy hours, volunteering)

• #PursueGrowth Reimbursement ($600 per year for full-time employees)

• Free Roadside Assistance subs

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