Watershed
Technology
PeopleOperationsLead
Neural analysis suggests this role is
optimal for Lead candidates.
“People Operations Lead at Watershed. Skills: People Operations, HRIS systems, Global compliance, Employee lifecycle. Define People Ops operating model. Clarify decision rights”
Industry & Context.
Work from office 4 days/week
What They're Looking For.
Must Have
10+ years People Operations experience, Experience leading teams, Deep HRIS experience, US payroll operations experience, US benefits operations experience, Vendor management experience, Employment-law/compliance knowledge
Nice to Have
Rippling HRIS experience, UK payroll operations experience, Mexico payroll operations experience, UK benefits operations experience, Mexico benefits operations experience, Familiarity with Mexico employment law
What You'll Do.
Define People Ops operating model
Clarify decision rights
Define system of record
Ensure data auditability
Design employee support approach
Increase self-serve resolution
Ensure policy controls
Ensure audit readiness
Ensure partner accountability
Set People Ops metrics
Lead cross-functional initiatives
Manage data integrity
Manage change management
Ensure smooth onboarding
Ensure smooth offboarding
Manage right-to-work checks
Run payroll operations
Manage benefits administration
Maintain global policies
Support audit readiness
Manage mobility workflows
Manage immigration workflows
Support work authorizations
Run inbound support model
Maintain knowledge base
Evaluate vendor ownership
How You'll Work.
Team & Collaboration
Across People Ops; With People Partners; With Recruiting; With Finance; With Legal; With Security
Full Job Description
ABOUT WATERSHED Watershed https://watershed.com/ is the enterprise sustainability platform. Companies like Airbnb, Carlyle Group, FedEx, Visa, and Dr. Martens use Watershed to manage climate and ESG data, produce audit-ready metrics for voluntary and regulatory reporting including CSRD, and drive real decarbonization. We are looking for team members who love product-building, want to work hard at a mission-oriented startup, and will collaborate with us in shaping the culture of a growing team. We have offices in San Francisco, New York, Denver, London, Paris, Berlin, Sydney, Mexico City, and remote team members across the US and Europe. We hope that you'll be interested in joining us! THE ROLE We’re looking for a senior People Operations leader to build the operating model, systems foundation, and global infrastructure that will let Watershed scale with both intensity and care. You’ll set direction for how People Ops runs end-to-end—combining strong judgment, high standards for compliance and data integrity, and a pragmatic approach to automation and tooling. This role is Mexico City–based, serving global operations, with a scope expected to be approximately 60–70% US operations and 30–40% global (Mexico, UK/Europe, Australia). WHAT YOU’LL DO (IMPACT) - Own the People Ops operating model: define how work flows across People Ops, People Partners, Recruiting, Finance, and Legal; clarify decision rights, SLAs, and the “system of record” for people information. - Build scalable infrastructure: evolve HR systems and data foundations so they are accurate, auditable, and usable for leadership and the business. - Scale employee support: design a durable approach to employee inquiries and knowledge management that increases self-serve resolution while maintaining high-quality experience. - Raise the bar on global compliance + risk management: partner with Legal/Finance/Security as needed to ensure the right controls, policies, and audit readiness as we grow into new geograph
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