Manager, HR Operations

About the role

Canopy Aerospace & Defense is building advanced materials capabilities for space, defense, and maritime systems, and the Manager, HR Operations will be responsible for designing and running the core systems that support the Human Resources function. This role owns the configuration, workflows, data integrity, reporting, and integrations of the primary HRIS, ensuring it operates smoothly alongside applicant tracking, background check vendors, benefits carriers, and IT provisioning. You will act as the primary technical owner on the HRIS, diagnosing root causes when processes are broken or slow and partnering with the correct functions to implement durable fixes. The position requires a strategic thinker who is equally comfortable executing detailed, repetitive work with impeccable accuracy in a fast-paced environment. Because the role is cross-functional by nature, you will collaborate closely with nearly every department to design processes that work for all stakeholders who interact with HR. You will also work hand-in-hand with Payroll to build and maintain workflows, handoffs, and controls between HR Operations and Payroll to ensure data and compensation processes align. This is an individual contributor position with no direct reports and no supervisory authority, requiring discretion and independent judgment on matters significant to the business. The role is situated within a hands-on, collaborative environment where your technical curiosity and process orientation will directly accelerate the deployment of platforms and materials.

Key facts

What you'll do

Coordinate configuration changes and enhancements to the core HRIS in partnership with IT and Human Resources stakeholders to support new initiatives.

Perform root cause analysis on HRIS data issues, investigating discrepancies in personnel records, pay rates, and organizational structures to identify and implement corrective actions.

Design and maintain integrations between the HRIS, applicant tracking system, background check vendors, benefits carriers, and IT systems to streamline data flow and reduce manual work.

Own and refine HRIS reports and dashboards, ensuring data accuracy and timely delivery of workforce metrics to support leadership decision-making.

Develop and document standard operating procedures for HRIS administration, configuration, and user support to improve consistency and scalability.

Partner with the Payroll team to define, test, and maintain workflows and controls that align compensation, time, and personnel data across systems.

Serve as the primary point of contact for internal customers seeking to configure or retrieve data from the HRIS, balancing requests with system limitations and best practices.

Implement and manage data cleanup initiatives to ensure personnel, compensation, and organizational data remain accurate and compliant.

Support the rollout of new HRIS features and modules, including testing, training, and change management activities during go-live periods.

Drive continuous improvement by monitoring system performance, identifying bottlenecks, and proposing enhancements that increase efficiency and reliability.

Maintain detailed documentation of configurations, business rules, and processes to support knowledge transfer and long-term maintainability.

Collaborate with cross-functional teams to gather requirements, assess impact, and communicate timelines related to HRIS changes.

Ensure compliance with data governance policies by managing user access, permissions, and audit trails within the HRIS environment.

Act as a subject matter expert on the HRIS for the organization, providing guidance and training to HR and IT partners as needed.

Requirements

Must be legally authorized to work in the United States without requiring sponsorship now or at any time during the duration of employment.

Must reside in the state of California for the duration of employment.

Must be at least 18 years of age at the time of hire.

Must have the right to permanently work in the United States and must not require any work authorization sponsorship by Canopy A&D at any point during employment.

Must be eligible for full-time employment in the United States and able to pass a background check consistent with applicable laws.

Must be able to pass a drug screening when required as part of the hiring process and as required by company policy.

Must be able to communicate effectively in English, both written and verbal, for all job functions.

Must be eligible to work in the state of California without restriction.

Nice to have

Experience with Workday or similar enterprise HRIS platforms.

Experience in a manufacturing, aerospace, defense, or regulated environment.

Familiarity with integration tools and middleware used to connect HR systems with IT and payroll applications.

Practical notes

This role is based in Irvine, California.

This is a full-time position.

This position requires the ability to exercise independent judgment and discretion on matters significant to the business.

The incumbent reports to the Director, Human Resources.