HR Operations Specialist

About Us:

Public is the long-term investing platform. Investors use AI and a vast variety of asset classes, from stocks and bonds to crypto and options, to build portfolios for the long haul. Launched in 2019, Public has been trusted with billions in assets of affluent investors. Headquartered in New York City, it’s raised over $400M from investors like Accel and Tiger Global.

The Role

We’re looking for an HR Operations Specialist to join our People team at Public. This is a critical role focused on the operational backbone of our employee experience. You’ll be the go-to for making sure our processes run smoothly, accurately, and compliantly, all while helping to evolve the People function as we scale. If you're someone who thrives on precision, enjoys solving problems, and wants to help build efficient, people-first systems from the ground up, we’d love to meet you!

What You'll Do

• Serve as the HRIS lead - manage and optimize our current systems (ADP + HiBob), and play a key role in any future system migrations.
• Ensure ongoing compliance with federal, state, and local wage, hour, and employment laws.
• Manage key employee compliance activities, including background checks, fingerprinting, I-9, and E-Verify processes.
• Oversee all visa and immigration processes - including coordination with legal counsel, tracking key dates, and supporting employees and managers through the process.
• Maintain and update the employee handbook and ensure all policies remain compliant and up to date.
• Oversee PTO and leave administration (FMLA, parental leave, bereavement, etc.), including tracking, employee communication, and documentation.
• Administer and manage employee benefits, including enrollments, changes, and renewals, in partnership with our broker.
• Keep employee records organized, accurate, and confidential.
• Support and improve onboarding and offboarding workflows to ensure a smooth and positive employee experience. 

Who You Are

• Detail-obsessed, with strong analytical and problem-solving skills—you catch errors others miss and love to make systems work better.
• Proficient in HR tools and systems (experience with ADP, HiBob, and benefits platforms a plus).
• Solid understanding of employment law and compliance, particularly related to payroll, immigration, leave administration, and employee documentation.
• Experience managing visa and immigration processes (H-1B, OPT, STEM OPT, Green Card, etc.) in partnership with legal teams.
• Discreet and trustworthy—you handle sensitive information with care and professionalism.
• Resourceful and solution-oriented—you don’t just raise problems, you bring ideas and drive them forward.
• Comfortable navigating ambiguity and change—you’re excited to help build and evolve processes.
• Strong communicator who can work across functions and levels, especially with managers and finance.

Experience

• 2 - 4+ years in HR / People Ops roles (title and scope will depend on level of experience).
• Experience working in tech or startup environments preferred. 

Public is an equal employment opportunity employer to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type.  We celebrate people of all race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or expression. The compensation range for this role is $80-$105k based on skills and experience.