Free people operations job description templates by level: coordinator, specialist, manager, and small business. FLSA guidance built in. Download DOCX.
6 free templates by level: general, coordinator, specialist, manager, small business, and a People Ops vs HR generalist decision template, with the FLSA classification guidance generic templates skip. Download as DOCX.
People operations is the modern name for what most businesses still call HR: onboarding, employee records, benefits, culture, and the systems that keep people supported. The framing is more proactive and employee-experience-first, but the underlying job is largely the same. The label is most common at tech-leaning and fast-growing companies, which means a traditional small business writing this posting should pause on one question first: do you actually need People Operations, or an HR generalist?
This page answers that, and gives you templates for every level. The six below cover a general people operations role, a coordinator, a specialist, a manager, a small-business first hire, and a People Ops versus HR generalist decision template, each with the FLSA classification guidance that generic templates skip. For the fundamentals behind any posting, the guide to writing a job description is a useful companion.
TL;DR
People operations (people ops) is a modern, employee-experience-first framing of HR: onboarding, records, benefits, culture, and people data. The document is about 85 percent identical to a traditional HR job description. Classification depends on level: a manager is almost always exempt, a coordinator is typically non-exempt and hourly. Pay rises sharply with level, from the HR specialist range up into six figures for managers. Download six templates as DOCX, by level, with FLSA guidance built in.
What People Operations Means
People operations, or people ops, is a modern approach to human resources that emphasizes employee experience, culture, and data over pure compliance and administration. It covers onboarding, HR administration, payroll and benefits coordination, employee relations, engagement, and people metrics, the full employee lifecycle.
There is no separate federal occupation for people operations; it sits under the HR umbrella. The closest official occupations are human resources specialists for coordinator and specialist levels and human resources managers for the manager tier. The title is more common at tech-leaning companies, while traditional businesses use HR, but the work is the same.
People Operations vs HR
People operations and HR largely describe the same function with different framing, and knowing the difference helps you choose the right title and attract the right candidates.
Factor
People operations
Human resources
Framing
Employee experience, culture, data
Compliance, administration, risk
Approach
Proactive, employee-first
Often reactive, policy-led
Common at
Tech and fast-growing companies
Established and traditional firms
The work
Nearly identical duties
Nearly identical duties
Relationship
Sits under the HR umbrella
The broader, older term
The practical takeaway: the document is roughly 85 percent the same either way, so pick the title that fits your culture. Many traditional small businesses find HR generalist or HR manager a more natural fit and a better match for the candidate pool, which the decision template addresses.
People Operations Duties and Responsibilities
People operations duties cluster into four areas: onboarding and experience, HR administration, employee relations, and compliance and data. The mix shifts by level, with coordinators weighted toward administration and managers toward strategy and policy.
Pick the template by level, and decide the title framing first. The core structure is the same across all six, and every one includes the FLSA classification note that generic templates leave out.
General People Operations
Baseline
The universal version: own onboarding, HR administration, culture, and the systems behind the employee experience. Adapt to your level and team.
People Ops Coordinator
Support level
Entry support role: onboarding logistics, records, and scheduling under a manager. Typically non-exempt and hourly, and the most small-business-friendly level.
People Ops Specialist
Owns an area
Owns specific areas like onboarding or benefits with more independence, improving processes. Classification depends on the actual duties.
People Ops Manager
Leads the function
Leads and builds the people function and sets employment policy. Almost always exempt and salaried under the administrative or executive exemption.
Small Business / First Hire
No HR
The flagship small-business version: a first people hire who builds HR from scratch, reporting to the owner, with the classification note made clear.
People Ops vs HR Generalist
Decision template
A decision template for owners unsure which title to use, since the two roles are about 85 percent the same job with different framing.
Match the Level and the Framing
General role: General People Operations. Support hire: Coordinator. Owns an area: Specialist. Leads the function: Manager. A small business making its first people hire: Small Business. Unsure whether you need People Ops or HR generalist: use the decision template. Coordinator and specialist levels fit a small budget best; manager and above run well into six figures.
6 Free People Operations Job Description Templates
Download all six as a single Word document or copy individual templates. Each follows the same structure: company overview, position summary, key responsibilities, qualifications, a classification note, and how to apply, with an EEO statement. Fill in the brackets and post.
Download All 6 Job Description Templates
General, coordinator, specialist, manager, small business, and People Ops vs HR generalist. All in one DOCX.
Template 1: General People Operations
The universal version: own onboarding, HR administration, culture, and the systems behind the employee experience. Adapt to your level and team.
People Operations Job Description (General)
PEOPLE OPERATIONS JOB DESCRIPTION (GENERAL)
Company: __
Location: [City, State]
Reports to: [Founder / Operations Lead / Head of People]
Employment type: Full-time, W-2
FLSA status: [Non-exempt or exempt; see classification note]
Compensation: $_____ per year [or $______ per hour]
ABOUT [COMPANY NAME]
[One or two sentences about your company and the team this People Operations hire
will support.]
POSITION SUMMARY
[Company Name] is hiring a People Operations professional to own the employee
experience end to end: onboarding, HR administration, culture, and the systems
that keep our people supported. People Operations takes a proactive,
employee-first approach to the work traditionally called HR.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Run onboarding and the new hire experience
•Maintain employee records, HRIS, and documentation
•Support payroll and benefits administration with providers
•Coordinate performance, engagement, and culture programs
•Answer employee questions and support employee relations
•Help keep the company compliant with employment requirements
•Track people metrics and report on trends
•Improve and document people processes
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•Experience in HR, people operations, or a related function
•Strong organization, communication, and discretion
•Comfort with HR software and employee data
•Understanding of employment basics and confidentiality
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
•HR certification (SHRM-CP or aPHR) a plus
•Experience supporting a growing team
•Familiarity with HRIS and onboarding tools
CLASSIFICATION NOTE (read before posting)
FLSA classification depends on the level and duties. A coordinator doing routine
support work is typically non-exempt and hourly; a manager who formulates or
implements employment policy generally meets the administrative exemption and is
exempt. Classify by actual duties, not the title. This is general information, not
legal advice.
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Compensation: $_____ per year [or $______ per hour]
To apply, send your resume to __ by _.
[Company Name] is an equal opportunity employer.
Template 2: People Operations Coordinator
Entry support role: onboarding logistics, records, and scheduling under a manager. Typically non-exempt and hourly, and the most small-business-friendly level.
People Operations Coordinator Job Description
PEOPLE OPERATIONS COORDINATOR JOB DESCRIPTION
Company: __
Location: [City, State]
Reports to: [People Operations Manager / Office Manager]
Employment type: Full-time, W-2
FLSA status: Non-exempt (hourly, overtime-eligible); see note
Compensation: $______ per hour [or $_____ per year]
POSITION SUMMARY
[Company Name] is hiring a People Operations Coordinator to support the day-to-day
people function. You will handle onboarding logistics, employee records, and
scheduling, keeping the people operations running smoothly under the direction of
a manager.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Coordinate onboarding logistics and new hire paperwork
•Maintain accurate employee records and HRIS data
•Schedule interviews, reviews, and people meetings
•Answer routine employee questions and route the rest
•Support benefits enrollment and document collection
•Help prepare reports and people data
•Keep people files organized and confidential
•Support events and culture activities
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•Strong organization and attention to detail
•Clear written and verbal communication
•Comfort with HR software and data entry
•Discretion with confidential information
•Some HR, admin, or coordination experience preferred
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
•aPHR or SHRM-CP coursework a plus
•Prior coordinator or office support experience
CLASSIFICATION NOTE
A People Operations Coordinator doing routine, support-level work without
independent judgment on significant matters is typically non-exempt and paid
hourly, with overtime for hours over 40 a week, even when set up as salaried. Do
not assume the role is exempt. This is general information, not legal advice.
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Compensation: $______ per hour [or $_____ per year]
To apply, send your resume to __ by _.
[Company Name] is an equal opportunity employer.
Still Using Spreadsheets for Onboarding?
Automate documents, training assignments, task management, and track onboarding progress in real time.
Position summary: Handle the full range of HR for the company, with a compliance,
administration, and employee-relations emphasis. Common at established and
traditional small businesses.
Emphasis: HR administration, compliance, payroll and benefits coordination,
employee relations, policy and recordkeeping.
SHARED CORE RESPONSIBILITIES (either title)
•Run onboarding and maintain employee records
•Coordinate payroll and benefits with providers
•Handle employee questions and relations
•Keep the company compliant with employment requirements
•Support hiring and the candidate experience
•Maintain HRIS and people documentation
WHICH SHOULD A SMALL BUSINESS CHOOSE?
If your priority is compliance, administration, and steady HR, "HR Generalist"
likely fits and is the title most traditional small businesses use. If your
priority is culture, employee experience, and a modern framing, "People
Operations" fits. Either way, scope the duties to your actual needs.
CLASSIFICATION NOTE
Classification follows duties, not the title. Routine support work is typically
non-exempt and hourly; formulating and implementing employment policy generally
meets the administrative exemption and is exempt. This is general information, not
legal advice.
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Compensation: $_____ per year [or $______ per hour]
To apply, send your resume to __ by _.
[Company Name] is an equal opportunity employer.
FLSA Classification by Level
This is the part the generic templates skip, and it is where small businesses most often get it wrong. Classification depends on the level and the actual duties, not the title, and the answer differs sharply between a manager and a coordinator.
Manager level is almost always exempt
A People Operations Manager who formulates, interprets, or implements employment policies generally meets the administrative exemption under the Fair Labor Standards Act. The federal regulation is explicit that human resources managers in this kind of role meet the duties requirement for the administrative exemption, and a manager who supervises two or more full-time employees may also qualify under the executive exemption. Manager-level pay is well above the federal salary threshold. So at the manager level and above, the role is almost always exempt and salaried, and overtime does not apply. Confirm against current federal and state thresholds. This is general information, not legal advice.
Coordinator and specialist levels are contested
This is the misclassification risk that no generic template flags, and it matters most for a small business. The same federal regulation notes that personnel clerks who screen applicants for minimum qualifications generally do not meet the administrative exemption. A People Operations Coordinator doing routine, manual, or screening work without independent judgment on significant matters falls on the non-exempt side, even when set up as salaried, and is owed overtime. A specialist who exercises genuine discretion and judgment may be exempt. The deciding factor is the actual primary duty, not the title or the salary basis. This is general information, not legal advice.
Classify by duties, and check your state
Across every level, the rule is the same: classification follows the actual primary duties, not the job title. A small business should look honestly at what the person will spend most of their time doing, then classify accordingly and pay overtime where the role is non-exempt. The operative federal salary floor is the standard threshold, but several states, including California, New York, Washington, and Colorado, set higher thresholds and stricter tests. Confirm the current numbers and your state's rules with an employment advisor before finalizing the classification. This is general information, not legal advice.
A Salaried Coordinator Is Not Automatically Exempt
The most common and costly mistake is assuming that paying a People Operations Coordinator a salary makes the role exempt. It does not. A coordinator doing routine, support-level work without independent judgment on significant matters is non-exempt and owed overtime, regardless of the salary setup. Classify by the actual primary duties, pay overtime where the role is non-exempt, and confirm against current federal and state thresholds with an advisor.
Pay rises sharply with level, so benchmark to the specific tier rather than a single number, and remember a non-exempt coordinator is owed overtime.
HR Specialist Median $72,910; HR Manager $140,030 (BLS)
With no dedicated occupation for people operations, the closest federal proxies are human resources specialists, with a median annual wage of $72,910 as of the May 2024 data (for coordinator and specialist levels), and human resources managers, with a median of $140,030 (for manager and above), where the lowest 10 percent earned under $83,790 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). National compensation surveys put coordinator-level people ops roles below the specialist median, climbing steeply at director and above.
Coordinator and specialist levels are the most accessible for a small budget; manager and director levels run well into six figures, and head and VP roles higher still, which is why those senior tiers usually sit above a small-business budget. For a posting, benchmark to the level and your region, set an hourly rate for support roles or a salary for a manager, and include a good-faith range where pay transparency is required.
People Operations for a Small Business
People operations is most common at tech-leaning, fast-growing companies, which typically make their first dedicated people hire around 40 to 80 employees. A traditional small business doing the same work usually uses a different title, and choosing well matters more than it seems.
People Ops or HR Generalist?
A traditional small business, a trades company, dental office, restaurant, or professional services firm, more often hires an HR manager, office manager, or HR generalist than a People Operations Manager, even though the work is nearly identical. The title is a cultural signal: people operations reads as tech and startup, HR generalist reads as established and traditional. If your priority is compliance and steady administration, HR generalist usually fits better and matches the candidate pool; if it is culture and employee experience, people operations fits. Either way, scope the duties to what your business actually needs.
For a small business, the priorities are choosing the title honestly, scoping the hybrid role to your needs, and classifying it correctly by duties. The small-business hiring guide covers the broader process for an owner hiring without HR.
From Hiring to Onboarding
The job description is step one. Once a candidate accepts, the same role becomes the basis for the offer, the correct classification, and a structured onboarding. For your first people hire especially, a smooth, repeatable process sets the standard they will build for everyone after them.
Send the offer
Confirm the role, level, classification, and start date in writing, with the offer letter signed by e-signature before day one.
Classify correctly
Decide exempt or non-exempt by the actual duties, set up overtime tracking for a non-exempt coordinator, and record the classification.
Onboard the onboarder
Give your first people hire a structured start so they can build the same for everyone who follows.
Store the records
Keep the signed job description, classification decision, and HR documentation organized in one place from the start.
Once your offer is ready, the offer letter template handles the terms, and an onboarding template gives the new hire a structured start. FirstHR is built for exactly this work: it connects offers, e-signatures, onboarding workflows, an HRIS, employee records, and document management in one place, so a small business can run its people operations without a dedicated HR department. FirstHR does not run payroll or administer benefits, so connect those providers separately. Applicant tracking is coming soon to FirstHR.
Key Takeaways
People operations is a modern, employee-experience-first framing of HR; the job description is about 85 percent identical to a traditional HR one.
The title is most common at tech and fast-growing companies; traditional small businesses usually use HR manager, office manager, or HR generalist.
FLSA classification depends on level and duties: a manager is almost always exempt, a coordinator is typically non-exempt and hourly.
A salaried coordinator is not automatically exempt; classify by actual primary duties, not the title or salary setup.
Pay rises sharply with level, from the HR specialist range (median $72,910) up to the HR manager median of $140,030 and well beyond.
For a small business, choosing between People Ops and HR generalist is mainly about framing and candidate fit; scope duties to your needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is people operations?
People operations, often shortened to people ops, is a modern, employee-experience-first approach to the work traditionally called human resources. The term was popularized by tech companies and describes a function that is proactive, culture-focused, and data-driven, rather than purely compliance and administration. In practice, people operations sits under the broad HR umbrella and covers onboarding, HR administration, payroll and benefits coordination, employee relations, engagement and culture, and people data. For most companies, the people operations job description and a traditional HR description are roughly 85 percent identical; the difference is framing and emphasis. The title is more common at tech-leaning and fast-growing companies, while traditional businesses more often use HR. The work itself, supporting employees across the lifecycle, is the same.
What is the difference between people operations and HR?
The two largely describe the same function with different framing. Human resources is the older, more widely used term and tends to emphasize compliance, administration, risk, and employee relations; it is common at established and traditional companies. People operations is a newer term, more common at tech and startup-style companies, that emphasizes employee experience, culture, data, and a proactive approach. People operations is generally considered to sit under the HR umbrella rather than being a separate discipline. For a small business writing a job description, the practical takeaway is that the underlying duties are nearly identical, so you should pick the title that fits your culture and the candidates you want to attract, then scope the responsibilities to your actual needs. Many traditional small businesses find HR generalist or HR manager a more natural fit.
What does a people operations professional do?
A people operations professional owns the employee experience and the systems behind it. Core responsibilities include running onboarding and the new hire experience, maintaining employee records and an HRIS, coordinating payroll and benefits with outside providers, handling employee questions and relations, supporting hiring, helping keep the company compliant with employment requirements, and tracking people metrics. The exact scope depends on the level. A coordinator handles logistics and records, a specialist owns specific areas like onboarding or benefits, and a manager builds the function and sets employment policy. At a small business, one person often covers the whole range. The role is distinguished from pure administration by its emphasis on employee experience and proactive process improvement, though the day-to-day overlaps heavily with traditional HR work.
Is a people operations role exempt or non-exempt under the FLSA?
It depends on the level and the actual duties, not the title. A People Operations Manager who formulates, interprets, or implements employment policies generally meets the administrative exemption and is exempt and salaried; one who supervises two or more employees may also meet the executive exemption. A People Operations Coordinator doing routine, support-level work without independent judgment on significant matters is typically non-exempt and paid hourly, owed overtime for hours over 40 a week, even when set up as salaried. A specialist falls in between and depends on whether the role exercises genuine discretion. The common mistake is assuming a salaried setup makes a coordinator exempt; it does not. Classify by the actual primary duties and the salary level, and confirm against current federal and state thresholds. This is general information, not legal advice.
How much does a people operations role pay?
Pay rises sharply with level. There is no dedicated federal occupation code for people operations, so the closest proxies are human resources specialists, with a median annual wage of $72,910 as of the May 2024 data, for coordinator and specialist levels, and human resources managers, with a median of $140,030, for manager and above. Coordinator-level people ops roles tend to fall in a similar range to other HR support roles, and specialist roles a bit higher, both generally below the manager tier. Manager and director levels run well into six figures and climb steeply at director, head, and VP levels, which is why those senior roles sit outside most small-business budgets. For a posting, benchmark to the specific level and your region, set an hourly rate for support roles or a salary for manager roles, and include a good-faith range where required. This is general information, not legal advice.
Do small businesses hire people operations roles?
Some do, but it is worth being honest about the title. People operations is most common at tech-leaning and fast-growing companies, which typically make their first dedicated people hire somewhere around 40 to 80 employees. A traditional small business, such as a trades company, dental office, restaurant, or professional services firm, more often hires an HR manager, office manager, or HR generalist for the same work. If you are a small business choosing a title, the underlying job is nearly the same, so pick what fits your culture and the candidates you want. Many small businesses without a dedicated HR function find that an HR generalist framing attracts a better-matched candidate pool. The People Ops vs HR generalist decision template on this page is built to help you choose. This is general information, not legal advice.
Should a small business hire People Operations or an HR generalist?
For most traditional small businesses, an HR generalist is the more natural fit, though the choice is mainly about framing. The two roles cover nearly the same duties: onboarding, HR administration, payroll and benefits coordination, employee relations, and compliance. People operations frames the work around employee experience, culture, and data, and tends to attract candidates from tech and startup backgrounds. HR generalist frames it around compliance and administration and is the title most established small businesses use, which often matches the candidate pool better. If your priority is steady HR and compliance, choose HR generalist; if it is culture and a modern employee-experience emphasis, choose people operations. Either way, scope the responsibilities to what your business actually needs rather than to the title. This is general information, not legal advice.
What should a people operations job description include?
A strong people operations job description first names the level, whether coordinator, specialist, manager, or a small-business hybrid, so candidates self-select correctly. It then lists duties grouped into onboarding and experience, HR administration, employee relations, and compliance and data, scaled to the level. It states the required experience and any preferred HR certification, such as SHRM-CP or PHR. Critically, and unlike most generic templates, it sets the FLSA classification appropriately for the level, exempt for a manager, typically non-exempt for a coordinator, and flags that classification follows duties rather than the title. It should be honest about whether the role is really people operations or an HR generalist in disguise, so the posting attracts the right candidates. Close with pay, a good-faith range where required, an equal opportunity statement, and clear application instructions. This is general information, not legal advice.
