Director, People Operations

About Us

Zócalo Health is a tech-enabled, community-oriented primary care organization serving people who have historically been underserved by the one-size-fits-all healthcare system. We partner with health plans, providers, and community organizations to deliver culturally competent primary care, behavioral health, and social care.

Our Model

Our model is built for populations with high medical and social complexity, where fragmented care drives poor outcomes and unnecessary cost. We combine local, community-based teams with virtual care and modern technology to deliver coordinated, whole-person care where members live and receive support.

Founded in 2021

Zócalo Health is backed by leading healthcare and mission-aligned investors and is scaling rapidly across states and populations. We are building a durable care platform designed to perform in constrained healthcare environments and to lead the shift toward accountable, value-based care.

Role Description

The Director of Human Resources (HR Operations) will join Zócalo Health during a period of rapid growth and increasing organizational complexity. This role exists to expand upon our foundation and own the operational backbone of HR, ensuring consistent execution, regulatory compliance, and a strong employee lifecycle experience as the company scales. As part of a fast-growing organization, this leader will take full ownership of HR administration and compliance execution, freeing People & Compliance leadership to focus on strategy, systems, and future-state design.

Responsibilities

• Own day-to-day HR operations, including benefits, payroll, leaves of absence, and employee records
• Manage and develop a small team
• Lead HR investigations and ensure proper documentation and process consistency
• Own the employee handbook and ensure timely updates aligned with legal and operational changes
• Oversee PTO administration and policy enforcement
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local employment regulations
• Maintain audit-ready HR documentation and workflows
• Partner with Legal, Finance, and People leadership on employment-related risk mitigation
• Build scalable HR processes that support growth beyond 250 employees

Qualifications

• 8+ years of progressive HR experience, including ownership of HR operations
• Prior experience in a scaling organization (startup or high-growth environment strongly preferred)
• Deep working knowledge of employment law, HR compliance, and investigations
• Experience managing HR administrators or coordinators
• Strong operational judgment and attention to detail
• Ability to operate independently and bring structure to ambiguous environments

What You Can Expect

• Equity compensation package
• Comprehensive benefits including medical, dental, and vision
• 401k
• Flexible PTO policy - take the time you need to recharge
• $1,000 home office stipend
• We provide the equipment needed for this role.
• Opportunity for rapid career progression with plenty of room for personal growth.