The world of work is rapidly evolving, driven by shifting business conditions, demanding employee expectations, and the transformative impact of automation and AI. In response to these changes, Collabora is seeking a forward-thinking and execution focused Head of People Operations.

In this critical role reporting to the COO, you will lead our people operations function across all regions and drive operational excellence in People Operations service delivery, employee lifecycle management, global compliance, automation, and employee experience. Partnering closely with the senior leadership team, you will build and automate scalable processes that enable a world-class people experience while supporting the company's growth and transformation goals.

The role can be based in our Cambridge/UK or Montreal/CA office, or remotely in any country with a substantial amount of working hours overlapping both European and Canadian time zones.

Primary Responsibilities

People Operations responsibilities have expanded well beyond traditional compliance, hiring, payroll, benefits administration, performance and “handling people stuff”.
Strategic Leadership & Execution:
Define and lead the global people operations strategy in alignment with overall business and people goals
Scale and optimize people operations to support a distributed workforce across multiple countries
Champion a data-driven culture by overseeing HR analytics and workforce insights
HR Systems & Tools:
Own the global HRIS strategy, implementation, automation, and optimization
Lead the integration of technology and automation to improve efficiency and employee experience
Employee Lifecycle Processes & Management:
Own end-to-end employee lifecycle processes including recruitment, onboarding, offboarding, mobility, promotions, transfers, and employee changes
Ensure consistency and compliance across all people processes and touchpoints with other departments
Compliance & Risk Management:
Ensure compliance with global labour laws, data protection (e.g., GDPR), immigration policies, and local regulatory requirements
Partner with Finance and Delivery on audits, internal controls, and cross-border employment complexities
People Services & Experience:
Build scalable knowledge management (e.g., employee handbooks, policy libraries).
Compensation & Benefits:
Deliver quality inputs to Payroll (multiple payrolls in different countries)
Handle benefits administration through external brokers/parties (across different countries).
Conduct salary benchmarking
Team Management:
Build, develop, and mentor a high-performing global people operations team
Foster a culture of accountability, agility, openness to change, collaboration, rapid iteration and continuous improvement

Experience

At least 10+ years’ experience of working in People Operations, including 5 years’ experience in a managerial (leadership) role within an international environment
Experience leading People Operations in technology-driven organizations, with a strong understanding of the unique challenges and pace of the tech sector
Experience leading teams through digital transformation and leveraging HR technology to optimize employee experience
Track record of implementing digital tools and platforms to enhance employee experience and streamline operations
Proven success leading people operations in a global and high-growth environment

Essential Capabilities

Deep understanding of HR systems, processes, and service delivery models
Knowledge of global employment law (UK, Canada, US and France), compliance frameworks, and data privacy
Analytical mindset with the ability to derive insights from data to inform strategy
Exceptional leadership, communication, and proven ability to partner with cross-functional teams—including engineering, product, and business leadership — to align people strategy with organizational objectives
Ability to think in an agile manner and approach challenges with an end-to-end perspective
Strong project management abilities
Ability to analyze and review People Operations data to identify trends

Head of People Operations - POps

Anywhere in the world

Remote

Senior ++

Collabora