People Operations Associate

Project Bread connects people and communities in Massachusetts to reliable sources of food while advocating for policies that make food more accessible—so that no one goes hungry. To assist us in meeting our mission, Project Bread – The Walk for Hunger is seeking a People Operations Associate to join our team.  

At Project Bread, we have a deep commitment to creating positive social change and recognize that hunger and racism are inextricably linked. We work in a fast-paced environment that values learning, innovation, and diverse perspectives. Knowing its centrality to our work, Project Bread is committed to equity and inclusion. We aspire to build a diverse team, including groups that are traditionally underrepresented among our sector leadership. We strongly encourage people of all backgrounds to apply.   

Supervisor: Director of People Operations 

Starting Salary Range: $56,000-$60,000   

The Role: The People Operations Associate is a key contributor to Project Bread's people-centered workplace, which has earned recognition as a Top Place to Work by The Boston Globe two years running. This role supports the full employee lifecycle, from recruiting and onboarding to benefits and professional development, with a focus on equity, inclusion, and a staff experience where everyone can contribute to a hunger-free Massachusetts. The ideal candidate is a thoughtful, detail-oriented person who genuinely enjoys supporting others and takes pride in keeping the behind-the-scenes work of an organization running smoothly. 

Primary Responsibilities: 

• Support hiring efforts by maintaining job postings, coaching hiring managers through the process, and conducting initial candidate screenings. 

• Manage employee benefit programs, including coordinating open enrollment, handling day-to-day benefits administration, and serving as a go-to resource for employee questions. 

• Coordinate HR workflows for new hires and departing employees, including processing paperwork, maintaining compliance documentation, and scheduling orientations. 

• Support staff professional development by researching learning opportunities, processing professional development stipend requests, and scheduling staff trainings. 

• Maintain accurate employee records in BambooHR, conduct periodic data audits, and help track and analyze hiring, retention, and engagement trends. 

• Support cross-functional collaboration and staff engagement, including serving as a liaison to  Staff Committee, connecting HR initiatives to the broader staff community. 

• Take on special assignments as directed by the Director of People Operations and Chief Operating Officer. 

Organizational Responsibilities:  

• Support the annual Walk for Hunger, including working the event the first Sunday in May and attending pre-Walk events as assigned.  

• Participate in organization-wide events and meetings.  

• Act to promote, sustain, and grow Project Bread’s positive, productive, and inclusive working environment.  

Qualifications: 

There are innumerable ways to learn, grow and excel professionally. We know people gain skills through a variety of professional, personal, educational, and volunteer experiences. Project Bread recognizes this when we review applications and take a broad look at the experience of each applicant. We want to get to know you and the unique strengths you will bring to the work. This said, we are most likely to be interested in your candidacy if you can demonstrate most of the qualifications and experiences listed below. 

Priority Competencies:

• Highly organized, motivated, and detail-oriented: Able to manage multiple responsibilities across a busy HR function without letting things slip through the cracks. Notices inconsistencies in data, documentation, and processes and fixes them. Holds a high bar for accuracy even when the pace picks up. 

• Organizational agility and sound judgement: Shifts gears easily when priorities change and keeps multiple workstreams moving at once. Can tell what needs attention now versus later and knows when to pause and ask for guidance.  

• Service and relationship orientation: Genuinely enjoys supporting people and shows up as a responsive, approachable resource – whether for a new hire navigating their first week, an employee with a benefits question, or a manager working through a search. Builds trust and credibility with individuals from a wide range of backgrounds. 

• Commitment to equity and inclusion: Understands why building an equitable workplace matters and brings that lens to everyday work, whether it's how a job posting is written, how data is tracked, or how a new employee is welcomed. Approaches this work with curiosity and a willingness to keep learning. 

Additional Qualifications and Experience:

• Professional experience in administrative, human resources, or operations role, preferably in the nonprofit sector. 
• Familiarity with HR compliance basics — I-9 processing, records retention, benefits administration — is a plus; a genuine willingness to learn quickly is a must. 

• Ability to handle sensitive employee information, such as compensation, personal circumstances, compliance matters, with professionalism and care. 

• Comfortable with ambiguity; can make progress on a task without having every answer upfront and knows when to ask versus when to act 

• Able to give and receive feedback with humility and a growth mindset. 

• Multilingual candidates are strongly encouraged to apply — language diversity is a valued asset on our team. 

Work Location

All employees are currently working a hybrid remote and in-person model and are expected to spend at least some time in-person each week. The People Operations Associate will need to be present in the East Boston office twice a week and additional days as needed. 

Benefits

Benefits include health and dental, flexible spending accounts, retirement plan with match after one year, fully paid PFML leave, life and long-term disability, contributions to commuting costs and wellness expenses, and flexible paid time off.   

Please apply here by completing our application form and uploading your resume and cover letter in MS Word or Pdf format. 

Review of applications will begin May 11th, and continue until the position is filled. 

Project Bread is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran status, height, weight, or marital status in employment or the provision of services. Please contact us at jobs@projectbread.org if you would like to request special accommodations during the interview process.