Human Resources Administrator

In this role, you will serve as a crucial operational bridge between our educators, HR, and Finance teams. A key part of your day-to-day focus will be managing pay-related processes—ensuring timesheets are reviewed accurately, sick pay is processed smoothly, and educators receive prompt, supportive assistance whenever pay issues or questions arise.
Equally important is your work across broader HR administration and compliance. You will oversee essential back-end operations that ensure Zen Educate remains a responsible, compliant, and highly structured employer—from handling unemployment claims, garnishments, and our HR inbox to maintaining precise records and system workflows. As you execute these daily responsibilities, you will also play an active role in helping us evaluate, build, and refine better systems and processes for scale.

About Zen Educate
Zen Educate is a technology company that matches schools with temporary educator staff. Our mission is to change the world of education recruitment. Schools spend over $9bn a year on temporary educators, with over $2bn per year of that spent on fees that take money out of the education system. By leveraging the latest technology, we purpose-built a platform that helps schools pay less while educators earn more.
We want students to have access to the best education possible, and we go the extra mile to find, onboard, match, and support incredible educators who deeply care about their students. We wake up every day on a mission to care more. This is your chance to make a difference and join a high-growth tech startup on the ground floor. We are passionate about learning and development, and will invest in both your personal and professional growth.

What You'll Be Doing
1. Pay & Finance Operations Bridge
Educator & Finance Liaison: Serve as the primary HR administrative contact connecting educators and Finance to resolve timesheet questions, review approvals, and troubleshoot pay-related inquiries.
Paid Sick Leave Administration: Process educator paid sick leave requests from end to end, verifying eligibility, maintaining compliance with state/local regulations, and coordinating with payroll.
Pay Support & Problem Resolution: Act as a responsive support resource for educators facing pay issues, investigating discrepancies, and ensuring clear communication and accurate resolution.
2. Core HR Administration & Compliance
Employer Compliance Workflows: Execute key back-end HR administrative processes—including managing unemployment claims, handling wage garnishments, and completing employment verifications with strict precision.
Inbox & Operations Management: Monitor and manage the primary HR inbox and queue systems, prioritizing inquiries, tracking administrative tasks, and ensuring rapid, accurate resolution.
Data Management & Systems Building: Maintain meticulous HR database records, evaluate existing administrative procedures, and contribute to designing smarter, more scalable workflows across HR and Finance operations.
Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with Account Management and Operations teams to ensure smooth communication around invoicing details, billing updates, and operational handoffs.

What We're Looking For
The Right Background: Experience in an administrative, payroll support, or HR operations role.
Exceptional Detail Orientation: High comfort working with numerical data, spreadsheets, timesheets, and structured database management.
System & Template Mastery: Strong organizational skills with a proven ability to manage high-volume administrative queues and compliance workflows accurately.
Clear Communication: Professional written and verbal communication skills for effective cross-functional collaboration.
Urgency & Problem-Solving: A proactive self-starter who thrives in a fast-paced tech environment and takes pride in execution.
Mission-Driven: A passion for supporting the education system and maintaining high operational standards.

Growth & Development
By joining the Educator HR team, you are entering one of Zen Educate’s newest and most dynamic functions. We are looking for people who see challenges as opportunities to step up and build lasting solutions.
To support your growth, our leadership team provides consistent feedback, regular coaching sessions, and a collaborative team network. This environment empowers you to solve complex problems at Zen that, in turn, help address broader challenges within the education sector. We invest deeply in our people and are fully committed to helping you reach your long-term career goals.

Team & Culture
We are a mission-driven team that balances the fast-paced energy of a high-growth startup with a deep, "care more" approach toward our schools and educators. In our Culver City office, you will work side-by-side with your manager, Burgundie, and collaborate in person with our Account Management teams to drive educator success. While you will primarily connect virtually with the broader HR team in other cities, our local culture thrives on radical collaboration and the entrepreneurial spirit needed to build lasting solutions. We prioritize transparent feedback and continuous professional development, ensuring you are fully supported as we scale across the U.S. market.

Benefits
Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance
18 Paid Vacation Days and 10 Paid Company Holidays
401(k) retirement plan with no match
Paid biweekly
Sick leave
Equity compensation

Hiring Process
Round 1: Initial Screen (15 min) – An introductory call with a member of our Talent team to discuss your background and the role.
Round 2: Technical Interview (60 min) – A deep dive into the role with two members of the Educator HR team.
Round 3: Culture Alignment (30 min) – A conversation with a Zen team member to explore our shared values and team fit.

Ready to Apply
If you’ve read this far and you’re excited, we’d love to hear from you.
We welcome applicants with diverse backgrounds, and different experiences and perspectives - just like the staff who teach through Zen and the children at the schools we work with. We believe in hiring the best people from the widest pool and creating an inclusive atmosphere with a culture where people’s voices are heard and all our team can look forward to coming to work.
We value and respect all differences in all people (seen and unseen). We believe in an environment with equal access to career development opportunities and actively encourage applications from BAME candidates.

If you require any reasonable adjustments during your interview process with us, please do let us know.
Due to the high volume of applications, we regret that we are unable to provide individual feedback on initial submissions.