Human Resources Manager

Human Resources Manager

About Orenda

Orenda is on a mission to make the grid more efficient with renewable energy projects and proprietary asset management technology. We develop, build, own and operate battery energy storage projects in dense urban environments to bridge the gap between renewables and electricity consumption.

We are a dynamic, NYC-based company at the forefront of a new industry. We are seeking highly motivated and incredibly talented individuals who wish to contribute to our important mission.

About the Team

Orenda’s People function is overseen by our Chief of Staff and supported by an experienced external HR Partner. The team serves employees across our origination, project execution, technology, capital markets, and corporate teams, and is focused on building people practices that scale with the business, including a consistent onboarding experience, an evolving performance management process, career development, a dependable compliance foundation, and engagement programming that strengthens our in-office culture. This role will be the team’s first dedicated in-house HR hire.

The Role

Orenda is hiring an HR Manager to lead and run the People function as the company grows. Reporting to the Chief of Staff and partnering closely with our external HR Partner on the People roadmap, you'll oversee employee relations, compensation and benefits, performance management, compliance, and the full employee lifecycle, while building the programs that help Orenda attract, develop, and retain great people. In this hands-on role, you'll also be responsible for workplace operations, including office administration, internal communications, and company events. This role is ideal for an experienced HR generalist who is ready to own a function, enjoys both strategy and execution, and thrives in a fast-growing company.

What You'll Do

- Partner with our external HR Partner to shape and execute Orenda's People roadmap

- Serve as a trusted advisor to the Chief of Staff and leadership on people matters

- Own People metrics and reporting, maintain the People dashboard used in quarterly business reviews, and turn the data into recommendations for leadership

- Lead the redesign, build, and implementation of Orenda’s performance management process, including supporting technology and quarterly review cycles

- Support manager training and development programs

People Strategy, Performance & Development

- Partner with the external HR Partner to shape and execute the People roadmap, and advise the Chief of Staff and leadership on people matters

- Own People metrics and the dashboard used in quarterly business reviews, using data to recommend improvements

- Redesign and implement performance management, including supporting technology and quarterly review cycle ownership; support ongoing manager training and development

Employee Lifecycle & Relations

- Serve as the primary point of contact for employee questions and HR guidance

- Own and continuously improve onboarding and offboarding, including the 30/60/90-day framework, new hire orientation, exit interviews, and trend reporting

- Serve as the primary contact for employee questions and HR guidance

- Advise employees and managers, resolve workplace concerns, and conduct investigations, partnering with the HR Partner on complex or high-risk matters

- Ensure consistent policy application and documentation, including performance improvement and disciplinary processes

People & Workplace Operations

- Develop and lead engagement programming and quarterly company events

- Own the HRIS and People processes, including lifecycle transactions, data integrity, payroll coordination, and vendor management

- Improve processes through technology and automation, including AI tools

- Lead engagement programming and quarterly company events; draft internal communications, including the weekly company update

- Oversee office administration, including supplies, snacks, and business card orders, and support special projects

Compensation, Benefits & Compliance

- Administer the compensation framework and leveling, annual merit and bonus cycle, and pay equity reviews under the Chief of Staff’s direction

- Administer benefits, including the broker relationship, open enrollment, and employee questions; support the Chief of Staff on renewals and benefits strategy

- Own federal, New York State, and NYC HR compliance, including the compliance calendar, required trainings, I-9/E-Verify, leave administration, notices, and recordkeeping

- Monitor regulatory changes and update policies and the employee handbook

Requirements

- Bachelor's degree required, preferably in Human Resources, Business Administration, Psychology, or a related field

- 5–7+ years of progressive HR experience, including generalist responsibility across employee relations, compensation, performance management, benefits, and compliance

- Data-driven, with experience building HR metrics and reporting, strong Excel or Google Sheets skills, and HRIS experience

- Curious and efficiency-minded, with experience using AI and automation tools to improve processes while safeguarding confidential data

- Highly organized, with the ability to prioritize competing demands and follow through independently

- Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build trusted relationships at all levels, including leadership

- Sound judgment and discretion with confidential information, and the ability to balance employee advocacy with business needs

- Hands-on experience conducting workplace investigations, resolving conflict, and advising managers on employee relations

- Strong working knowledge of federal, NY State, and NYC employment law across the employee lifecycle

- Experience administering compensation and benefits programs, including managing broker relationships and open enrollment

- Experience designing and implementing HR programs, such as onboarding or performance management, and driving adoption across the organization

- SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, or PHR certification preferred

- Experience evaluating or implementing HR technology preferred

Skills and Attributes

- Mission-driven: You see how strong people practices help Orenda deliver on its mission, and you focus on the work that matters most to employees and the business.

- Accountable: You own outcomes for the People function, not just tasks. When a priority or deadline is at risk, you raise it early and resolve it.

- Learn, Build, Scale: You seek feedback, experiment with better ways of working, and build structured, repeatable People programs that scale with the company.

- High Performance: You bring discipline and a high bar for quality to everything you do, from day-to-day operations to leading the high-impact people initiatives that move Orenda forward.

- One Team, Thriving Culture: You build trust through open communication and sound discretion, help shape our in-office culture, and make Orenda a place people want to join and stay.

Work Environment

This is a full-time, in-office position requiring work from our headquarters (Brooklyn, NY) five days a week.

Why join Orenda?

At Orenda, you'll help build the real-world infrastructure that makes the energy transition possible.

You'll do this in a mission-driven culture that values ownership, accountability, continuous learning, high performance, and genuine collaboration. We work hard, move quickly, and enjoy doing it together.

In addition to the chance to do important work with a great team, Orenda offers a competitive compensation package designed to attract and retain top talent:

- Base Salary: The anticipated base salary range for this full-time position in New York City is $114,000-$156,000 per year. The final base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the successful candidate's relevant experience, skills, and qualifications.

- Bonus: In addition to the base salary, this role is eligible for a significant annual performance-based bonus.

- Benefits: Our comprehensive benefits package includes:

Health, dental, and vision insurance

- 401(k) plan, with 3% Employer Match

- LifeTime Fitness corporate membership

- Monthly commuter stipend

- Learning and education stipend

- Flexible Paid Time Off (PTO) policy

- Regular company events

Orenda Inc. is an equal opportunity employer committed to fair and inclusive hiring and employment practices in accordance with federal, New York State, and New York City law. We do not discriminate in any aspect of employment—including hiring, promotion, compensation, or termination—on the basis of any protected characteristic, including race, color, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other status protected by law.