HR & People Operations Expert

Job description

**This position is listed on behalf of a partner company, which manages all applications and next steps. Our partner is looking for an HR & People Operations Expert based in Portugal.** Are you an experienced HR professional with a strong understanding of people operations and a passion for building effective, high-quality processes? This remote opportunity allows you to apply your practical expertise to the design and evaluation of realistic HR work scenarios. You will contribute to developing structured tasks covering payroll operations, workforce planning, HR policies, and employee lifecycle management. Your work will help establish clear assessment standards that ensure consistency, accuracy, and sound professional judgment. Collaborating with detailed reference materials, you will transform real-world HR challenges into meaningful, measurable assessments. This independent contract role offers the flexibility to work remotely while applying your knowledge to projects that value precision, critical thinking, and operational excellence. ### Accountabilities - **Design Realistic HR Tasks:** Develop multi-step assignments based on practical HR responsibilities, including payroll operations, workforce planning, policy interpretation, and employee lifecycle processes, using relevant reference documents and clear instructions. - **Establish Objective Evaluation Criteria:** Create structured grading rubrics and measurable standards that enable qualified reviewers to assess submissions consistently and reach comparable conclusions. - **Assess Professional Judgment:** Design tasks that require candidates to interpret information, analyze documentation, and apply HR expertise rather than simply retrieve facts or provide generic answers. - **Prepare Supporting Documentation:** Create, organize, or source relevant materials, including HR policies, payroll reports, headcount data, employment agreements, and other operational reference files. - **Ensure Task Quality and Clarity:** Identify and flag assignments that are ambiguous, incomplete, or difficult to evaluate reliably, ensuring that only well-defined and assessable tasks are submitted. - **Meet Project Deadlines:** Deliver approved assignments according to established timelines, quality expectations, and project requirements. ## Requirements - **Relevant Professional Experience:** At least five years of hands-on experience in payroll, workforce planning, HR policy implementation, or employee lifecycle operations, with direct responsibility for performing or managing the work rather than exclusively supervisory or adjacent exposure. - **HR Process and Standards Expertise:** Experience developing, applying, or evaluating structured procedures, such as HR policies, payroll checklists, process documentation, compliance frameworks, or training assessments. - **Analytical and Evaluation Skills:** Strong attention to detail and the ability to interpret complex information, apply consistent standards, and develop clear, objective assessment criteria. - **Document and Data Management:** Confidence working across spreadsheets, operational reports, policy documents, employment agreements, and other HR reference materials simultaneously. - **Written and Verbal English:** Strong English communication skills, with a minimum B2 proficiency level; C1 proficiency is preferred. - **Professional Qualifications:** An HR certification such as SHRM, CIPD, PHR, or an equivalent credential is an advantage but is not mandatory. - **Independent Working Style:** Strong organizational skills, sound professional judgment, reliability, and the ability to deliver accurate, high-quality work within agreed deadlines. ## Benefits - **Competitive Hourly Compensation:** Earn between **$45 and $90 per hour**, depending on the engagement and applicable terms. - **Remote Work Flexibility:** Work remotely from anywhere in the world, with the opportunity to contribute your expertise without being tied to a specific office location. - **Independent Contract Arrangement:** Work as a freelancer or independent contractor, with greater autonomy over how you organize and deliver your work. - **Long-Term Project Potential:** A **12-month contract** offering the opportunity to contribute to ongoing project work. - **Part-Time Commitment:** Approximately **10 hours per week**, making this opportunity suitable for professionals seeking a flexible project alongside other commitments. - **Meaningful Professional Contribution:** Apply your practical HR knowledge to the development of structured, high-quality assessments grounded in real workplace scenarios. - **Prompt Project Start:** The engagement is expected to begin as soon as possible.