HR Compliance Program Lead

About the People Team

The People Team’s vision is to power the success of the business through the success of our people. We strive to build a top place to work through our values-driven culture and virtual-first working model, to enable Thumbtack’s success with our high-impact teams, and to prepare for the future by building scalable infrastructure. Join us to be part of an impact-oriented team that believes in the power of its people and actively fosters an environment where you can learn and grow, while building the future.

About the Role

The HR Compliance Program Lead designs and owns Thumbtack’s HR compliance operating model, translating regulatory requirements into practical, scalable People processes. This individual contributor partners closely with People Operations, Legal, Payroll, HRBPs, and other stakeholders to ensure compliance is implemented consistently across the employee lifecycle, and brings deep multi-state U.S. and Canadian employment compliance expertise with a pragmatic, execution-focused approach. Success means making sound judgment calls, prioritizing by risk and impact, and building audits and controls that are rigorous without being burdensome. The HR Compliance Program Lead serves as the primary accountable owner for HR compliance programs while enabling execution across teams.

What you'll do 

• Own HR compliance programs end-to-end: design, governance, prioritization, sequencing, oversight, and ongoing evolution.
• Translate regulations into practice: turn federal/state/local requirements into clear People processes, guidance, and training/enablement.
• Build and manage lifecycle compliance controls tied to hiring, role changes, compensation changes, and terminations, to include policy maintenance and rollouts. 
• Design and run pragmatic audits/monitoring: implement controls, establish a regular review cadence, and drive follow-through with People Ops.
• Lead worker classification oversight (exempt/non-exempt and contingent labor) in partnership with People Ops, Legal, and HRBPs.
• Partner with Legal on interpretation and risk to operationalize requirements consistently and defensibly.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Payroll, HRBPs, and other teams where compliance touches their workflows; serve as the go-to SME for stakeholders.

In order to be successful, you must bring

• 6+ years of experience in HR compliance, HR operations, or a related People function, with hands-on experience operationalizing compliance requirements, designing audits and controls, and partnering with operational teams on execution.
• Strong working knowledge of U.S. and Canadian employment laws and regulations, with particular depth in multi-state/province environments and California employment law.
• Demonstrated ability to design compliance frameworks and translate regulatory requirements into practical, scalable operational processes.
• A pragmatic mindset with sound judgment, including the ability to balance compliance rigor with operational realities.
• Strong program management skills, including the ability to prioritize work, manage dependencies, and drive progress across stakeholders.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain complex requirements clearly and effectively.
• Comfort operating independently in a fast-paced, evolving environment and influencing without direct authority.

Expected salary ranges

• For candidates living in San Francisco / Bay Area, San Jose, New York City, or Seattle metros, the expected salary range for the role is currently $131,800 - $178,300. 
• For candidates living in Austin, TX or Washington DC metros or in California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, or Washington states, the expected salary range for the role is currently $119,000 - $161,000. 
• For candidates living in all other US locations, the expected salary range for this role is currently $112,200 - $151,800.

Actual offered salaries will vary and will be based on various factors, such as calibrated job level, qualifications, skills, competencies, and proficiency for the role.