Director, People Operations & Total Rewards

Careers at Keel

Keel Infrastructure is a publicly traded energy and digital infrastructure company that develops and owns data centers and power assets across North America.

At Keel, you’re not just joining a company, you’re helping build the infrastructure behind the future of compute.

Why Keel

We’re at the intersection of energy and technology, two industries transforming in real time.

The work is complex. The pace is fast. The impact is real.

You’ll be part of a team that values:

• Ownership — we take responsibility and follow through

• Collaboration — we work across teams, functions, and borders

• Curiosity — we ask questions and keep learning

• Endurance — we build for the long term

What It Feels Like to Work Here

• Fast-moving, high-growth, and hands-on

• Smart, driven people solving real challenges together

• Work that directly supports AI and next-generation infrastructure

• Room to grow, stretch, and take on more

What We Offer

• Competitive salary, bonus and equity opportunities

• Comprehensive health and wellness benefits

• Retirement savings with company contribution

• Employee referral program

We are currently looking for a Director, People Operations & Total Rewards to join our team.

The ideal candidate has experience in a public traded company as well as a startup/scale up environment and understands how to quickly prioritize and put into action all aspects of people operations. They will have deep expertise in establishing a compensation framework at the technical, professional and executive level, governance (including payroll, compliance with all relevant labor laws and regulations, proxy filings and audit requirements) for a publicly traded company, people technologies (including AI integration and forward thinking HRIS implementation), and scalable process design for the entire employee lifecycle.

Key Responsibilities

Governance

• Build and execute a people operations roadmap aligned to the company’s shift to data center development and overall growth plan, including team redesign and identification of talent gaps

• Ensure employment law compliance across PA, NY, and Quebec (and other jurisdictions as needed), including policies, recordkeeping, filings, and audits

• Develop and implement process to maintain employee handbook, employment policies, and standard operating procedures

• Partner with Employee Relations team and operations leaders to identify unionization risk, design proactive engagement strategies, and implement policies/practices that address employee concerns

Technology

• Lead the P&C AI integration ensuring optimization and improvement of transactional tasks, workflows, etc.…

• Evaluate existing P&C technology stack; recommend and implement new systems to modernize and scale capabilities

• Lead data governance, reporting, analytics, and KPIs to drive operational decision-making

Total Rewards

• Review and implement compensation framework including job evaluation, salary changes, and market benchmarking across all levels, including executive

• Manage full benefits offering, benchmark for competitiveness

• Manage annual compensation cycle

• Support planning for Compensation Committee meetings in alignment with external compensation advisors, senior leadership team and Corporate Secretary

• Manage equity programs including the design, reporting and maintenance of LTIP (stock options, RSU, PSU)

• Oversee payroll processes; ensure accurate, timely pay across jurisdictions

P&C Processes

• Build out entire P&C processes in line with evolving business needs

• Manage recruitment process operations (offer administration, pre-onboarding, background screening, and internal mobility processes)

• Work with Employee Relations team and hiring manager teams to ensure well aligned recruitment process

• Manage outsourced recruitment vendors, including RPO and other

• Standardized onboarding and offboarding processes implemented across sites.

Requirements

• 10+ years experience in a similar people operations role, including at least 3 in a people leadership capacity

• Certified Compensation Professional (CCP) and/or SHRM designations

• Experience in a publicly traded organization and experience in a fast-moving startup or high-growth environment; familiarity with energy, infrastructure, or technical operations is strongly preferred

• Experience in a multi-jurisdictional environment, including the US and Canada (ideally Quebec)

• Demonstrated record of modernizing people & culture systems and processes—implementation/optimization of HRIS, payroll or workforce management tools

• Experience with the development and management of long-term incentive plans including stock options, RSU, PSU and other programs

• Practical experience with payroll vendors, benefits administration, and compensation programs

• Experience managing risk around labor organizing and developing union-prevention/employee engagement strategies

• Experience applying automation/AI to P&C

• Excellent stakeholder management, communications, and change leadership skills

• Operational rigor and attention to compliance detail

• Project management and program rollout capability

• Change management and ability to modernize legacy systems/processes while engaging a team

• NYC-based role; in-office 4 days/week