Director of HR

About Anza

Anza is building a mortgage insurance company from first principles. Most mortgage insurers operate on decades-old technology, manual workflows, organizational structures, and operating assumptions that have evolved incrementally over time. We believe there is a fundamentally better way.

Our vision is to build the industry's most technology-enabled mortgage insurer, one where software, automation, AI, analytics, and thoughtful operating design create better experiences for customers while allowing the business to scale efficiently without simply adding people.

We are not interested in making legacy processes slightly better. We are interested in building the operating model that mortgage insurance should have had all along.

About the role

We are hiring a Director of HR to lead a lean, hands-on HR function for Anza. This is a hands-on role for someone who can translate company priorities into practical HR execution, support managers and employees, and personally handle the work required to keep the function running well. This role reports to the COO.

The function will remain deliberately small, so this role is best suited to someone who enjoys staying close to the work rather than building layers of management. The right person may be a strong HR business partner or broad-based HR leader ready for the next step, with strong technical HR skills, sound judgment, and comfort with HR systems. They should also be comfortable managing limited internal HR support and effectively leverage outsourced resources as the function evolves. Anza will make active use of its PEO's outsourced HR services, so this leader will direct that support while keeping ownership of the decisions that matter most.

What Success Looks Like (First 6–12 Months)

• Core HR operations - including recruiting, onboarding, employee relations, performance management, basic payroll updates, benefits, and compliance - run reliably and consistently: payroll updates and approvals are completed on schedule, and onboarding and offboarding, including system access changes, are managed smoothly.
• Managers receive practical, timely support on hiring, performance, employee issues, and day-to-day people decisions.
• HR priorities are executed consistently, and people issues or risks are surfaced early and addressed pragmatically.

Responsibilities

HR Leadership & Execution

• Translate company and executive priorities into practical HR actions, processes, and support for managers and employees.
• Provide sound, candid HR guidance to leaders and managers, and raise significant legal and employee-relations risks promptly, including to senior leadership.
• Manage limited internal HR support and outsourced resources while continuing to personally own a meaningful share of the day-to-day work.
• Use HR data and reporting to support decisions, identify issues, and improve execution.

Core HR Operations

• Own and actively participate in recruiting, onboarding, employee relations, performance management, compensation support, benefits, leave administration, and offboarding.
• Ensure compliance with applicable employment laws and maintain appropriate employee records, documentation, policies, and controls.
• Partner with IT and Information Security on HR-related controls, including background checks, employee access-change notifications, required training, confidentiality requirements, and other workforce-related compliance responsibilities.
• Administer and continuously improve Rippling, including employee data, workflows, reporting, onboarding, and other HR processes.
• Manage payroll updates (adding new hires and handling salary adjustments) and approve PEO payroll reports for Accounting, while overseeing benefits administration, HR vendors, and the PEO relationship.
• Actively use the PEO's HR services, such as compliance guidance, benefits and leave administration, handbook and policy support, and HR advisory, while retaining ownership of decisions on hiring, performance, discipline and terminations, compensation, employee relations investigations, and policy.
• Serve as business owner for the PEO and other HR vendors in Anza's third-party risk management process, working with Information Security on due diligence, contract security terms, and periodic reviews.
• Evaluate, select, transition, and manage PEO or other HR service providers as business needs evolve.
• Keep HR policies and processes practical, current, and appropriate for a regulated company without creating unnecessary bureaucracy.

Talent & Manager Support

• Lead or directly support full-cycle recruiting for key roles, working with hiring managers to define needs, evaluate candidates, and make sound hiring decisions.
• Operate and improve the performance management process, including goal setting, manager reviews, feedback, development planning, and performance improvement.
• Coach managers on employee relations, performance issues, team development, organizational changes, and difficult people decisions.
• Support employee communications and engagement, and partner with employee-led culture efforts, in practical ways that reinforce accountability, collaboration, and Anza's operating model.

Qualifications

Minimum Experience

• 7+ years of progressive HR experience, with a strong HR business partner, HR generalist, or similarly broad-based background.
• Hands-on experience across several core HR disciplines, including employee relations, performance management, recruiting, benefits, compensation support, and employment compliance.
• Experience operating in a lean organization where the HR leader is expected to do the work as well as lead it.
• Strong working knowledge of employment law across multiple states and practical HR best practices.

Preferred Experience

• Hands-on experience administering an HRIS required; experience with Rippling strongly preferred.
• Experience evaluating, selecting, transitioning between, or managing PEO relationships, including day-to-day experience working within a PEO or co-employment model, strongly preferred.
• Experience in insurance, financial services, fintech, or another regulated industry preferred.
• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field preferred.
• SHRM or similar HR certification preferred.

How You Work

• You give timely, candid, well-reasoned advice, including to senior leaders, and raise legal and employee-relations risks early rather than deferring.
• You enjoy being close to the work and do not need a large team or layers of management to be effective.
• You know what to hand off to outsourced partners and what to own yourself, and you hold vendors to clear service levels.
• You are direct, pragmatic, responsive, and focused on solving problems rather than creating process for its own sake.
• You build trust with managers and employees while maintaining the independence and judgment expected of HR.
• You are comfortable with change, incomplete information, and shifting priorities.

What we offer
We’re committed to creating an environment where our team members can thrive both professionally and personally. We currently offer:

• Competitive Compensation – Including salary and performance bonuses.
• Comprehensive Benefits – Health, dental, vision, and mental wellness support.
• Retirement Savings – 401(k) with company matching.
• Career advancement opportunities with business growth. 
• Inclusive Culture – A diverse, collaborative, and supportive workplace where every voice is valued.
• Perks & Extras – Generous PTO, team events, wellness programs, and more.