HR Operations Specialist (Contract)

At Acorns, our mission is to look after the financial best interests of the up-and-coming, beginning with the empowering, proud step of micro-investing. How do we accomplish our mission? Our values. Lead With Heart - With compassion, integrity, and tenacity, inspire yourself and others to move past all previous thresholds of possibility Make Bold Decisions - We are creating a new world. Be optimistic, adventurous, and courageous. Leap fearlessly into the future Always Build Trust - Say what you mean, mean what you say, and do what you say you’re going to do. We are all owners. We are one team Never Stop Growing - Change IS the constant. Stay hungry and curious. Be relentless in the pursuit of progress Find a way - Never settle, no excuses, nothing is impossible. Just make it happen Our values guide us, and our mission drives us. Come join us and help deliver financial wellness for the whole family, putting the tools of wealth-making into everyone’s hands. _____________________________________________________________________ HR OPERATIONS SPECIALIST (CONTRACT) | ACORNS Acorns is seeking a detail-oriented and proactive HR Operations Specialist to join our HR Operations team on a contract basis. In this role, you will help keep our HR engine running smoothly during a period of significant operational change, supporting employee lifecycle activities, data accuracy, and stakeholder follow-through across our global team. This is a phenomenal opportunity for someone who is highly organized, comfortable working at pace in a lean HR environment, and eager to make a tangible impact behind the scenes. Acorns is a remote-first organization, offering the flexibility to work remotely while providing optional access to office space in Irvine, CA. WHAT YOU WILL DO AT ACORNS: Employee Lifecycle Coordination - Execute onboarding and offboarding steps for employees and contractors across a global team—including US and UK activities—in Workday, following established SOPs to ensure accuracy and timeliness. - Process employment changes—job changes, org changes, contract amendments, and manager updates—for both US and UK employees within defined workflows. - Prepare employment documentation such as change letters and contract amendments for review and approval, and support accurate storage in Workday. - Help facilitate coordination across HR, Talent Acquisition, Total Rewards, IT, Accounting, and Payroll to ensure lifecycle changes are completed on time. - Submit background check requests and follow up on progress through the hiring process, keeping relevant parties informed. Data Integrity & Reporting - Ensure accurate data entry for employee and contractor records in Workday, flagging discrepancies to the team for resolution. - Assist with routine data audits and clean-up efforts to support system integrity. - Help respond to reporting requests from HR and business partners, pulling data accurately and on time. Compliance & Process - Help support US I-9 compliance monitoring and UK right to work check coordination as part of onboarding workflows. - Review onboarding and lifecycle compliance materials on a regular cadence to confirm accurate completion and appropriate capture in Workday. - Adhere to established SOPs and flag process gaps or outdated documentation to the manager. - Assist with ad-hoc compliance and operational hygiene projects as directed. Communication & Collaboration - Track and follow up on tasks across Workday, Asana, Slack, and email to ensure execution remains seamless. - Serve as a responsive point of contact for HR partners and cross-functional stakeholders on lifecycle and coordination questions. - Surface issues and timeline risks early, escalating to the manager rather than waiting for problems to compound. WHAT YOU WILL BRING TO ACORNS: - 1–3+ years of experience in HR operations, people operations, HR coordination, or a similar fast-paced operational role. - Workday experience preferred—familiarity with employee lifecyc