People & Culture Manager

WHO WE ARE
Avant Gardner is New York City's premier event space and producer. Its flagship venue, The Brooklyn Mirage, is the crown jewel of New York City entertainment and one of the most iconic venues in the world. Avant Gardner’s 80,000 square foot complex occupies an entire city block of East Williamsburg, highlighted by the space’s unrivaled audiovisual features including a 200 foot wide, 15k resolution video wall. Voted North America's 'Best Large Club' in 2022 and 2023 and ranked top ten globally by DJ Mag, Avant Gardner has welcomed sold out shows featuring today's top acts and emerging global stars including Drake, Skrillex, Turnstile, Four Tet, John Summit, Glass Animals, Carl Cox, Keinemusik, Christina Aguilera, David Guetta, Marshmello, Reneé Rapp, Rina Sawayama, Rüfüs Du Sol, SOFI TUKKER, Tiësto, and many more. Avant Gardner’s portfolio includes event brands such as The Cityfox Experience along with programming across New York City. For more information, visit Avant-Gardner.com.

WHO YOU ARE

• Someone who is highly organized, able to juggle multiple projects at once and prioritize with accuracy.
• Someone who is reliable and has a “no task too small” attitude
• Someone who can keep calm under high pressure situations
• Adept at building strong relationships across different teams and levels.

ABOUT THE ROLE

We are looking for a People & Culture Manager to join our People team in East Williamsburg/Bushwick. In this role, you will support all HR functions at Avant Gardner and report directly to the Director of People & Culture. You will play a crucial role in fostering a positive workplace culture, ensuring compliance with labor laws, and driving HR initiatives that align with our mission and values.

As a People & Culture Manager, you will be at the heart of our vibrant workplace, promoting an inclusive culture where every team member feels valued and empowered. Your responsibilities will include shaping our organizational culture and leading in essential areas such as payroll processing, benefits administration, recruitment, and employee relations.

The ideal candidate is a self-starter who is innovative, empathetic, and an effective problem-solver. This is an on-site role at our headquarters and venue, requiring regular attendance.

ESSENTIAL ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES 

• Reports to Director of People & Culture
• Payroll, Compliance and Reporting:
• Oversee the  payroll process for both hourly and salaried employees, ensuring accurate calculations, timely submissions, and error-free processing of salaries, wages, bonuses, and other compensations. 
• Maintain and manage the payroll system, including updates for tax rates, benefit deductions, and other withholdings. 
• Handle year-end payroll activities, including W-2 preparation.
• Complete weekly payroll allocations and coordinate with finance representatives for accuracy 
• Audit and manage employee hours to ensure accurate payroll reporting 
• Stay updated on payroll laws and regulations, ensuring company compliance 
• Handle payroll reporting, including quarterly PFL/DBL, WC, reconciliations, and EEO-1 reporting are completed per federal and state regulations.
• Benefits Administration:
• Oversee the administration of employee benefits programs, including health insurance, 401(k), disability, and other voluntary benefits.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for benefits-related inquiries, providing support to employees regarding benefits options and processes.
• Alongside the Director of People & Culture, manage relationships with  brokers to optimize benefit offerings and negotiate contract terms.
• Employee Relations:
• Address and resolve employee issues, grievances, and disputes in collaboration with relevant stakeholders, ensuring compliance with company policies and legal standards.
• Provide training on personnel policy and procedure guidance to both employees and management.
• Conduct exit and stay interviews
• Support the Director of People & Culture in keeping the compensation strategy up to date and enhancing and implementing employee performance programs.
• Talent Acquisition and Development:
• Lead recruitment efforts to attract and retain top talent, ensuring alignment with company goals.
• Ensure job descriptions are current and compliant with all local, state, and federal regulations.
• Develop training programs to support employee growth and career advancement.

• 5+ years of previous human resources experience.
• ADP experience preferred
• Experience managing a direct report or small team highly desired
• Demonstrated ability to forge meaningful interpersonal relationships across functions and levels and comfortable navigating a fast paced environment
• Working knowledge of federal and state labor law including workers compensation, workplace safety, EEOC, and FLSA
• Outstanding leadership skills with a high capacity for managing multiple projects simultaneously
• Must possess excellent oral, written, and listening communication skills as well as the ability to prioritize and execute in a deadline-oriented environment
• A strong commitment to delivering a high level of employee service with demonstrated initiative, leadership, and management skills
• Strong skills in Excel or Google Sheets, with a willingness to learn and optimize these tools if necessary. Ideally, you're comfortable working with pivot tables, v-lookups, and larger datasets.
• Exceptional communication skills, both written and verbal
• SHRM or HRCI certification is preferred, but not required—if you don’t have these certifications, we still encourage you to apply.

• When available, complimentary or discounted tickets for live events at our music venue, guests included.
• Complimentary snacks and beverages available in office
• PTO Days + Floating Holidays
• Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance
• 401K with employer match
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA) that can be used for commuting expenses, dependent care and more!
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Opportunities for professional development and advancement within the company
• Volunteer Time Off

COMPENSATION  The yearly salary for this position will range from $90,000- $100,000