Human Resources Director

THE COMPANY

We have been retained to recruit an HR Director for our client who has been a global produce grower (growing, shipping, and marketing) since 1992. They are a family-owned and operated company that values respect, integrity, support, and commitment to excellence. Their dedication starts with how they respect the land and the people who work it and carries over into the way in which they conduct all business. This same thoughtful care goes into how they manage their precious cargo. Their avocados are harvested at exactly the right time, packed to perfection, and delivered fresh for enjoyment worldwide.

Over the years, our client’s relationships and reputation grew, operations increased with larger facilities and extended distribution. Their company has since grown to 6 distribution facilities exceeding 300,000-square-feet across the United States, Mexico and Colombia. Today, this industry leader’ is sourced from over 1,000 growers owning over 65,000 acres across California, Mexico, Colombia, Chile, and Peru. Their current distribution includes 350+ customers throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, Japan, China, South Korea, Hong Kong, and the Middle East.

THE POSITION

Job Summary:
As the Human Resources Director, you will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of HR operations. You will play a key role in developing and implementing HR strategies, policies, and programs that align with the company’s mission, values, and strategic objectives. You will also you will play a critical role in ensuring the organization’s adherence to safety standards and regulatory requirements. You will work closely with management, employees, and external agencies to implement and maintain robust safety and compliance programs, policies, and procedures. Your leadership will be instrumental in attracting, retaining, and developing top talent while ensuring compliance with all employment laws and regulations. This position requires a business partner collaborative approach vis-à-vis Company leadership and management and being capable of driving alignment and getting things across the finish line. The HR Director reports to the CEO.

Key Responsibilities

HR Strategy and Planning:
Develop and implement HR strategies that support the company’s short-term and long-term goals.
Collaborate with executive leadership to align HR initiatives with business objectives.
Stay abreast of industry trends and best practices to enhance HR policies and practices.

Safety and Compliance:
Ensure strict compliance with all federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations.
Review and update HR policies, employee handbook and procedures to reflect legal and industry changes.
The Director will be responsible for OSHA compliance and other regulatory matters, as well as customer social, environmental, and related audits. The Director is responsible for developing a culture of safety and proactive hazard prevention.

Talent Acquisition and Recruitment:
Oversee the recruitment and selection process to attract highly qualified candidates.
Work with management to identify staffing and benchmarking needs and efficiently hire for those positions.
Establish talent pipelines and bench strength development.

Employee Development and Training:
Implement training and development programs to enhance employee skills and competencies.
Identify high-potential employees and create career development plans.
Promote a culture of continuous learning and professional growth.
Develop and accelerate the performance of WPA Human Resources team

Performance Management:
Design and implement performance management processes that align with company goals.
Support managers in providing constructive feedback and coaching to employees.
Develop performance improvement plans when necessary.

Employee Relations and Engagement:
Foster a positive encourages transparency and collaborate problem solving.
Address employee concerns and grievances in a fair and timely manner.
Conduct employee satisfaction surveys and use feedback to drive improvements.

Compensation and Benefits:
Oversee the design and administration of competitive compensation and benefits programs.
Conduct market research to ensure our offerings remain competitive and attractive.
Design and build on existing talent retention programs.

HR Metrics and Reporting:
Develop and analyze HR metrics to assess the effectiveness of HR initiatives.
Provide regular reports and insights into executive leadership.
Key contributor to developing enterprise headcount budgets for domestic operations
Is quantitatively inclined, is able to analyze metrics and data to support HR related recommendations to the CEO and Executive team.
 
THE CANDIDATE

Candidate Qualifications and Skills

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field (Master’s degree preferred).
• Proven experience as an HR leader with at least 10 years in a HR Director-level / Sr Human Resources Manager position.
• Experience in agriculture / agribusiness or manufacturing a plus.
• Experience collaborating with a predominant Hispanic workforce is a plus.
• Ideal candidate will have a mix of HR experience in privately owned and publicly traded companies.
• In-depth knowledge of HR best practices, employment and US labor laws, and applicable regulations. Familiar with California employment law preferred.
• Proven work experience in OSHA and general labor and legal compliance matters. OSHA Certification preferred.
• Experience in developing and implementing safety and compliance programs is preferred.
• Professional certifications such as SPHR or SHRM-SCP are desirable.
• Strong leadership and management skills with the ability to lead and develop a high-performing HR team.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal abilities to engage with employees at all levels.
• Demonstrated ability to drive HR initiatives that support business objectives.
• Strategic mindset with the capacity to analyze data and make data-driven decisions.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills to identify and mitigate compliance risks.
• Bilingual Spanish/English preferred, not required.
• Able to travel up to 10%.