Director of Human Resources
About The Position
The Director of Human Resources is a high-impact, visible leadership role responsible for strategic planning and day-to-day workforce support. Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer and serving on the executive leadership team, the director advises leadership and helps ensure HR practices are compliant, effective, and people-centered. The role champions employee engagement, retention, organizational development, and the Durango Coca-Cola culture while balancing empathy with policy enforcement and business needs. The director leads HR strategy and operations across employee relations, talent management, onboarding, training, offboarding, compliance, compensation and benefits coordination, legal risk, and workplace safety. The position supervises and mentors a part-time HR Generalist and partners closely with the VP of Finance. It is based onsite in Durango, Colorado, Monday through Friday, with occasional additional or alternative days and times depending on business needs. Travel is up to 25%.
Requirements
- SPHR or SHRM-SCP HR certification.
- Bachelor's degree in human resources, organizational leadership, business administration, or a related field.
- 5–7 years of progressive HR experience, including leadership responsibility.
- Strong knowledge of employment law, employee relations, and HR best practices.
- Proven ability to work at both strategic and tactical levels.
- Exceptional interpersonal, communication, and relationship-building skills.
- Ability to collaborate cross-functionally and work effectively in a lean HR environment.
- Ability to work onsite Monday through Friday, with occasional additional or alternative days and times based on business needs.
- Willingness to travel up to 25%.
Nice To Haves
- Master's degree preferred.
- Experience in distribution, manufacturing, logistics, or similarly fast-paced environments preferred.
Responsibilities
- Partner with the CEO and leadership team to develop and execute HR strategies supporting business goals and long-term growth.
- Promote a culture of transparency, trust, accountability, and respect; advise leaders on employee relations, organizational design, and workforce planning.
- Design and implement employee engagement and retention programs suited to a distribution workforce.
- Participate in, recommend, and review employee benefit programs, including health insurance, dental, wellness, and time-off programs.
- Oversee employee relations matters and provide fair, consistent, timely resolutions; manage conflicts and misunderstandings with diplomacy and emotional regulation.
- Monitor workforce trends, turnover, compensation structures, engagement feedback, retention, compensation comparisons, and overtime; use metrics and benchmarking to recommend improvements and update goals.
- Lead workforce and leadership development; oversee recruitment, hiring, onboarding, and offboarding.
- Develop onboarding programs that integrate new hires into company culture and operations; help design and oversee departmental training curricula.
- Develop and maintain career paths and talent development; ensure clear communication and training about company benefits.
- Lead exit processes, analyze feedback, and identify organizational improvement opportunities.
- Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations; maintain current HR policies, procedures, and documentation aligned with company values.
- Partner with the VP of Finance on compensation, benefits, payroll coordination, and budgeting.
- Supervise and mentor the part-time HR Generalist and support their development and operational excellence.
- Oversee and maintain the HRIS system, train users on its capabilities, and pursue continuous improvement.
- Manage employee-affairs legal risk; assess personnel matters, conduct investigations, maintain relationships with legal counsel, and oversee legal claims and inquiries such as unemployment and workers' compensation.
- Foster workplace safety culture, ensure compliance with company safety policies and procedures, support the Safety Committee, monitor safety metrics, participate in the Workers' Compensation program, and maintain OSHA records.
- Serve as an accessible HR resource for employees at all levels; communicate HR initiatives, policy updates, and changes clearly and transparently.
- Coach and support leadership and frontline managers with training and HR guidance; collaborate cross-functionally and provide hands-on support as needed.
- Listen to employee needs and concerns, respond with thoughtful and respectful solutions, and represent company values through clear, consistent communication and documentation.
- Assess potential risks, communicate difficult messages with clarity and empathy, facilitate conflicts neutrally using de-escalation techniques, and remain calm and trustworthy in stressful situations.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Director
