Director, People & Culture

Oakland Zoo•Oakland, CA

2d•$111,971 - $122,909•Hybrid

About The Position

The People & Culture (P&C) Department’s main focus is to engage our team members and elevate the employee journey from the first moment of interest to the last day of employment and every step of growth along the way. The Director, People & Culture is integral in designing and implementing strong foundational compliance elements on which we deliver institutional goals of engagement, development and retention. We are seeking a passionate, relational, hands-on, and process-oriented people manager who will manage and implement programs and policies including but not limited to compliance, employee relations, hiring/onboarding and workforce analytics to strengthen and develop both employees and the institution. This position is responsible for ensuring all elements of HR processes are accurate and in compliance with internal policy and external regulatory requirements. They will work to improve effectiveness and efficiencies through process design, leveraging technology and external vendors/other resources. This employee will partner with the Vice President, People and Culture and other necessary team members to manage, integrate and execute all HR projects, programs, and initiatives to ensure coherence and application of best practices.

Requirements

Minimum of 9 years of progressive Human Resources experience. This must include a minimum of 5 years in a supervisory role.
Working knowledge of California and Federal Employment laws including FMLA, CFRA, PDL, SDI, PFL, ADA, ADEA and local ordinances
Strong understanding of At-will employment, California’s Sexual Harassment & Violence in the Workplace (SB1343) requirements, benefits administration, ACA, Workers’ Comp, FLSA, COBRA, OSHA and other common employment and safety regulations
Broad knowledge and experience in staff onboarding, performance management, compensation, employee engagement, and workforce analytics
Proven ability to compile and analyze large data sets and present actionable plans
Proficient with Microsoft Suite, and Zoom, including a strong knowledge of Excel, Teams and Google documents/sheet
Background in HRIS use and management
Technologically savvy and able to learn software quickly with experience in HR software platforms required
Willingness to work on some weekends and holidays as needed.

Nice To Haves

PHR/SPHR certificate, or any other advanced education/ training in the HR field preferred
Have a Bachelor’s or Master's Degree in a related field
Have experience working in launch, growth, and/or transition phases of institutions
Have experience with Paylocity
Experience with Unionized staff and a demonstrated collaborative approach to Union-Employer relations and contract negotiations.

Responsibilities

Partner with the Vice President, People & Culture to develop and execute appropriate HR policies, programs, processes and systems to support our employee-centric environment
Continually audit and update documents and protocols to maintain compliance with the most current local, state and federal laws
Provide advice and assistance in legal matters that pertain to human resources
Ensure workplace health and safety compliance, including workers compensation and appropriate OSHA training
Manage the development and submission of timely and accurate compliance reporting, actions and/or record administration to include, but not limited to timekeeping, I-9 records, Sexual Harassment Prevention Training etc.
Support P&C Specialists with review of questions related to Leaves of Absence, Worker’s Compensation, Hiring, and other compliance matters. Elevate escalated questions to Vice President, People & Culture.
Support P&C Specialists as point of contact for HR vendors, as well as external inquiries coming from governmental agencies and other entities (including Workers’ Compensation inquiries and requests for employee information/records)
Oversees all personnel recordkeeping, both digital via our HRIS (Paylocity) and hard copies
Track and utilize data and key performance metrics to identify trends and recommend proactive solutions for employee performance, promotions, retention, turnover and transitions
Compile routine/initiative-driven reports to share out with the leadership team to grow in interdepartmental awareness and aid in decision-making
Recommends new approaches, policies, and procedures to effect continual improvements in the efficiency of the department and services performed
Provide technical support to employees who need assistance with payroll, timekeeping, expenses, and benefits portals/systems
Oversees escalated investigations, including those involving senior level employees
Manages investigations involving a high level of organizational risk
Conduct thorough and impartial investigations into employee complaints, allegations, or policy violations collaborating with relevant stakeholders, legal counsel, and management
Partners with VP in developing and administering Performance Action Plans
In coordination with VP, People & Culture, participate in Labor Management Committee (LMC) to support Bargaining Unit (BU) and Management representatives in navigating questions related to the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
Participate in CBA contract negotiations.
Collaborate with P&C Specialist – Employee Relations in matters related to BU members and the CBA.
Join conversations between management and BU members in matters related to interpersonal or performance concerns as a neutral facilitator.
Implement the strategy for the institution’s hiring processes including assisting P&C Specialist in job description creation, posting positions, screening candidates, and managing the interview process to ensure departmental hiring managers are set up for success
Review background check exceptions
Support VP, P&C in implementing compensation strategy
Support P&C Specialist to manage the Open Enrollment Process, contribute to the development of benefits related employee communications, and establish sound relationships with benefit brokers and service providers
Perform other related duties as required and assigned.
Hires, supervises, develops and oversees performance management of P&C Specialists and Coordinator.