HR Program Specialist - Torrance, CA

CMA CGM

19h•Onsite

About The Position

As the HR Program Specialist (Special Projects) for a major international sporting event, you will lead and coordinate all HR activities required to staff, operate, and demobilize the event across multiple sites and functions. You will oversee the full HR lifecycle for thousands of staff (permanent, fixed-term and agency workers): from requirements definition and hiring through accreditation, workforce follow-up during operations, and end-of-contract processes after the event. A key focus of this role is to establish and run a dedicated HR PMO function that provides governance, structure, and visibility across all HR workstreams, ensuring that the right people are in the right place at the right time, in full compliance with event standards and legal requirements.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in human resources, Business, Operations, or a related field (or equivalent experience).
3–5 years of experience in project or program management, ideally within HR and/or large-scale, complex environments (e.g., events, hospitality, sports, transportation).
Experience managing large contingent workforces and partnering with multiple temporary staffing agencies.
Proven ability to coordinate HR activities across multi-site or time-sensitive operations.
Proficiency with project management tools (e.g., MS Project) and HR/enterprise systems.
Ability to create structure, governance, and clarity within complex, deadline-driven programs.
Strong strategic mindset paired with hands-on execution in HR operations.
Excellent problem-solving skills; comfortable navigating ambiguity, change, and operational challenges.
Proven capacity to manage multiple priorities, stakeholders, and locations simultaneously.
Financial acumen, including budgeting, forecasting, and cost control for large staffing programs.
Exceptional communication, influencing, and stakeholder management skills at all organizational levels.
Experience thriving in fast-paced, high-visibility environments with fixed delivery dates.
Strong collaboration and interpersonal skills, leading through influence across internal and external partners.

Nice To Haves

Project Management certification (PMP, CPM, or equivalent).
HR experience supporting major sporting events or large-scale, high-volume events.
Experience building or operating a PMO or HR program office.

Responsibilities

Establish and lead the HR PMO for the event, defining governance, tools, methodologies, and reporting across all HR workstreams (staffing, agencies, accreditation, contracts).
Consolidate workforce requirements across venues and functions and translate them into phased workforce plans (pre-event, event-time, post-event).
Oversee workforce planning and staffing execution, including role definitions, headcount, timelines, and compliance with operational and security needs.
Lead end-to-end recruitment and selection in partnership with HR teams and hiring managers for fixed-term, and temporary staff.
Manage temporary labor agencies, including demand definition, volume and profile alignment, service-level monitoring, and issue resolution.
Oversee HR accreditation processes, ensuring completion of checks, documentation, training, and readiness prior to issuance.
Implement and monitor HR tracking and reporting, covering hiring progress, onboarding, accreditation, attendance, turnover, and risk escalation.
Develop and manage integrated HR project plans, including milestones, budgets, resources, risks, and contingency planning aligned to event readiness dates.
Drive cross-functional HR coordination with venues, operations, warehouses, legal, security, technology teams, and external partners to ensure alignment and delivery.
Ensure legal, regulatory, and event governance compliance across the entire workforce lifecycle, including demobilization and post-event offboarding.
Monitor HR performance metrics and lead continuous improvement initiatives throughout the event lifecycle.
Support HR SOPs, training, and pre-event and post-event reviews, capturing lessons learned and building a repeatable HR playbook for future large-scale events.

Benefits

Competitive Paid Time Off
401(k)
health insurance
employee benefits platform that offers discounts on gym memberships and a diverse range of retail, travel, car and hospitality brands
pet insurance
multiple health plans(company contribution to health savings account)
prescription, dental and vision coverage
Company paid life insurance, accident insurance, short- and long-term disability coverage and employee assistance plan.
Voluntary benefits including additional life insurance, AD&D coverage, buy-up short- and long-term disability, critical illness, identify theft & legal plan.
401(k) with company match.
Flexible Paid Time Off programs including company paid holidays.
Tuition reimbursement program.