Human Resources Business Partner (EAP)

Ecology Auto Parts•Cerritos, CA

13d•Onsite

About The Position

Ecology Auto Parts, Inc. is seeking an experienced Human Resources Business Partner to lead human resources operations, employee relations, payroll governance, and employment compliance across affiliated entities. Reporting directly to the Chief Operating Officer, with a dotted-line relationship to the Chief Financial Officer, the role serves as the organization’s lead HR advisor and is accountable for the integrity, accuracy, and timely completion of company-wide payroll operations. The HRBP directly oversees the Payroll & Benefits Administrator and assigned support resources while retaining operational accountability for payroll processing, controls, reconciliations, reporting, and compliance. The position requires hands-on payroll expertise and the ability to process payroll through Paylocity when needed, while delegating routine processing and benefits administration to designated personnel. The role also leads employee relations, workplace investigations, performance management, benefits oversight, HRIS governance, and HR policy administration. Professional fluency in English and Spanish is mandatory. This is a full-time, exempt, onsite position based at the Corporate Office in Cerritos, California. Regular hours are Monday through Friday, 0800–1700. Scheduling flexibility and occasional work outside normal business hours may be necessary for payroll deadlines or urgent employee matters. The role is primarily office-based and may periodically visit transportation, field, or operational locations; occasional local travel may be required. The anticipated base salary is $135,000–$165,000 per year. The company offers medical, dental, and vision insurance, a 401(k) plan with employer matching, generous paid time off, and life insurance, subject to applicable plan terms.

Requirements

Professional fluency in English and Spanish, including the ability to conduct sensitive employee discussions and communicate complex HR, payroll, benefits, and compliance information verbally and in writing in both languages.
Demonstrated hands-on, end-to-end experience with payroll preparation, processing, validation, and reconciliation for a complex, multi-site or multi-entity workforce.
Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Organizational Leadership, Accounting, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and directly relevant experience.
Seven or more years of progressive human resources experience, including substantial responsibility for employee relations, HR operations, and advising organizational leadership.
Strong command of California wage-and-hour, leave, accommodation, employee-relations, and employment-record requirements.
Direct experience overseeing employee benefits administration and resolving complex payroll and benefits discrepancies.
Demonstrated ability to lead workplace investigations, advise management on sensitive employment matters, and implement sound, consistent HR practices.
Experience establishing or improving payroll controls, HRIS workflows, administrative procedures, and operational accountability.
Demonstrated discretion, independent judgment, sound decision-making, attention to detail, and ability to manage confidential and time-sensitive matters.
Strong business and financial judgment, executive communication, investigative skills, operational urgency, and follow-through.
Ability to direct administrative support resources, manage competing priorities, and maintain operational continuity across multiple entities and locations.

Nice To Haves

Direct hands-on experience with Paylocity payroll and HRIS functionality.
Working knowledge of prevailing-wage and certified-payroll requirements and processes.
HR certification such as SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, SPHR, or equivalent.
Payroll certification such as Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) or Fundamental Payroll Certification (FPC).
Prior HR and payroll experience supporting transportation, trucking, logistics, or another distributed operational workforce.

Responsibilities

Maintain ultimate operational accountability for accurate, compliant, and timely payroll execution across affiliated business entities.
Direct and oversee the Payroll & Benefits Administrator and assigned support personnel responsible for payroll preparation, processing, validation, reconciliation, and benefits administration.
Maintain hands-on proficiency with Paylocity and personally perform payroll processing, validation, corrections, or reconciliation when necessary.
Establish and enforce payroll approval protocols, processing calendars, segregation-of-duties controls, audit procedures, and corrective-action standards.
Review significant payroll exceptions, overtime and wage-and-hour concerns, compensation adjustments, final-pay obligations, and payroll-related financial or regulatory risks.
Oversee prevailing-wage and certified-payroll compliance, including rate validation, reporting, record retention, and audit readiness.
Partner with Finance on payroll funding, general-ledger reconciliation, tax reporting, financial controls, and material discrepancies.
Advise executives and operational leaders on employee relations, workforce planning, organizational effectiveness, performance management, and consistent policy application.
Build working relationships with leaders and employees across corporate, transportation, field, and operational environments.
Translate business needs into practical HR actions, communicate risks, and provide recommendations supported by policy, documentation, and applicable law.
Promote consistent HR practices across affiliated entities while addressing entity-specific operational, regulatory, and workforce requirements.
Provide HR guidance and employee support in English and Spanish, including for investigations, payroll and benefits matters, policies, and workplace communications.
Partner with Talent Acquisition on workforce needs, selection processes, offer alignment, onboarding, and staffing transitions.
Support organizational change, job and reporting-structure reviews, succession planning, retention, employee engagement, and management development.
Lead prompt, objective, documented workplace investigations involving complaints, conduct, policy violations, retaliation, harassment, discrimination, and other employee-relations concerns.
Guide managers on coaching, corrective action, performance improvement plans, separations, and other employment decisions.
Maintain working knowledge of California and federal employment requirements, including wage and hour, leave, reasonable accommodation, equal employment opportunity, and recordkeeping.
Develop, interpret, maintain, and communicate HR policies, procedures, forms, and practices; monitor consistent application.
Coordinate with executive leadership and legal counsel on sensitive employee matters, claims, audits, agency inquiries, and significant compliance risks.
Administer leave-of-absence and accommodation processes with employees, managers, providers, carriers, and legal resources as appropriate.
Provide strategic and compliance oversight of benefits programs, direct day-to-day administration by the Payroll & Benefits Administrator, and resolve escalated eligibility, coverage, vendor, and regulatory matters.
Direct HRIS governance, data-integrity controls, system access, approval workflows, reporting standards, and periodic audits within Paylocity.
Maintain controls over confidential employee records and ensure accurate workforce, payroll, benefits, and compliance reporting.
Evaluate benefits administration, HRIS workflows, and vendor performance to identify risks, deficiencies, and improvement opportunities.
Develop and maintain HR and payroll procedures, controls, service standards, and continuity plans; identify process gaps and implement improvements.
Direct, supervise, and evaluate the Payroll & Benefits Administrator and assigned HR support personnel, including setting priorities, assigning responsibilities, coaching and developing staff, and recommending or implementing personnel actions within delegated authority.
Manage the performance-review cycle and support leaders in setting expectations, documenting performance, recognizing contributions, and addressing performance gaps.
Deliver or coordinate manager training on interviewing, hiring, documentation, performance management, respectful workplace expectations, leaves, wage-and-hour compliance, and other HR practices.
Oversee company-wide compliance training, including California-mandated sexual harassment prevention training, and ensure timely completion, documentation, and tracking.
Use payroll, turnover, attendance, employee-relations, and workforce data to identify trends and recommend corrective or preventive action.
Perform other related duties consistent with the position’s HR leadership and payroll-accountability responsibilities.