Human Resources Business Partner (EAP)

Ecology Auto Parts, Inc.•Cerritos, CA

13d•$135,000 - $165,000•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. The position is based onsite at the Corporate Office in Cerritos, California, and reports directly to the Chief Operating Officer, with a dotted-line relationship to the Chief Financial Officer. It 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, retaining operational accountability for payroll processing, internal controls, reconciliations, reporting, and compliance. The position requires hands-on payroll expertise and the ability to personally process payroll through Paylocity when needed, while delegating routine processing and benefits administration to designated personnel. The role provides HR guidance to executives, managers, and employees; leads employee relations and workplace investigations; oversees employment compliance, benefits, HRIS governance, policies, and performance management; and supports organizational development and workforce planning. Professional fluency in English and Spanish is mandatory. Experience with prevailing-wage and certified-payroll requirements and transportation or logistics operations is preferred. This is a full-time, exempt position with regular hours 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 operates primarily in a professional office setting and may periodically visit transportation, field, or operational locations; occasional local travel may be required. The anticipated base salary is $135,000 to $165,000 per year. Ecology Auto Parts, Inc. offers medical, dental, and vision insurance, a 401(k) plan with employer matching, generous paid time off, and life insurance coverage, subject to applicable plan terms.

Requirements

Professional fluency in English and Spanish, including conducting sensitive employee discussions and communicating 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.
Ability to perform the essential functions of the position with or without reasonable accommodation.

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 operational accountability for accurate, compliant, and timely payroll across affiliated entities.
Direct and oversee the Payroll & Benefits Administrator and assigned support personnel responsible for payroll preparation, processing, validation, reconciliation, and benefits administration.
Maintain proficiency with Paylocity and personally perform payroll processing, validation, corrections, or reconciliation when necessary.
Establish and enforce payroll approval protocols, calendars, segregation-of-duties controls, audits, and corrective-action standards.
Review significant payroll exceptions, overtime and wage-and-hour concerns, compensation adjustments, final-pay obligations, and payroll-related 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 discrepancy resolution.
Advise executives and operational leaders on employee relations, workforce planning, organizational effectiveness, performance management, and company policy.
Build working relationships with leaders and employees across corporate, transportation, field, and operational environments.
Translate business needs into practical HR actions and communicate risks and 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 investigations, payroll and benefits matters, policy discussions, and workplace communications.
Partner with Talent Acquisition on workforce needs, selection, 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, well-documented workplace investigations involving complaints, conduct, policy violations, retaliation, harassment, discrimination, and other employee-relations concerns.
Guide managers through coaching, corrective action, performance improvement plans, separations, and other employment decisions.
Maintain working knowledge of California and federal employment requirements, including wage and hour, leaves, 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 matters.
Direct HRIS governance, data-integrity controls, system access, approval workflows, reporting standards, and periodic Paylocity audits.
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 opportunities for improvement.
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, development, and personnel actions within delegated authority.
Manage the performance-review cycle and support leaders in setting expectations, documenting performance, recognizing contributions, and addressing 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 track completion and documentation.
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.