People Operations Specialist

Albert Uster Imports•Gaithersburg, MD

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

The People Operations Specialist plays a critical role in supporting Human Resource programming in a positive, engaging, and highly compliant workplace environment. This position is responsible for managing key employee lifecycle processes, including onboarding, offboarding, employee relations, performance management support, leave and accommodation administration, compliance initiatives, and day-to-day people operations for employees across all locations. Additionally, serving as a trusted advisor to the Distribution Center network and a resource for employees, the People Operations Specialist provides guidance on policies, performance, compliance requirements, and safety programs while helping ensure a consistent and seamless employee experience. In addition to owning core People & Culture processes, this role partners closely with leaders across the organization to support organizational effectiveness, employee engagement, and continuous improvement initiatives. The Specialist plays a key role in maintaining compliance, supporting training and culture-building programs, and fostering a fair, inclusive, and high-performing workplace. This is an exciting opportunity to join an innovative, food-focused organization passionate about the diversity of cuisines and the power of food to bring people together. The ideal candidate is thoughtful, detail-oriented, solution-focused, and committed to delivering exceptional support to employees and leaders alike. As a response to the pandemic, Albert Uster Imports Inc. office employees have transitioned to a hybrid working schedule, requiring employees to report in-person Monday through Wednesday, with the option to telework on Thursday and Friday each week. Due to the collaborative, cross-functional nature of the organization, employees at the Gaithersburg office are required to work in-person for the abovementioned days, outside of any People & Culture-approved disability accommodation request.

Requirements

3-5 years of experience in HR, compliance, or employee relations support
Strong communication, interpersonal, and project management skills, with the ability to organize multiple priorities and maintain a high level of attention to detail
Ability to partner effectively with cross-functional leaders, providing practical guidance and sound judgement in a fast-paced, fluid environment
A self-starter who is willing to “roll up their sleeves” and perform multiple tasks independently as a resource for employees and the business
Strong sense of follow-through and commitment to timely and accurate completion of tasks
A passion for food and people!

Nice To Haves

Strong preference for bi-lingual with English and Spanish
Experience handling confidential and sensitive information
Experience supporting distribution, warehouse, logistics or manufacturing environments
Working knowledge of employee relations, leave management, and performance management best practices, knowledge of federal and state compliance standards
Desire to grow in a career in HR and interest in DEIB initiatives
Bachelor’s degree in human resource management or business is a plus
Experience with PEO/HRIS a plus

Responsibilities

Own, facilitate, and continuously improve programs including onboarding, offboarding, leave of absence and accommodation management, training, performance management support, and employee relations administration, ensuring effective, timely, and compliant execution for employees across all locations
Serve as a trusted advisor to Distribution Center leaders and employees by providing guidance on employee relations, performance management, policy interpretation, compliance requirements, workplace concerns, and other people-related matters
Maintain accurate employee data and records within the P&C platform, support reporting and analytics, generate workforce metrics, resolve data discrepancies, and ensure the integrity of P&C operations
Lead and support P&C initiatives including our compliance, safety, DEIB training, and policy development while identifying opportunities to improve processes, enhance employee experience, and strengthen organizational effectiveness
Ensure adherence to company policies, regulatory requirements, emergency preparedness standards, and DEIB principles while fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, inclusion, and belonging throughout the organization
Provide administrative and functional support across all P&C disciplines, respond to employee inquiries, escalate concerns as appropriate, and complete ad hoc projects to support business objectives
You will be expected to visit 3-4 Distribution Centers a year with additional travel for high need situations