Human Resources Leadership Development Program Jobs in California

The Director of Human Resources is the strategic leader of the Human Resources function and a member of the organization's leadership team, reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer. The role is centered on the areas most critical to Gracelight's workforce: talent acquisition, training and leadership development, employee relations, and employee experience. The Director leads a team spanning talent acquisition, employee relations, and training and development, and is accountable for the effectiveness of the function as a whole, not the performance of transactions. Payroll, benefits administration, leave administration, and workers' compensation are administered under Finance; the Director partners with Finance on benefits and compensation strategy. This role is fully onsite and requires regular in-person attendance at Gracelight Community Health locations.

ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Develops and executes a human resources strategy aligned with Gracelight's organizational goals, mission, and vision; regularly communicates strategy and performance to gain consensus and support from key stakeholders.
• Leads, develops, and holds accountable the Human Resources team across talent acquisition, employee relations, and training and development.
• Owns talent acquisition, including provider recruitment; establishes recruitment strategy, position justification standards, applicant flow reporting, and time-to-fill accountability, and delivers effective recruitment and retention programs to ensure the availability of a qualified workforce.
• Oversees training, leadership development, and manager coaching; builds supervisory capability across the organization and models transparent, values-driven leadership.
• Directs employee relations; personally leads complex investigations, corrective actions, and high-risk matters, exercising sound judgment on when to involve executive leadership and employment counsel.
• Owns the performance management program, including the annual review cycle, rating calibration with executive leadership, and merit increase administration.
• Leads succession planning and an actionable annual talent review that connects performance and cultural values to development and total rewards.
• Owns the employee experience, including engagement, recognition, culture initiatives, and organizational events; develops and delivers the staff engagement survey and manages resulting action plans and organizational change.
• Delivers compensation structures and practices, including job architecture, salary ranges, and merit administration, that support the organization's ability to attract, retain, and motivate the workforce.
• Partners with the Chief Financial Officer and Payroll & Benefits Manager on benefits program strategy, including competitive analysis, plan design, renewals, and cost efficiency, ensuring benefits decisions support talent attraction and retention.
• Develops, maintains, and administers personnel policies; ensures policies, procedures, and employment practices support the workforce and comply with federal, state, and local law.
• Plans and executes required workforce reporting, including EEO-1 and California pay data reporting; supports Finance on benefits-related filings and audits.
• Serves as primary liaison with employment counsel and government agencies, including unemployment, EDD, CRD, and DOL matters.
• Supports the Chief Executive Officer in preparing human resources matters for the Board of Directors and Compensation Committee; presents at select Board and committee meetings as requested.
• Produces and analyzes human resources metrics (turnover, vacancy, time-to-fill, engagement, employee relations trends) and presents findings and recommendations to executive leadership.
• Anticipates operational needs, resolves barriers before they affect deadlines, and continuously improves the HR technology and workflows supporting recruitment, onboarding, and employee experience.
• Maintains strict confidentiality and handles sensitive matters with discretion and professionalism; understands which decisions can be made independently and which require involving others.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS & ABILITIES:

The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and ability required to perform the essential duties of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field required; Master's degree preferred. An equivalent combination of education and progressively responsible human resources leadership experience may substitute for the degree.
• Eight (8) or more years of progressively responsible human resources experience, including at least five (5) years leading a human resources function or team.
• Significant California employee relations experience required, including investigations, corrective action, leaves of absence, and wage and hour compliance.
• Certification — SHRM-SCP or SPHR certification preferred.
• Healthcare experience strongly preferred; Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) or community health experience preferred.
• Demonstrated experience building, supervising, and developing a high-performing human resources team; working knowledge of HR technology supporting recruitment, onboarding, and engagement. Proficiency with Microsoft Office.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills and demonstrated ability to serve a diverse workforce. Bilingual English/Spanish strongly preferred.
• Condition of employment — Must satisfactorily complete a background check conducted in accordance with Gracelight policy and applicable law. TB clearance and immunizations per health center policy.