Job Description:
The Human Resources Director for Pacific Oaks College and Children’s School (POC/POCS) is responsible for leading and managing all aspects of the human resources function, ensuring a positive employee experience. This role requires a collaborative leader who can support community-wide human resource initiatives with the unique operational needs of Pacific Oaks College and Children’s School.
The Human Resources Director will serve as a strategic partner to campus leadership, providing guidance and oversight for employee relations, talent acquisition, performance management, professional development, compensation and benefits administration, and compliance. Additionally, this role is responsible for fostering an inclusive and supportive work environment that enhances the employee experience and contributes to organizational effectiveness.
The Director will leverage Workday as the primary HR system. This role will also oversee a team of Human Resources professionals. This role is considered hybrid with an expectation of working 3 days per week on campus, with the flexibility to work 2 days per week from home.
Essential Functions and Role Responsibilities:
Strategic HR Leadership & Collaboration
Serve as the primary HR advisor to leadership at Pacific Oaks College and Children’s School, ensuring HR strategies are aligned with the broader community HR practices while addressing the unique operational needs of the college.
Collaborate with senior leadership to develop, implement, and maintain HR policies, procedures, and programs that support the organization's culture and mission.
Partner with the Office of the President and Finance Office to evaluate organizational needs, workforce planning, and talent development initiatives.
Serve as a key liaison between Pacific Oaks College and Children’s School and Community Solution Education System’s centralized HR team, advocating for college-specific needs while ensuring alignment with community-wide strategies.
Lead organizational change management efforts to ensure seamless implementation of system-wide policies, initiatives, and Workday processes.
Employee Relations & Experience
Provide leadership and support in employee relations, conflict resolution, and workplace investigations to ensure fair and consistent treatment of all employees.
Foster a culture of inclusion, collaboration, and employee engagement that aligns with the College’s mission and values.
Develop and implement strategies to enhance the employee experience, ensuring a positive and productive work environment.
Oversee and guide the resolution of complex employee relations issues in a manner that mitigates risk and aligns with organizational values.
Act as a resource to managers and employees regarding HR policies, employee rights, performance expectations, and organizational culture.
Talent Acquisition & Workforce Planning
Oversee the full-cycle talent acquisition process, including workforce planning, recruitment, selection, onboarding, and retention strategies.
Partner with hiring managers to ensure job descriptions, position evaluations, and recruitment processes align with organizational needs and market competitiveness.
Promote inclusive hiring practices that contribute to workforce diversity and equity.
Lead workforce planning discussions with leadership to identify talent gaps, succession planning needs, and long-term staffing strategies.
Ensure new employee onboarding and orientation experiences are impactful and contribute to long-term retention.
Performance Management & Professional Development
Lead the administration and continuous improvement of the performance management process, ensuring clear expectations, consistent feedback, and meaningful development plans.
Coach and support managers in providing feedback, addressing performance challenges, and developing talent.
Facilitate learning and development opportunities, including leadership development, employee training, and career growth initiatives.
Collaborate with leadership to create and implement initiatives focused on professional growth and continuous learning.
Compensation, Benefits, & HR Compliance
Oversee the administration of compensation, ensuring equity, market competitiveness, and alignment with organizational goals.
Partner with System Office Benefits to ensure adoption and advocate for benefit programs and strategies.
Partner with the Finance Office to support annual budget planning for salaries, benefits, and workforce planning.
Ensure organizational compliance with all applicable labor laws, employment regulations, and organizational policies.
Support leave of absence processes (FMLA, ADA, disability, etc.) with vendors.
Lead compliance efforts related to pay equity, wage and hour laws, workplace safety, and anti-discrimination policies.
Serve as the primary point of contact to System Office HRIS, ensuring the accuracy of data and reporting of POC and POCS information within Workday.
Organizational Culture & Inclusion
Partner with leadership to analyze external factors and integrate inclusive hiring, promotion, and retention practices to align with the college’s missions of inclusivity.
Ensure the organization’s commitment to a culture of belonging is reflected in policies, practices, and employee experiences.
Essential Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
Collaborative Leadership: Ability to balance the strategic vision of the Community Solution Education System with the operational needs of Pacific Oaks College and Children’s School.
Employee Experience Focus: Proven experience fostering a positive work environment and ensuring an exceptional employee experience.
Change Management: Skilled in leading organizational change and guiding teams through transitions related to HR policies, systems, and structures.
HR Expertise: Strong knowledge of employment laws, performance management, talent acquisition, employee relations, compensation, and benefits administration.
Workday Proficiency: Experience in using Workday for HR operations.
Communication & Influence: Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to engage and influence at all organizational levels.
Data-Driven Decision Making: Ability to leverage HR metrics, analytics, and reporting to drive organizational insights and inform decisions.
Physical Requirements:
Ability to walk across campus buildings frequently to engage with staff and faculty.
Ability to travel occasionally between Pacific Oaks College, Pacific Oaks Children’s School, and other local locations as needed.
Ability to work on-site with a standard schedule, with occasional evening or weekend work for events or projects.
Position Qualifications:
Education: Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Organizational Leadership, or related field required. Master’s degree preferred.
Experience: Minimum of 7-10 years of progressive HR leadership experience, preferably in higher education, early childhood education, or multi-location environments.
HRIS Experience: Hands-on experience using Workday as a primary HR platform.
Compliance Knowledge: Strong understanding of California employment laws, ADA, FMLA, and other regulatory requirements.
Leadership Skills: Proven ability to lead and influence organizational culture, drive HR strategy, and partner with leadership teams.
Preferred: PHR, SPHR, SHRM-CP, or SHRM-SCP certification.
Compensation & Benefits
This opportunity is budgeted at $81,280.00-89,335.00 base compensation. Additional compensation factors may impact total compensation. To learn more about our competitive benefits and additional rewards, including generous paid time-off, medical and dental insurance coverage, life and disability insurance, retirement plan with employer contribution, multiple flexible spending accounts, tuition reimbursement, click the link below.https://www.pacificoaks.edu/about/careers-pacific-oaks/
Pacific Oaks is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Pacific Oaks participates in E-Verify and verifies identity and employment eligibility of all persons hired.
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. Pacific Oaks offers equal employment opportunities to all persons without regard to race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, marital status, physical or mental disability, parental status, housing status, source of income or military status, in accordance with applicable federal, state and local EEO laws.