Associate Director, Human Resources

Socket.dev; Fullerton (CA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Associated Students Inc., CSUF is seeking an Associate Director of Human Resources to lead talent acquisition, employee engagement, performance management, and employee relations in a complex higher-education environment. This role reports to the Chief Human Resources Officer and may supervise 1–2 HR staff, guiding policies and programs that support a positive campus culture.

You will drive full-cycle recruitment, oversee benefits, leaves, safety, and HR projects, and mentor managers and HR

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in HR or related field; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• SPHR or equivalent senior HR certification.
• Minimum of 10 years in a leadership, supervisory, or management-level HR role.
• Experience in higher education or complex organizations is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead full-cycle recruitment and onboarding processes.
• Oversee performance management and coaching for leaders.
• Serve as trusted advisor on employee relations and investigations.
• Administer benefits programs and leave management; ensure regulatory compliance.
• Lead HR projects, HRIS/ATS initiatives, and metrics reporting.

Skills

Employee relations

Recruitment

Performance management

HR policy & compliance

Employee engagement

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR / related field

SPHR or equivalent senior HR certification

Minimum 10 years in leadership HR roles

Tools

HRIS

ATS

Job description

Associated Students Inc., CSUF provides student development opportunities through leadership, volunteer, and employment experiences. In addition, the Associated Students provides campus community members with important social, cultural, and recreational opportunities, as well as, a wide range of programs and services.

Job Title: Associate Director, Human Resources

Department: Human Resources

Direct Supervisor: Chief Human Resources Officer

Supervisory Position: Yes

FLSA Classification: Exempt

The Associate Director of Human Resources serves as a strategic and operational HR leader responsible for advancing talent acquisition, employee engagement, performance management, employee relations, and HR initiatives that support organizational objectives. This position provides leadership for key HR initiatives, supports and promotes a continued positive workplace culture, ensures compliance with employment laws and regulations, and serves as a mentor and resource to leaders, employees and HR staff.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Recruitment and Talent Acquisition

• Lead full-cycle recruitment efforts for staff positions.
• Partner with hiring managers to identify staffing needs.
• Develop effective recruitment strategies, manage screening, interviewing, selection activities, offers, onboarding.
• Weave and support diversity, equity, inclusion initiatives within the recruitment process

Performance Management

• Drive organization-wide performance management and annual performance review process.
• Guide managers in goal setting, employee coaching, performance evaluations, and development planning.
• Assist leaders in addressing performance concerns and implementing performance improvement plans.

Employee Relations

• Serve as a trusted advisor to managers and employees on employee relations matters.
• Investigate and resolve workplace complaints, conflicts, and policy violations including inquiry, writing investigation strategy, interviewing, case report.
• Provide recommendations regarding corrective action, disciplinary measures, and employment decisions.

Benefits Administration and Leave Management

• Administer and oversee employee benefits programs, including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, retirement, and voluntary benefit offerings. Serve as the primary resource for complex benefits issues. Partner with benefit vendors to ensure effective program administration.
• Manage comprehensive annual open enrollment process; planning and implementation, updates in HRIS, communications.
• Manage leaves of all types (FMLA, CFRA, PDL, etc.) including the interactive process. Ensure compliance with all applicable federal and state leave regulations. Guide managers and employees through leave and accommodation processes and return-to-work procedures.

Employee Engagement

• Support the organization’s employee engagement strategy to strengthen employee satisfaction, retention, productivity, and workplace culture.
• Develop and manage employee recognition and appreciation programs.
• Establish and monitor employee feedback mechanisms to promote continuous improvement.
• Plan, coordinate, and oversee employee engagement events, recognition programs, wellness initiatives, and company celebrations. Coordinate logistics, communications, budgets, and vendor relationships for HR-sponsored events.

Human Resources Projects and Programs

• Support strategic HR initiatives to improve organizational effectiveness and employee experience. Participate in workforce planning, succession planning, organizational development, and change management initiatives.
• Manage special projects related to HR systems, process improvements, compliance, and organizational growth as needed.
• Analyze HR metrics and prepare reports to support executive and management decision-making.

Safety and Risk Management

• Manage workplace injury reporting, incident investigations, and corrective action efforts.
• Monitor workers' compensation claims and facilitate return-to-work programs.

Leadership and Team Development

• Provide leadership, guidance, and mentorship to HR team members.
• Foster collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement within the HR team.

Supervisory Responsibilities: This position may supervise 1 –2 Human Resources staff.

This role has the authority to perform or effectively recommend the following functions for the employees listed above:

• Make decisions on hiring, terminating, or effectively recommend such actions.
• Assigning work, designating tasks, or giving significant duties to employees using independent judgment and discretion.
• Reward or discipline employees, including issuing written warnings, or making recommendations for promotions or disciplinary action.
• Direct employees by deciding which employees will perform a task and the order in which tasks are completed using independent judgment and often considering the individual employee's skills and aptitudes.
• Adjust employee grievances.
• Authority to transfer, suspend, lay off, or recall employees, which includes managing time off requests and leaves of absence.

This role is held accountable for the performance of the employees they supervise and if employees under this position's supervision have performance failures, that may lead to a negative impact on this position's employment with ASI.

Requirements

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Organizational Development, or a related field or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• SPHR or equivalent senior-level HR certification.
• Minimum of 10 years in a leadership, supervisory, or management-level HR role.

10+ years of progressive experience in

• Employee relations and workplace investigations.
• Managing organization-wide compensation and classification.
• Leading performance management programs.
• Full-cycle recruitment and talent acquisition.
• Benefits administration as primary administrator.
• Complex leaves management and knowledge of state (CA) and federal laws.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience managing Defined Benefit Plan, such as CalPERS
• Certified Benefits Professional (CBP)
• Certified Compensation Professional (CPP)

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Expert-level knowledge of principles and practices of human resources management, including employee relations, performance management, recruitment, compensation, benefits, leave administration, and organizational development.
• Expert-level knowledge of federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations, including FLSA, FMLA, CFRA, ADA, EEO, OSHA, COBRA, HIPAA, and applicable wage and hour laws.
• Strong knowledge of best practices in recruitment, screening, and selection in a regulated environment.
• Highly skilled in use of Human Resources Information Systems (HRIS), applicant tracking systems (ATS).
• Expert-level knowledge of best practices in workplace investigations and employee relations resolution.
• Strong ability to interpret and apply complex employment laws, regulations, and organizational policies.
• Identify, assess, and resolve employee relations concerns in a fair, consistent, and legally compliant manner.
• Demonstrated ability to exercise sound judgment and maintain confidentiality when handling sensitive employee and organizational matters.
• Ability to prioritize competing demands while maintaining a high level of accuracy and responsiveness.
• Ability to work independently and exercise a high degree of initiative and professional judgment.
• Ability to support organizational goals through strategic and operational human resources leadership.

Core Competencies

• Ability to drive towards achieving measurable and challenging goals to support organizational success. Demonstrates the ability to focus on achieving results consistent with the organization’s objectives. As a leader, develops goals based on the organization’s vision, mission, strategic goals and objectives.
• Actively seeks to influence, build effective relationships and gain alignment with peers, functional partners and/or external partners to accomplish business objectives.
• Accepts personal accountability, proactively seeks resolution for personal limitations head-on; and supports honesty and respect towards others, the company and oneself.
• Develops new insights into situations; questions conventional approaches; encourages new ideas and innovations; designs and implements new or innovative programs/processes. Ability to generate and/or recognize imaginative or creative solutions that generate successful outcomes.
• Demonstrates an understanding of underlying organizational issues.
• Ability to participate as an active team member of the team and organization and work toward a common goal. Contributes fully to the team effort and plays an integral part in the smooth running of teams without necessarily taking the lead.
• Work independently and foster a cooperative spirit within a large and/or small team of diverse cultures, while working in a fast‑paced environment with multiple deadlines and frequently changing priorities.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to effectively communicate with a wide range of individuals in a diverse community.
• Working knowledge, principles, and practices of office management/systems within a higher education environment, preferred.
• Intermediate use of computers and Microsoft Office Suite Applications such as Word, Excel, Power Point, Outlook.

Additional Requirements

Work Environment

• Work is typically performed in an office environment.

Physical and Mental Requirements

• Sitting and standing for extended periods: The role involves significant computer work and meetings, requiring sustained sitting or standing.
• Walking and climbing stairs: Moving around the campus, attending events, and potentially using stairs or elevators regularly.
• Lifting and carrying moderate weight: This could include lifting and carrying materials for presentations, events, or production activities no more than 25lbs.
• Dexterity and fine motor skills: Operating computer equipment, handling small objects, and performing tasks requiring hand‑eye coordination.
• Visual and auditory acuity: Effective communication and interaction in various settings require good vision and hearing.
• We are committed to working with qualified individuals with disabilities to identify and implement reasonable accommodation that would allow them to perform the essential functions of the job. If you have a disability and require accommodation to perform the essential functions of this job, please notify the hiring manager during the application process or upon accepting an offer of employment.

Special Requirements

• Employment will be contingent on a satisfactory employment history and criminal background investigation.
• May be required to drive occasionally as needed. Valid driver's license and current auto insurance must be on file at all times and must meet California State University Risk Management Authority (CSURMA) driving standards.
• This position has been identified as a Mandated Reporter pursuant to the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and requires immediate reporting of physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, or neglect of anyone under the age of 18. It is the responsibility of the Mandated Reporter to ensure that they obtain proper training in order to fulfill their reporting responsibilities as required by the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and to complete and submit the required reports without delay.

The Associated Students Inc., CSUF, is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, protected veteran or disabled status, genetic information or any other status protected under federal, state, or local law.