Associate Director, Regional HR Operations

Legal Counsel for Youth and Children; United States; Remote; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading nonprofit organization seeks an Associate Director of Regional HR Operations to promote an inclusive workplace in California. This remote position emphasizes equity and talent management while providing strategic HR support. The role requires collaboration with regional leaders and managing HR initiatives, ensuring compliance with employment laws, and fostering a culture of trust and development among team members.

Qualifications

• At least 7 years of progressive HR experience, with 3+ years in a generalist or HR business partner role.
• Strong working knowledge of employment law and HR practices in the western U.S. region.
• Commitment to equity, inclusion, and justice in all aspects of HR work.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a collaborative partner to regional leadership for strategic HR.
• Manage talent acquisition and onboarding processes with an equity lens.
• Coach managers to enhance performance and resolve employee issues.

Skills

Employee relations

Talent acquisition

Coaching

Performance management

Communication

Collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in human resources, business administration, or related field

Current HR certification (SHRM-CP or PHR)

Tools

HRIS

Smartsheet

Job description

JOB SUMMARY:
The Associate Director, Regional HR Operations is key to cultivating a thriving, inclusive, and
mission-aligned workplace for our western regional teams. As a trusted advisor and partner to
regional leaders and the staff members they support, this role helps ensure our People &
Culture strategies reflect American Rivers’ core values: collaboration and trust, equity and
justice, delivering results, and helping staff and volunteers thrive.

This position supports people managers and team members by offering expertise in talent
acquisition, employee relations, performance management, and coaching. With deep
knowledge of employment law within the region and a strong commitment to equity, this
individual helps create a supportive environment where all team members feel valued and
empowered to grow.

PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

Strategic HR Partnership
Serve as a collaborative partner to regional leadership to align People & Culture
practices with organizational and team goals.
Foster an environment of trust, inclusion, and open communication by building
strong relationships across teams.
Help lead regional implementation of HR initiatives such as onboarding,
engagement, recognition, and development.

Equity-Driven Policy & Compliance Support

Provide clear, accessible guidance on organizational policies with an equity lens.
Monitor and apply relevant federal and state employment laws within the
assigned region.
Partner with General Counsel and Senior Director, People and Culture to
maintain compliance and adapt policies as needed.

Talent Acquisition & Onboarding
Collaborate with hiring managers to build inclusive, values-aligned hiring
processes that attract diverse talent.
Manage the full recruitment life cycle for regional roles, ensuring a welcoming
and mission-forward candidate experience.
Support smooth onboarding and early engagement of new team members.

Coaching, Performance, & Manager Support
Coach people managers to lead with empathy, clarity, and accountability.
Provide tools and guidance for effective performance feedback, development
planning, and team growth.
Assist in resolving employee relations matters in a way that builds trust and
reinforces organizational values.

HR Operations & Systems
Leverage Smartsheet and other tools to support workforce planning, recruitment
tracking, and HR metrics reporting.
Maintain accurate and confidential records in alignment with data privacy
practices.
Analyze trends and provide insights that drive continuous improvement and
team well-being.
Update and maintain AR’s organization chart and regionally assigned state
employment law policies.
Responsible for employment correspondence and digital recordkeeping for
assigned region.
Develop and launch training and development modules through AR’s
learning management system, completed by monthly roundtable
discussions tailored for staff-level employees.

• Personal commitment to American Rivers’ mission and core values.
• Bachelor’s degree in human resources, business administration, or related field; master’s degree a plus.
• Current HR certification (SHRM-CP or PHR) required.
• At least 7 years of progressive HR experience, with 3+ years in a generalist or HR business partner role supporting multi-state teams.
• Strong working knowledge of employment law and HR practices in the western U.S. region.
• Demonstrated success in recruitment, employee coaching, policy interpretation, learning and performance management.
• Familiarity with Smartsheet or similar workflow/project management systems preferred.
• Demonstrates a high level of discernment, discretion, and maturity in managing sensitive and complex HR matters, ensuring confidentiality and sound judgment in all interactions.
• Proficiency with a HRIS and report writing.
• Commitment to equity, inclusion, and justice in all aspects of HR work.
• Experience in a nonprofit or values-driven organization preferred.
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and organizational skills.
  

WORK ENVIRONMENT & TRAVEL

• This remote role is based in California with occasional travel to local offices, headquarters (DC)and/ or staff gatherings.
• Requires comfort with virtual communication tools and the ability to build relationships in a distributed work environment.