Director, Human Resources

Black Bear; Santa Monica (CA); On-site; USD 125,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Black Bear in Santa Monica seeks a Director of Human Resources to partner with senior leadership and manage day-to-day HR operations in-office in Santa Monica.

You will own payroll oversight, benefits, compliance, employee relations, recruitment, performance management, culture-building, and HR systems, shaping a high-performing, engaged workplace as the company grows.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in HR Operations, People Operations, or related HR roles.
• Demonstrated experience developing and implementing HR policies, procedures, and programs that align with company goals and business needs.
• In-depth knowledge of local, state, and federal employment laws and regulations.
• Strong leadership and interpersonal skills, with the ability to effectively communicate and collaborate with diverse stakeholders.
• Excellent time management and organizational skills and ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion and care.
• Bachelor’s Degree, preferably in a relevant field with HR related coursework.
• Experience in the entertainment, media, production, or other fast-paced creative industry environments is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Own all HR Operations across the employee lifecycle, including onboarding, offboarding, employee records, documentation, compliance, and policy administration.
• Ensure operational excellence across HR processes while continuously identifying opportunities to simplify and improve the Black Bear employee experience.
• Provide oversight for payroll operations and benefits programs, partnering with external providers to ensure timely, accurate, and compliant payroll processing across the organization.
• Support a strong employee experience by coordinating company events, employee perks and benefits, and culture-building initiatives that foster a connected, engaging, and high-performing culture.
• Deliver thoughtful, responsive, and high-quality support, serving as a trusted resource for employees across the organization.
• Partner closely with leadership and managers to ensure employees receive consistent, high-quality support throughout the employee lifecycle.

Skills

HR Operations

Policy development

Employment law knowledge

Leadership

Time management

Discretion & confidentiality

Communication

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Job description

Black Bear is one of the world’s leading independent studios, producing and releasing films of the highest quality across all genres. Founded in 2011, with offices in Santa Monica and London, the studio is behind a diversified slate that blends critically acclaimed, filmmaker-driven fare with broadly commercial action and genre titles. The company directly distributes films in the United States, U.K., Ireland, and Canada. Black Bear’s original films include Academy Award nominees Train Dreams, The Imitation Game, Sing Sing, Nyad, and Mudbound, previous releases such as Tuner, Dumb Money, Immaculate, I Care a Lot, A Working Man, Shelter, and In The Grey, and upcoming titles including Spa Weekend, Wicker, and more.

Position Summary

The Director, Human Resources will lead Black Bear’s HR function, serving as a strategic partner to senior leadership while remaining highly hands-on in the day-to-day management of HR operations. This role will oversee employee relations, talent acquisition, performance management, compensation and benefits, compliance, employee development, HR systems, and policies, while helping build a high-performing and engaged culture as the company continues to grow.This is an in-office position in Black Bear’s office in Santa Monica.

Responsibilities

• Own all HR Operations across the employee lifecycle, including onboarding, offboarding, employee records, documentation, compliance, and policy administration.
• Ensure operational excellence across HR processes while continuously identifying opportunities to simplify and improve the Black Bear employee experience.
• Provide oversight for payroll operations and benefits programs, partnering with external providers to ensure timely, accurate, and compliant payroll processing across the organization.
• Support a strong employee experience by coordinating company events, employee perks and benefits, and culture-building initiatives that foster a connected, engaging, and high-performing culture.
• Deliver thoughtful, responsive, and high-quality support, serving as a trusted resource for employees across the organization.
• Partner closely with leadership and managers to ensure employees receive consistent, high-quality support throughout the employee lifecycle.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in HR Operations, People Operations, or related HR roles.
• Demonstrated experience developing and implementing HR policies, procedures, and programs that align with company goals and business needs.
• In-depth knowledge of local, state, and federal employment laws and regulations.
• Strong leadership and interpersonal skills, with the ability to effectively communicate and collaborate with diverse stakeholders.
• Excellent time management and organizational skills and ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion and care.
• Bachelor’s Degree, preferably in a relevant field with HR related coursework.
• Experience in the entertainment, media, production, or other fast-paced creative industry environments is a plus.

Reports to

CEO and President, Production & Operations

Salary Range

$125,000-$150,000

The actual base salary offered depends on a variety of factors, which may include, as applicable, the qualifications of the individual applicant for the position, years of relevant experience, specific and unique skills, level of education attained, and certifications or other professional licenses held.

Black Bear is an Equal Opportunity Employer.Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States.This position is not eligible for employer-sponsored work visa sponsorship.