Director, Human Resources - Bilingual

Santa-Monica-Seafood; Los Angeles (CA); Hybrid; USD 200,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical coverage

401(k) plan with company matching

Paid time off

Job summary

Santa Monica Seafood is seeking a fully bilingual Director of Human Resources to lead HR for a multi-state seafood processing and distribution business. You will guide employee relations, compliance, recruiting, compensation, and HR systems while partnering with operations and leadership.

The role is hybrid (three days on site) in California, reporting to the VP & CHRO, with a base salary of $200,000–$210,000 plus incentive eligibility.

Qualifications

• Fluent bilingual English/Spanish required for interviews, investigations and coaching.
• Bachelor’s degree in HR/Business; MBA preferred for leadership.
• Progressive HR generalist experience with leadership of an HR team.
• Experience supporting multi-state operations and California employment rules.
• Experience in hourly work environments (production, distribution, etc.).

Responsibilities

• Lead HR execution across the HR team and serve as a trusted resource to the CHRO.
• Manage employee relations investigations and counsel managers on actions.
• Oversee multi-state compliance including wage/hour, leaves, and policies.
• Improve recruiting, onboarding and early-tenure retention strategies.
• Support compensation, benefits and internal communications.
• Translate workforce metrics into actionable recommendations.
• Develop managers and the HR team with practical supervision skills.
• Improve HR systems and reporting, especially Dayforce workflows.
• Collaborate with Operations, Sales, Finance, Safety and other leaders.

Skills

Bilingual EN/ES

HR leadership

Employee relations

Compliance

Data analysis

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's in HR/Business

MBA or related graduate degree preferred

Tools

Dayforce

Job description

Director of Human Resources - Bilingual English/Spanish

Location: Rancho Dominguez / Compton, California

Schedule: Hybrid, with three days per week onsite

Base salary: $200,000–$210,000 annually, plus incentive bonus eligibility

Reports to: Vice President & Chief Human Resources Officer

The opportunity

Santa Monica Seafood is seeking an experienced, fully bilingual English/Spanish Director of Human Resources to serve as a key HR leader and trusted partner to the Vice President & CHRO.

This is a hands‑on leadership role supporting a multi‑state seafood processing and distribution business with approximately 700 employees. You will lead day‑to‑day HR execution, advise managers, resolve employee relations matters, and strengthen the practices that help us recruit, develop, and retain employees.

We are looking for someone who can independently manage complex issues, turn recommendations into action, and earn the confidence of employees and executives. The role offers the opportunity to take on broader leadership responsibility over time.

What you will do

• Lead HR execution. Coordinate priorities and follow-through across the HR team, establish clear accountability, and serve as a trusted resource when the Vice President & CHRO is unavailable.
• Manage employee relations. Lead investigations, coach managers, and guide performance management, corrective action, and employment decisions with sound judgment and consistent documentation.
• Strengthen multi‑state compliance. Oversee HR practices involving wage and hour requirements, leaves of absence, accommodations, employment eligibility, and company policies. Work with employment counsel when appropriate.
• Improve recruiting and retention. Partner with Recruiting and Operations to improve hiring, realistic job previews, onboarding, and early‑tenure retention, particularly in production, warehouse, and distribution roles.
• Support compensation and benefits. Help evaluate pay practices, internal equity, benefits administration, and employee communication.
• Use data to guide action. Translate turnover, staffing, overtime, and other workforce measures into clear recommendations. Track implementation and results.
• Develop managers and the HR team. Build practical skills in supervision, employee communication, documentation, and problem resolution.
• Improve HR systems and processes. Strengthen the accuracy and usefulness of Dayforce records, reporting, and workflows, in partnership with HRIS and Payroll.
• Partner across the business. Work closely with Operations, Sales, Finance, Safety, and other leaders to address workforce needs and support business objectives.

What you bring

• Full professional fluency in English and Spanish, including the ability to conduct interviews, investigations, coaching discussions, and employee meetings in both languages.
• A bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field; an MBA or related graduate degree is preferred.
• Substantial progressive HR generalist experience, including leadership of an HR team and responsibility for complex employee relations and compliance matters.
• Experience supporting multiple locations and states, with strong working knowledge of California employment requirements.
• Experience in a business with a significant hourly workforce, such as food processing, manufacturing, distribution, logistics, or a similar operating environment.
• A demonstrated record of managing sensitive matters independently and knowing when to involve the CHRO or counsel.
• Strong analytical skills and the ability to explain findings clearly to executives and frontline managers.
• Experience with HR systems and reporting; Dayforce experience is preferred.
• Experience in both privately held and publicly traded companies is preferred.
• SHRM-SCP or SPHR certification is preferred.
• Ability to work onsite three days per week and travel occasionally to company locations.

What success looks like

Your work will strengthen manager capability, improve onboarding and retention, and give leadership clear information for workforce decisions.

About Santa Monica Seafood

Founded in 1939, family‑owned Santa Monica Seafood provides seafood products and services to restaurants, foodservice operators, retailers, and consumers. Our success depends on the people who support our processing, distribution, sales, and customer service operations.

Compensation and benefits

The anticipated starting base salary is $200,000–$210,000 annually, depending on relevant experience and qualification, plus incentive bonus eligibility. Benefits include medical coverage, a 401(k) plan with company matching contributions, and paid time off.

Please highlight your bilingual proficiency, multi‑state HR leadership experience, and work supporting hourly employees.

Santa Monica Seafood is an equal opportunity employer. We consider qualified applicants without regard to legally protected characteristics and provide reasonable accommodations during the application process.