Fractional HR Leader

Nissin Foods; Gardena (CA); Hybrid; USD 207,000 - 276,000; Part time

Job summary

Nissin Foods USA is seeking an experienced Fractional HR Director / HR Leader to provide strategic and operational HR leadership. This senior HR partner will work with executive leadership and site HR teams to move critical HR activities forward in a dynamic environment.

The role requires balancing strategic guidance with day-to-day execution, driving structure, and solving issues in real time across governance, employee relations, payroll, and benefits.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of progressive HR leadership experience (HR Director/VP level or similar).
• Experience stepping into organizations during transition or leadership gaps.
• Strong knowledge of employee relations, HR compliance, benefits, compensation, payroll, and HR operations.
• Experience supporting both corporate and site-based populations.
• HRIS experience; Workday preferred.
• Ability to assess risks and guide executive leadership.

Responsibilities

• Governance and approval delegation for daily HR workflows and regulatory compliance.
• Employee relations, litigation support, and frontline escalations in partnership with external counsel.
• Hands-on execution support across Payroll, Total Rewards, and Talent Acquisition; align with executives.
• Diagnostic reporting and transition planning for the incoming CHRO; run a current-state assessment.

Skills

HR leadership

Strategic partner

Employee relations

HR compliance

Payroll & benefits

Workday knowledge

Risk assessment

Job description

Fractional HR Leader

US-CA-Gardena

Type: Temporary

# of Openings: 1

Category: Human Resources

Gardena

Overview

Nissin Foods USA is seeking an experienced, hands-on Fractional HR Director / HR Leader to provide strategic and operational HR leadership.

This individual will serve as a senior HR partner to executive leadership while also working closely with corporate and site HR teams to ensure critical HR activities continue moving forward. The ideal candidate is comfortable moving between strategic leadership and day-to-day execution, stepping into an evolving environment, identifying gaps, establishing structure, and helping teams solve issues in real time.

Position Details

Location: Corporate Office in Gardena, CA

Schedule: 40 hours, 5 days a week

Work Designation: hybrid schedule but onsite initially

Pay: $150-$200/hr

Responsibilities

• Governance and Approval Delegation:Act as an authorized proxy for daily operational governance, managing day-to-day Workday approval routing, scrutinizing internal corporate approval requests, and maintaining regulatory compliance across all HR transactional workflows.
• Employee Relations, Litigation Support & Frontline Escalations:Serve as a critical frontline defense against operational and labor risks. Partner alongside outside legal counsel (Ira) on open legal matters to ensure prompt action in full compliance with California labor standards and applicable regulations. Provide direct escalation support and strategic guidance to Nicole James and local manufacturing HRBPs regarding employee grievances, severe disciplinary cases, and litigation exposures.
• Hands-on Execution Support & Executive Alignment:Provide dedicated hands-on coaching and active daily bandwidth to frontline team members, directly absorbing and driving high-volume workflows across Payroll, Total Rewards, and Talent Acquisition. Ensure critical, time-sensitive milestones - such as Open Enrollment, W-2 generation, and ACA annual filings - are executed on time and without error. Act as an essential communication bridge between operational staff and executive leadership to align expectations, provide clarity, and facilitate timely decision-making.
• Diagnostic Reporting & Transition to Incoming CHRO:Conduct a thorough audit of organizational processes and operational vulnerabilities identified through daily fieldwork. Deliver a formal "Current-State Diagnostic Report" to ensure the permanent CHRO achieves a rapid, informed start and seamlessly executes strategic HR transformation from day one.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of progressive Human Resources leadership experience, ideally at the HR Director, VP of HR, Head of HR, or similar level.
• Experience stepping into organizations during periods of transition, transformation, rapid change, or leadership gaps.
• Strong working knowledge of employee relations, HR compliance, benefits, compensation, payroll, and HR operations.
• Experience supporting both corporate and operational/site-based employee populations.
• Experience working with HRIS platforms; Workday experience is strongly preferred.
• Strong judgment and the ability to appropriately assess and elevate employee and organizational risks.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with executive leadership while remaining accessible and responsive to HR teams and business leaders.