HR & Talent Acquisition Manager

Young Women's Freedom Center; Oakland (CA); Hybrid; USD 80,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Young Women’s Freedom Center seeks an HR & Talent Acquisition Manager to lead the full recruitment lifecycle, payroll, onboarding, benefits, and HR systems across Oakland and Los Angeles. The role partners with Finance and Operations, upholding the organization’s justice-focused values.

The ideal candidate has 3–5 years in progressive HR roles, hands-on payroll experience, and strong knowledge of California labor law, with a commitment to equity and inclusion in hiring practices.

Qualifications

• 3–5 years of progressive HR experience.
• Leadership of full-cycle talent acquisition.
• Guiding interview panels and hiring decisions.
• Recruitment strategies to reach diverse candidates.
• Hands-on payroll processing experience.
• Knowledge of California and federal employment law.
• Onboarding, offboarding, and benefits administration.
• Proficiency with HRIS and payroll systems; Excel proficiency.
• Highly organized with strong attention to detail.
• Commitment to racial, gender, and economic justice.

Responsibilities

• Lead full-cycle recruitment for all positions across sites.
• Oversee payroll, onboarding, offboarding, and benefits administration.
• Ensure HR systems are accurate and compliant across locations.
• Provide policy guidance and training to staff and managers.
• Collaborate with Finance and Operations on HR decisions.
• Maintain employee records and data integrity; produce reports.

Skills

Full-cycle recruitment

Payroll management

HRIS

Employee onboarding

HR policy compliance

Microsoft Excel

Interpersonal communication

Tools

PayCom

Comeet

SparkHire

Microsoft Excel

Job description

Position Title: Human Resources & Talent Acquisition Manager

Department: Human Resources, Young Women’s Freedom Center

Work location: Oakland/Los Angeles

Classification: Full-time, Exempt

Reports to: Director of Human Resources

Compensation: $80,000 to $90,000

Core Aspects of Position: The Human Resources & Talent Acquisition Manager will work as a core part of the Human Resources Department to advance our collective work toward advancing the Sister Warriors Freedom Charter. The HR Manager leads the organization's talent acquisition process and manages payroll, onboarding, offboarding, benefits administration, and HR systems across all sites. They will make sure our hiring and employee lifecycle practices are consistent, compliant, and rooted in YWFC values.

The HR & Talent Acquisition Manager reports to the Director of Human Resources and partners closely with hiring managers, Finance, and the Operations & Systems team. They use good judgment to guide hiring and HR decisions, working with teams to weigh options, share recommendations, and reach decisions together. They also serve as a trusted, approachable resource for the entire staff, supporting team members and managers with hiring, benefits, and HR processes. This role calls for strong organization, attention to detail, sound judgment, and a commitment to racial, gender, and economic justice.

Mission Commitment:

• Center the core mission of Young Women’s Freedom Center and its affiliates, and ensure that all decisions and policies uphold the principles, values, and vision of the Sister Warriors Freedom Charter.
• Develop and implement systems that support the scale and size of the organization, prioritizing accessibility for members, clients, and the organization's base.
• Employ a racial equity and justice lens in your work.
• Invest in the leadership and development of other team members and the staff.

Talent Acquisition

• Lead and manage the full-cycle recruitment process for all positions, in partnership with hiring managers and the Director of Human Resources.
• Develop recruitment strategies and sourcing plans to reach qualified and diverse candidates, in alignment with our economic justice hiring model.
• Review and screen applications, conduct initial interviews, and provide hiring recommendations to hiring managers.
• Coach and guide hiring managers through each stage of the hiring process, including interview preparation, consistent evaluation practices, and equitable decision-making.
• Prepare offer letters in coordination with the Director of Human Resources and Finance, and manage background and reference checks.
• Ensure job postings and hiring practices comply with federal, state, and local requirements, including California pay transparency laws.
• Manage the organization's applicant tracking and hiring tools (Comeet, SparkHire), track hiring timelines and recruitment data, and recommend improvements to the hiring process.

Payroll

• Manage the payroll process in PayCom, including reviewing timesheets, resolving discrepancies, and preparing accurate and compliant payroll for Finance approval.
• Process pay changes, final pay, deductions, and adjustments in compliance with California wage and hour requirements.
• Conduct regular payroll audits in partnership with Finance, and identify and resolve errors or trends.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for staff payroll questions, resolving issues in a timely and confidential manner.
• Ensure staff and managers follow time-tracking procedures, and recommend process improvements.
• Support year-end payroll processing, including W-2s.

Onboarding & Offboarding

• Lead a consistent and welcoming onboarding experience across all sites, ensuring new staff are set up for success and grounded in the organization's history, culture, and values.
• Manage onboarding paperwork, I-9 verification, and new hire setup in PayCom.
• Coordinate offboarding, including final pay timing, benefits transitions, return of equipment, and removal of system access, in partnership with Operations & Systems.
• Support the Director of Human Resources with exit interviews and track offboarding trends.

Benefits, Leave & Compliance Support

• Manage benefits administration, including open enrollment, coordination with brokers and vendors, and support for staff with benefits questions.
• Track leaves of absence and accommodations in partnership with the Director of Human Resources.
• Maintain accurate, confidential, and audit-ready personnel files and HR records.
• Support HR compliance by tracking required trainings, postings, and documentation, and flag issues to the Director as they arise.
• Escalate employee relations concerns or high-risk issues to the Director of Human Resources as appropriate.

HR Systems, Training & Administration

• Serve as the day-to-day administrator of PayCom, ensuring data accuracy and producing reports on headcount, turnover, and hiring.
• Schedule trainings and manage reminders and completion tracking, including required harassment prevention training.
• Support the annual performance evaluation cycle by managing timelines and reminders.
• Develop and maintain HR templates, checklists, and process documentation.
• Support filing, data entry, and other HR administrative tasks.

Qualifications:

• Minimum 3 to 5 years of progressive HR experience
• Demonstrated experience leading full-cycle talent acquisition, from sourcing and screening through interviews and offers
• Experience leading hiring processes alongside hiring teams, including guiding interview panels, supporting consistent and equitable evaluation, and making hiring recommendations
• Experience developing recruitment and sourcing strategies to reach qualified and diverse candidates
• Hands-on experience with payroll processing
• Working knowledge of California and federal employment law, including wage and hour requirements, FLSA, and payroll compliance
• Experience managing onboarding, offboarding, and benefits administration
• Proficiency with HRIS and payroll systems, and with Microsoft Excel
• Highly organized with strong attention to detail
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive information with discretion
• Commitment to racial, gender, and economic justice and to the organization's mission and values

Preferred Qualifications:

• HR certification (PHR, SHRM-CP, or equivalent)
• Experience with PayCom
• Experience with applicant tracking systems (such as Comeet or SparkHire)
• Nonprofit or movement-based organization experience
• Experience in organizations that hire people with lived experience, or in organizations grounded in restorative or justice-centered practices

Core Competencies:

• Sound judgment and the ability to make thoughtful recommendations
• Collaborative partner who works closely with teams to reach decisions
• Approachable and trustworthy resource for staff and managers
• Clear and professional communicator
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced environment
• Strong follow-through and accountability
• Solutions-oriented, with the ability to elevate issues appropriately