Human Resources Manager

Blue Forest; Sacramento (CA); Remote; USD 89,000 - 105,000; Full time

Job summary

A conservation finance organization is seeking a Human Resources Manager to lead HR initiatives, manage recruitment processes, and foster a positive workplace culture. This role requires 3–5 years of HR experience in a generalist capacity and includes responsibilities in performance management and employee relations. The position is fully remote, offering competitive salary and excellent benefits.

Benefits

100% employer-paid health, dental, and vision coverage

401(k) with 5% employer match

4 weeks paid vacation and 17 paid holidays

3 months of paid family leave

Employer-paid life and long-term disability insurance

Qualifications

• 3–5 years of progressive HR experience, preferably in a generalist role.
• Broad exposure to core HR functions such as recruiting, onboarding, performance management, and compliance.
• Familiarity with IT provisioning and system management is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Support execution of HR strategies aligning with organizational goals.
• Coordinate full-cycle recruitment for various positions.
• Administer benefits enrollments and compliance documentation.

Skills

Organizational skills

Interpersonal skills

Project management

Communication skills

Education

HR certification (SHRM-CP, PHR, or equivalent)

Tools

HRIS platforms

Applicant tracking systems

Job description

Overview

Human Resources Manager

Location: Remote

Reports to: Director of HR and Operations

Salary: $89,000 – $105,000/year

Travel: Infrequent, less than 5%

Priority Application Window: October 24th, 2025

Preferred Start Date: January 5th, 2026

About Blue Forest

Blue Forest is a conservation finance non-profit founded in 2015 that is focused on advancing ecosystem restoration through scientific research, financial innovation, and collaborative partnerships. Since 2018, Blue Forest has managed investor capital through its flagship financial product, the Forest Resilience Bond (FRB), which deploys private capital to finance forest restoration projects to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires. More recently, Blue Forest has also established Blue Forest Asset Management (BFAM), an investment management platform connecting investors to compelling, mission-aligned opportunities in a broader set of asset classes beyond FRB projects, such as private equity and private credit investments.

Blue Forest is made up of an interdisciplinary team of scientists, engineers, foresters, finance, and communications professionals committed to the mission: “To accelerate ecological restoration through conservation finance, enabling climate resilience for ecosystems and communities.”

Employees at Blue Forest are:

• Committed to Continuous Learning
• Driven by Collaboration
• Thoughtful Innovators for Impact
• Grounded in Science
• Passionate about Restoring Earth’s Ecosystems

Position Summary

The Human Resources Manager is a key member of the Blue Forest operations team and serves as the organization’s primary point of contact for human resources programs, processes, and systems. This role balances hands-on support with opportunities to lead specific HR projects and initiatives. Approximately 80% of the position focuses on core HR generalist responsibilities, such as recruitment, onboarding, performance management, compliance, and employee relations, while the remaining 20% supports operations and IT functions.

The ideal candidate is a proactive, resourceful HR professional with 3–5 years of progressive experience who is comfortable collaborating closely with the Director of HR and Operations. This role provides opportunities to grow into leadership of workstreams and projects, fostering skills in strategic HR execution, employee development, and organizational impact within a mission-driven, fully remote environment.

Responsibilities & Duties

Human Resources (80%)

Human Resources Leadership & Strategy

• Support the Director of HR and Operations with the execution of HR strategies and initiatives, ensuring alignment with organizational goals.
• Lead discrete HR projects or workstreams as delegated, organizing tasks, tracking progress, and facilitating inclusive decision-making processes.
• Identify operational bottlenecks and flag issues for the Director, contributing ideas for proactive, solutions-oriented strategies.

Talent Acquisition & Onboarding

• Coordinate full-cycle recruitment for most positions, including drafting job descriptions, sourcing candidates, coordinating interviews, and managing onboarding logistics.
• Collaborate with the Director on hiring strategy for senior or specialized roles, ensuring recruitment processes are equitable and consistent.
• Ensure a smooth onboarding experience that supports cultural integration and role readiness.

Performance Management & Development

• Support performance management processes, including scheduling review cycles, preparing documentation, and collecting feedback.
• Partner with managers to provide initial coaching support and escalate complex issues to the Director.

Employee Relations & Culture

• Serve as the first point of contact for employee questions and issues; escalate complex or sensitive matters to the Director.
• Assist in implementing initiatives that foster a positive, inclusive workplace culture.

Compensation, Benefits & Compliance

• Administer benefits enrollments, respond to employee inquiries, and support compliance documentation.
• Maintain accurate employee records and assist with audits or compliance reporting under the guidance of the Director.

HRIS, Data & Reporting

• Maintain and update HR systems and employee records for accuracy and integrity.
• Generate basic HR reports and dashboards; escalate analysis and recommendations to the Director.

Policy & Process Development

• Assist in drafting, updating, and communicating HR policies and procedures.
• Research best practices to inform policy development and improvements.

People Development & Supervision

• Provide informal guidance or mentorship to junior staff or interns.
• Help coordinate internal training and development programs.
• Manage and maintain existing learning and development tools and systems, assist staff in accessing resources, track training progress, and help prepare for the implementation of a new learning platform.

Operations & IT Support

Operations & IT Support (20%)

System Administration

• Assist with systems administration, including account setup, license management, and troubleshooting in collaboration with IT vendors.
• Track and manage technology inventory; assist with procurement of equipment and software.
• Support operational logistics, such as coordinating team retreats, team meetings, managing internal systems, and maintaining data security compliance.

Qualifications

• 3–5 years of progressive HR experience, preferably in a generalist role.
• Broad exposure to core HR functions such as recruiting, onboarding, performance management, and compliance.
• Strong organizational and project management skills with attention to detail.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills; able to build trust across a remote team.
• Familiarity with HRIS platforms, applicant tracking systems, and basic IT administration.
• Comfort with ambiguity and willingness to take initiative while collaborating closely with the Director of HR and Operations.
• HR certification, such as SHRM-CP, PHR, or equivalent, is a plus.
• Familiarity with IT provisioning and system management is a plus.

Benefits

• 100% employer-paid health, dental, and vision coverage; subsidized coverage for dependents
• Access to a 401(k) retirement plan with a 5% employer match
• 4 weeks paid vacation and 17 paid holidays; paid sick time and volunteer time
• 3 months of paid family leave
• Employer-paid life and long-term disability insurance
• Access to Dependent Care FSA and Health FSA
• Public Lands Exploration stipend (reimbursements for visits to National Forests, county parks, etc.)
• Monthly Home Office stipend or co-working space provided
• Dependent care costs subsidized for business travel
• Additional stipends for health & wellness; home internet and cell service
• Financial support for professional development

Additional Information

Blue Forest is a fully remote company with staff located across all four continental U.S. time zones. While we value flexibility in work schedules, you should expect to have some overlap with Pacific Standard Time working hours in order to collaborate with partners and team members. Blue Forest also hosts an in-person team retreat each year.

How to Apply

To apply to this position, please submit a resume and cover letter for your application through Recruitee. People from historically underrepresented populations and candidates with non-traditional career paths are especially encouraged to apply.

If participating in the interview process would require you to incur additional expenses to participate, such as childcare, please let us know and we are happy to reimburse for reasonable expenses incurred up to $30/hour for twice the length of each interview in which you participate. There will be space to request this reimbursement upon offer of an interview.