Human Resources Manager

MAAC (Metropolitan Area Advisory Committee; Vista (CA); On-site; USD 80,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

MAAC in Vista, CA is seeking an HR Manager to lead day-to-day human resources programs at the Child Development Program. You will oversee HR operations, employee relations, onboarding, compensation and classification, and HR compliance, partnering with the Recruitment Manager on talent strategy.

Serving a unionized workforce, you will coach supervisors, administer collective bargaining agreements, and ensure fair, lawful practices across the organization in alignment with MAAC’s mission.

Qualifications

• Minimum a Bachelor's degree in HR, business administration, public administration, psychology, or related field.
• At least 3 years of HR experience with supervisory duties is preferred.
• Experience with labor relations in a unionized environment is highly valued.

Responsibilities

• Oversees HR operations, records, compliance, and HRIS transactions.
• Collaborates with Director on labor relations, investigations, and disciplinary actions.
• Supports talent acquisition onboarding and pre-employment checks.
• Ensures compliance with federal/state/local employment laws and pay practices.

Skills

HR management

Employee & labor relations

Labor contract interpretation

Policy interpretation

HRIS systems

JazzHR

Paycor

Labor law knowledge

AI-assisted tools awareness

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR or related field

Tools

JazzHR

Paycor

Job description

Location: North Campus Administration (Vista, CA)

Salary:$80,000 to $95,000 (DOQ / E)

52 Weeks

MAAC STORY

Since 1965, MAAC has been maximizing self-sufficiency with families and individuals through high-quality programs and advocacy in our communities. MAAC employs dedicated staff who provide life-changing services to thousands of individuals annually through programs in fivecore focus areas: Education, Economic Development, Health & Wellbeing, Housing, and Advocacy & Leadership Development. Through a wide variety of programs, MAAC has grown to become one of the largest nonprofit social service organizations in the community. Learn more about the great things happening with MAAC at http://www.maacproject.org

DEFINITION

Under the direction of the Director of Human Resources, the Human Resources Manager is a hands-on HR leader and trusted problem-solver who helps make MAAC a great place to work. The Manager leads the day-to-day delivery of MAAC's human resources programs at MAAC’s Child Development Program in Vista, CA, with a primary focus on employee and labor relations, HR operations, onboarding, compensation and classification, and HR compliance, and partners closely with the Recruitment Manager on talent acquisition strategy and execution. Serving a diverse, multi-site, and unionized workforce, the Manager coaches supervisors and managers, resolves complex workplace issues with fairness and consistency, and administers the provisions of MAAC's collective bargaining agreements in partnership with the Director of Human Resources.

The Manager supervises an HR Generalist and other assigned professional and support HR staff and helps build an equitable, high-performing, and compliant workplace that supports MAAC's mission of maximizing self-sufficiency for families and individuals through high-quality programs and advocacy in our communities.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The duties listed below are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment to this class.

Human Resources Operations and HR Technology

• Manages day-to-day HR operations and workflows, ensuring HR transactions, records, and personnel files are accurate, timely, and compliant; directly supervises and develops the HR Generalist and other assigned professional and support HR staff, including delegating and reviewing HRIS transactions, correspondence, and compliance reporting.
• Interprets policies, procedures, regulations, and labor contract provisions for managers, staff, and the public; responds to requests for HR and benefits information.
• Identifies opportunities to apply AI-assisted tools and automation to streamline HR workflows, improve data quality, and enhance service delivery, in alignment with agency policy.
• Recommends and implements process improvements, policy updates, and practices that respond to changes in legislation and case law; helps evaluate and streamline department policies and procedures.

Employee and Labor Relations

• Serves as a primary day-to-day resource on labor relations matters, including interpretation and administration of collective bargaining agreement provisions, in partnership with the Director of Human Resources.
• Supports the Director of Human Resources in collective bargaining, including research, costing analysis, proposal preparation, and participation on the negotiating team as assigned.
• Advices managers and supervisors on employee relations, corrective action, and discipline processes; drafts proposed and final letters of discipline; schedules, coordinates, and participates in disciplinary meetings and hearings.
• Conducts workplace investigations, including those involving discrimination, harassment, or other policy violations; prepares reports of findings and recommendations; ensures consistent, legally sound, and equitable outcomes.
• Supports grievance resolution and labor-management committee meetings; assists in resolving disputes through informal resolution, mediation, and other alternative dispute resolution approaches to minimize litigation and grievance risk.
• Builds constructive, professional working relationships with union representatives and stewards.

Talent Acquisition and Onboarding

• Partners with and supports the Recruitment Manager on recruitment and selection strategy, job-related selection procedures, and candidate experience; may participate in interviews, hiring decisions, and offer discussions for roles reporting to HR or as otherwise assigned.
• Owns delivery of MAAC's new hire onboarding procedures, including work-eligibility verification, new employee orientation, and coordination of pre-employment requirements (e.g., live scans, background checks, DMV pull notices, physicals) with external agencies and vendors.
• Monitors the effectiveness, quality, and equity of the onboarding experience, including new-hire satisfaction and early retention in partnership with the Assistant Director of Learning and Development; partners with the Recruitment Manager and hiring managers on continuous improvement of the hire-to-onboard handoff.
• Supports outreach recruitment programs, job fairs, and employer branding initiatives to position MAAC as an employer of choice in the social services sector.

Compensation and Classification

• Conducts position classification and compensation studies; audits and prepares new or modified job analysis documents and class specifications; recommends classification of new or modified positions.
• Designs and conducts surveys and studies regarding compensation and related issues; recommends salary structure changes in compliance with California pay transparency and equal pay requirements.

HR Compliance and Risk Management

• Ensures HR practices comply with applicable federal, state, and local employment laws (e.g., FEHA, Title VII, ADA, FMLA/CFRA, PDL, wage and hour law, pay transparency and equal pay requirements, and workplace violence prevention obligations) and with established labor contracts and MAAC policies.
• Supports administration of workers' compensation, leave of absence, and reasonable accommodation programs.
• Compiles data and analysis for periodic and special compliance reporting; coordinates agency-wide compliance training as assigned.
• Attends and participates in meetings, conferences, and training sessions; provides expertise and assistance to management, staff, parents, and outside groups; conducts special projects and performs other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS AND SKILLS

Knowledge of:

• Principles, practices, and techniques of human resource management, including recruitment and selection, classification, compensation, benefits, workers' compensation, employee development, and performance management.
• Principles and practices of employee and labor relations in a unionized environment, including contract interpretation and administration, grievance procedures, investigations, and progressive discipline.
• Federal, state, and local employment law, including FEHA, Title VII, ADA/ADAAA, FMLA/CFRA, PDL, EEO/AA, COBRA, HIPAA, OSHA, California wage and hour law, and pay transparency and equal pay requirements.
• HRIS platforms, HR analytics, and automated reporting capabilities; knowledge of JazzHR and Paycor is a plus.
• Emerging HR technology and AI-assisted tools, and their appropriate, compliant application to HR workflows.
• Head Start Program Performance Standards and the regulatory environment of early childhood education and publicly funded programs (preferred).

Ability to:

• Advise, coach, and build credibility with managers, supervisors, and employees on sensitive and complex workplace issues.
• Conduct thorough, impartial investigations; gather relevant data, analyze problems, evaluate alternatives, and make sound, defensible recommendations.
• Understand, interpret, explain, and apply HR policies, labor contract provisions, and applicable federal, state, and local law.
• Exercise independent judgment and initiative within established guidelines; maintain strict confidentiality and discretion with sensitive information.
• Adapt to and adopt new HR technology, including AI-assisted tools, to improve efficiency and service delivery.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor's degree in human resources, business administration, public administration, psychology, or a related field required.
• Minimum of three (3) years of progressively responsible human resources experience, including at least one (1) year in a supervisory or HR management role, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Demonstrated experience with labor relations in a unionized environment required, including contract interpretation and administration, grievance handling, and/or support of collective bargaining strongly preferred.
• Experience in early childhood education organizations and/or knowledge and familiarity with Head Start preferred.
• SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, or SPHR certification strongly preferred.
• Bilingual English/Spanish preferred.

HEALTH STATUS

Must have a physical examination and TB clearance as required by state and federal regulations, and a drug screen by a doctor/clinic designated by MAAC prior to the first day of employment.

Must have a physical examination, TB clearance and a drug screen by a doctor/clinic designated by MAAC as well as immunization records for influenza*, pertussis and measles as required by state and federal regulations prior to the first day of employment.

BACKGROUND CLEARANCE

All positions are subject to a background/education check, DMV check, NSOR, exclusion and debarment checks prior to hire and periodically throughout employment as required by various funding sources.

Note: California State law requires background criminal checks on anyone who works in a licensed childcare facility who is not a client. Must have or obtain a current criminal background check clearance, signed criminal record statement and signed Acknowledgement to Report Child Abuse form prior to the first day of employment.

TRANSPORTATION

Must have and maintain a valid California Driver’s License, daily use of a personal, insured vehicle, and have and maintain a motor vehicle driving record acceptable to MAAC’s insurance carrier. Incumbents will be enrolled in the California DMV Pull Program.

VALUE-BASED BEHAVIORS

Listens attentively to others. Asks clarifying questions to gain a better understanding of the other person’s views and underlying assumptions
Works effectively in a team environment and actively participates in joint problem solving; willingly cooperates with co-workers
Identifies and takes advantage of opportunities for personal and professional development
Attends work consistently and punctually. Arrives to meetings prepared and on time; honors work commitments; follows through on what was agreed upon; meets deadlines
Honors the private and confidential matters of co-workers. Protects the proprietary information of MAAC systems
Follows rules, regulations, and policies; positively contributes to implementing changes
Deals with issues directly, in a respectful and timely manner. Focuses on resolving the issue while not criticizing the person. Follows rules, regulations, and policies; positively contributes to implementing changes

PHYSICAL AND MENTAL DEMANDS

The physical and mental demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this class. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Physical Demands

While performing the duties of this class, an employee is regularly required to stand, walk and sit, talk or hear both in person and by telephone, uses hands to finger, handle or feel objects or controls, reach with hands and arms. An employee also is regularly required to stoop, kneel, bend, crouch or crawl, climb or balance and lift up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, depth perception, color vision and the ability to adjust focus.

Mental Demands

While performing the duties of this class, the employee is regularly required to use written and oral communication skills; read and interpret information; analyze and solve problems; observe and interpret people and situations; use basic math; learn and apply new information or skills; work under intensive deadlines and interact with MAAC management, administrators, staff, teachers, parents, family members, children and others encountered in the course of work.