Senior Director of Human Resources

Horizon Hospitality; Torrance (CA); On-site; USD 125,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

401k

PTO

Job summary

Horizon Hospitality is seeking an experienced Director of Human Resources based in Torrance, CA, to lead HR for multi-state operations. This hands-on role balances strategic alignment with daily execution and partners with executive leadership to drive data-driven people strategies for 700+ employees.

The director will oversee employee relations, compliance, and recruitment across existing and expanding concepts, traveling as needed and reporting to executive leadership to advance growth and a

Qualifications

• 7+ years of progressive HR experience with at least 3 years in a senior/director-level role.
• California labor and employment laws knowledge with multi-state HR operations.
• Experience managing a large hourly workforce across multiple sites.

Responsibilities

• Oversee HR functions, employee relations, and multi-state compliance across concepts.
• Partner with executives to track HR metrics and dashboards (turnover, time-to-fill, safety).
• Build scalable HR infrastructure to support multi-state expansion and onboarding procedures.
• Provide direct coaching to managers on performance, investigations, and disciplinary actions.
• Oversee corporate office talent acquisition and manage external recruiting partners.

Skills

HR leadership

Employee relations

Multi-state compliance

Data-driven HR

AI in HR workflows

Communication

Tools

Microsoft Word

Excel

PowerPoint

Teams

Job description

A highly successful, profitable premier restaurant group known for its authentic, high-quality a la carte dining concepts is seeking an experienced Director of Human Resources to oversee its multi-state operations. With nine established, high-volume full-service locations across California and Washington and an active pipeline expanding to 40+ locations nationwide over the next four years, this organization is positioned for monumental growth. Backed by private equity funding closing this summer, this is an incredible opportunity for a seasoned HR leader to build scalable infrastructure, step into a high-visibility leadership role, and directly impact a rapidly expanding corporate footprint.

This position is based full-time out of the corporate office in Torrance, California, with occasional travel to restaurant locations. The incoming Director will inherit a dedicated regional HR manager and an assistant to support the day-to-day department needs. As a true "working director" role, it requires a hands‑on executive who can flawlessly balance high-level strategic alignment with daily HR execution. This leader will serve as a vital business partner to executive leadership and restaurant managers, implementing scalable infrastructure, managing multi‑state compliance, and developing data‑driven people strategies that champion a culturally diverse workforce of over 700 employees.

Position Responsibilities

• Oversee all core human resources functions, employee relations, and multi‑state employment law compliance across existing and future restaurant concepts, excluding payroll.
• Partner directly with executive leadership to establish and track key HR metrics and dashboards, including turnover rates, time-to-fill, workplace safety, and employee satisfaction scores.
• Build out robust, scalable HR infrastructure to support imminent multi‑state expansion, managing state‑specific employer registrations, onboarding procedures, tax account setups, and localized handbook addenda.
• Lead executive coaching efforts, providing direct guidance to restaurant managers on performance management, employee relations investigations, corrective actions, and sensitive personnel issues.
• Lead corporate office talent acquisition efforts and manage external recruiting vendor relationships to attract diverse, culturally competent talent in highly competitive hospitality markets.

Position Requirements

• Minimum of 7 years of progressive human resources experience, with at least 3 years serving in a senior‑level or director‑level HR capacity.
• Must possess comprehensive, hands‑on knowledge of California labor and employment laws as well as multi‑state HR operations.
• Substantial background in the hospitality, restaurant, or high‑volume retail sectors, managing a large hourly, geographically dispersed workforce of at least 500+ employees.
• Outstanding communication, presentation, and articulation skills, with proven confidence leading large group meetings, management sessions, and company‑wide presentations.
• High proficiency with standard corporate productivity suites (Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams), as well as familiarity with AI applications in HR workflows.
• Ability to work full‑time on‑site in Torrance, California, with flexibility to commute to regional properties as operationally required.

Compensation: $125,000 - $150,000 base (commensurate with experience), 10% bonus program, comprehensive health, dental, vision, 401k, PTO, and much more!