Senior People Operations Leader — Culture & Growth

Home of Guiding Hands; El Cajon (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous Paid Time Off

Retirement savings plan

Wellness programs

Leadership development

Collaborative executive team

Job summary

Home of Guiding Hands in El Cajon, CA is seeking a Senior Director of People Operations to lead the People Operations function, partner with executive leadership to shape workforce strategy, and drive day-to-day HR operations on-site.

You will build a high-performing team, navigate California employment law, support union and non-union environments, and drive recruitment, onboarding, retention, and leadership development across multiple locations.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of progressive Human Resources experience.
• At least 5 years leading HR teams in a complex, multi-site organization.
• Strong knowledge of California labor laws, employee relations, investigations, and compliance.
• Experience working in union and non-union environments.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and decision-making skills.
• Experience with HRIS systems (UKG preferred).
• SHRM or HRCI certification is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a high-performing People Operations team.
• Partner with executives to support organizational growth and workforce planning.
• Provide expert guidance on employee relations, investigations, performance management, and California employment law.
• Foster a positive, accountable workplace culture across multiple locations.
• Work collaboratively with union and non-union teams.
• Oversee compliance, policies, HR operations, benefits, and organizational development.
• Use workforce data and analytics to identify trends and recommend improvements.
• Support recruitment, onboarding, retention, and leadership development initiatives.

Skills

Leadership

Employee Relations

California Law

Communications

Investigations

Workforce Planning

Education

SHRM/HRCI Certification

Tools

UKG HRIS

Job description

Home of Guiding Hands in El Cajon, CA is seeking a Senior Director of People Operations to lead the People Operations function, partner with executive leadership to shape workforce strategy, and drive day-to-day HR operations on-site.

You will build a high-performing team, navigate California employment law, support union and non-union environments, and drive recruitment, onboarding, retention, and leadership development across multiple locations.