Director of HR

This Director of HR role requires a strategic yet hands-on leader to build and scale the entire HR infrastructure from the ground up. Operating onsite in San Leandro, CA, this position owns the full spectrum of people operations, from talent acquisition and compliance to total rewards and employee relations.

The ideal leader balances high-level organizational design and workforce planning with everyday execution, serving as a trusted advisor to executives while remaining highly accessible to all staff. Managing a small, growing team, this role is critical in shaping workplace culture and establishing scalable HR systems within a fast-growing physical-product environment.

• Serve as the primary HR leader and strategic partner to executives, advising on organizational design, workforce planning, and compensation philosophy.
• Own the end-to-end recruitment lifecycle for technical, manufacturing, and corporate roles, building structured hiring processes.
• Manage HR compliance, leave programs, and Cal/OSHA-related employee safety coordination.
• Lead employee relations, coaching managers through performance management, investigations, and constructive conversations.
• Design and execute total rewards strategies, including compensation benchmarking, benefits renewals, and payroll coordination.
• Oversee HRIS administration, standardizing onboarding, offboarding, and key people processes.
• Mentor and manage the internal HR team, fostering a supportive and high-performing environment.

• 10+ years of progressive HR experience, with proven experience as the senior HR leader in a startup or high-growth environment.
• C2 English level or higher.
• Proven experience building HR programs, policies, and infrastructure from the ground up.
• Deep knowledge of California employment law, including wage and hour regulations, leave administration (FMLA/CFRA, ADA), and pay transparency.
• Experience supporting both salaried (exempt) and hourly (non-exempt) employee populations, preferably in manufacturing, hardware, or operations.
• Hands-on experience managing HRIS platforms and modern HR technology ecosystems.
• Ability to work onsite 5 days a week in San Leandro, CA.
• Hands-on experience with Talent Acquisition, Employee Relations, Workforce Planning, Compliance, Compensation & Benefits.

HRIS California Employment Law Talent Acquisition Employee Relations Workforce Planning FMLA CFRA Compliance Compensation & Benefits

SHRM-SCP SPHR Cal/OSHA