HR Director

Description

Job Summary

The HR Director is QuinStar Technology's senior and primary Human Resources professional and is responsible for both strategic HR leadership and day-to-day execution of Human Resources activities for approximately 100 employees. The position reports directly to the CEO, works closely with department managers and supervisors, and is supported by part-time clerical assistance.

This is a hands-on leadership role. The HR Director is expected to personally manage and execute the majority of HR functions while providing practical guidance to management, maintaining compliance, strengthening accountability, and supporting a professional and positive workplace culture.

Key Responsibilities

1. HR Administration, Compliance & Policy

Personally manage day-to-day HR operations, employee records, HR documentation, HRIS workflows, required notices, and employment-related administrative processes.

Maintain company HR policies, employee handbook, job descriptions, forms, and required employment documentation; recommend updates as laws, business needs, or company practices change.

Maintain working knowledge of applicable federal, California, and local employment requirements and coordinate with outside employment counsel or other specialists when appropriate.

Support compliant administration of wage-and-hour practices, employee classifications, meal/rest period requirements, protected leaves, reasonable accommodation processes, personnel records, and required training/postings.

Maintain appropriate confidentiality and document retention standards for employee and company information.

2. Employee Relations, Leave & Corrective Action

Advise managers and supervisors regarding attendance, conduct, performance, employee complaints, corrective action, and other employee-relations matters.

Conduct or coordinate workplace investigations and maintain clear, factual, and professional documentation.

Administer employee leave, accommodation, return-to-work, and related processes, including coordination of FMLA/CFRA, ADA/FEHA, workers' compensation, and other applicable leave or accommodation requirements.

Coordinate terminations, reductions in force, and other separation actions with management, payroll, benefits providers, and outside counsel when appropriate.

Promote consistent and respectful treatment of employees while ensuring company policies and management expectations are clearly communicated and documented.

3. Talent Acquisition & Workforce Planning

Manage the full recruiting cycle, including job descriptions, sourcing, screening, interview coordination, candidate communication, offer preparation, pre-employment requirements, and onboarding.

Develop effective recruiting sources for technical, engineering, manufacturing, quality, administrative, and professional positions.

Partner with department managers to forecast staffing needs, prioritize openings, and maintain practical recruiting plans aligned with business demand and budget.

Track recruiting activity, time-to-fill, source effectiveness, acceptance rates, and early turnover; recommend improvements based on results.

4. Performance Management & Accountability

Own and administer the company performance review process and ensure managers complete evaluations accurately and on schedule.

Coach managers on goal setting, documentation, feedback, employee development, performance improvement, and corrective action.

Support managers in identifying performance problems early and developing clear expectations and follow-up actions.

Maintain appropriate separation between HR process ownership and line-management accountability: department managers remain responsible for managing employee performance and results.

5. Compensation, Benefits, Payroll & Claims Support

Administer employee benefit programs and coordinate employee enrollment, changes, questions, and required communications with brokers and providers.

Support compensation administration, salary and wage changes, merit adjustments, job classifications, and market reviews as requested by management.

Serve as the primary HR owner of employee data used for payroll and coordinate closely with Accounting/Payroll to ensure accurate and timely payroll-related changes.

Coordinate workers' compensation claims and other employee claims with appropriate carriers, providers, managers, and outside resources.

6. Onboarding, Training & Employee Development

Design and personally coordinate effective onboarding that covers company culture, policies, job expectations, safety, compliance, and department-specific requirements.

Monitor new-hire progress and early turnover; work with managers to address onboarding or performance issues promptly.

Coordinate required and developmental training, including supervisor/manager training, anti-harassment training, and other compliance or skill-development programs.

Support leadership development by coaching managers on communication, delegation, documentation, conflict resolution, and employee development.

7. HR Technology, Reporting & AI Enablement

Serve as primary administrator and business owner for Paylocity and other HR systems; maintain accurate employee data, workflows, recruiting records, benefits information, performance-management records, and reporting.

Use appropriate AI-enabled and automation tools to improve recruiting, onboarding, documentation, performance tracking, HR analytics, and reporting while protecting confidential employee and company information.

Prepare practical HR reports for management, including headcount, turnover, recruiting status, attendance trends, compensation changes, training status, and other workforce metrics.

8. Organizational Development & Succession Planning

Partner with the CEO and management team on organization structure, workforce planning, succession planning, management development, and key-person risk.

Maintain succession and contingency plans for critical leadership and technical positions.

Support company culture by reinforcing professionalism, accountability, communication, teamwork, and continuous improvement.

Part-Time Clerical Support

The HR Director may assign routine administrative activities such as document filing, data entry, scheduling, interview coordination, benefits paperwork, and record maintenance to part-time clerical support. The HR Director remains accountable for the accuracy, confidentiality, compliance, and timely completion of all HR functions.

Requirements

Qualifications

10+ years of progressive Human Resources experience; prior HR Manager, Senior HR Generalist, or HR Director experience strongly preferred.

Experience serving as the senior or primary HR professional in a small or mid-sized organization strongly preferred.

Demonstrated hands-on experience across recruiting, employee relations, leave administration, performance management, compensation, benefits, HR compliance, training, and HR operations.

Strong working knowledge of California employment practices and the ability to recognize when outside legal or specialist guidance is appropriate.

Strong written and verbal communication, coaching, conflict-resolution, investigation, and documentation skills.

Ability to work independently, prioritize competing demands, maintain confidentiality, and follow issues through to closure with limited administrative support.

Experience with HRIS/ATS platforms; Paylocity experience strongly preferred.

Comfortable using modern HR technology and AI-enabled tools appropriately and securely.

SHRM-CP required; SHRM-SCP preferred. PHR/SPHR or comparable professional HR certification may also be considered.

Preferred Profile

Practical, hands-on HR leader who is comfortable moving between strategic discussions with the CEO and detailed day-to-day HR execution.

Experience in manufacturing, engineering, aerospace/defense, te