Head of Human Resources

Job title: Head of Human Resources

Type of employment: Full-time

Shift Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8AM - 5PM

A senior, hands-on Head of HR who will build and lead an HR department for a rapidly growing, multi-site California cannabis. This role is responsible for strategic HR leadership, risk management, and creating scalable people systems—while maintaining a culture-first approach that supports both the business and employees.

About the Company:

The company is a woman-owned cannabis business founded in 2009, dedicated to delivering premium-quality cannabis across all facets of the industry, from cultivation and production to retail and customer education. With a strong commitment to a customer-first experience and compassionate service, the company strives to create a welcoming and informed environment for every client.

Company core values:

• Compassion and customer-first service
• High-quality standards and accountability
• Professionalism, discretion, and integrity
• Team collaboration and support
• Compliance-minded execution

Objectives of this role:

• Build a high-functioning HR department that scales with rapid growth (50–80M revenue trajectory) while reducing risk and leadership overload
• Establish clear, practical HR systems for: onboarding/offboarding, employee relations, timekeeping compliance, benefits/payroll workflows, and hiring execution
• Create a culture-first HR function that improves employee experience, supports managers, and protects the business from labor board/OSHA exposure
• Develop managers and department heads with consistent HR guidance, training, and accountability standards
• Lead and coach the HR Generalist so day-to-day issues are handled proactively without leadership intervention

Responsibilities:

HR leadership & department buildout

• Design the HR operating model for a multi-location, hourly workforce (structure, workflows, service levels, escalation paths)
• Own HR strategy and execution cadence (priorities, staffing plan, reporting, KPIs)
• Manage and develop the HR Generalists and future HR hires as the company scales

Risk management & compliance (California + regulated industry)

• Ensure practical compliance coverage (wage/hour, meal/rest breaks, documentation hygiene, training, investigations)
• Reduce business risk by preventing avoidable escalations (labor board threats, OSHA complaints, chronic timecard issues)
• Build manager-friendly policies and enforcement that support operations (firm but fair; solutions-oriented)

Employee relations & culture-first HR

• Lead sensitive employee relations issues (conflict resolution, performance concerns, investigations, corrective action frameworks)
• Create a consistent approach that is empathetic, timely, and business-aligned—without rigid “policy-first” behavior that hurts morale and productivity

Hiring, succession planning & manager enablement

• Partner with department heads to clarify role needs and improve hiring outcomes (intake, JD quality, interview process, selection)
• Reinforce the company’s succession planning approach by building internal development pathways and promotion readiness

Systems & tools oversight

• Oversee/optimize HR workflows tied to:
• Homebase (timekeeping)
• Gusto (payroll)
• Ease (benefits)
• Cal Savers (retirement)
• Ensure the team is trained, processes are documented, and data/reporting is accurate (direct experience is a plus; adaptability is required)

Reporting & operational alignment

• Provide leadership with clear, actionable reporting (risk flags, recurring issues, hiring progress, turnover insights, compliance status)
• Ensure HR is enabling operations—not slowing it down—while still protecting the company

Required skills and qualifications:

• Proven experience leading HR in a high-growth, multi-site environment (hourly workforce preferred)
• Strong California HR foundation (wage/hour, meal/rest compliance, investigations, documentation, risk mitigation)
• Track record of building scalable HR systems (processes, SOPs, templates, manager toolkits, training)
• Strong employee relations judgment: can de-escalate issues, resolve conflicts, and avoid unnecessary escalation/litigation
• Culture-first leadership style: proactive, friendly, empathetic—balances compliance with business needs
• Strong stakeholder management (department heads must trust and feel comfortable with HR)
• Comfortable operating hands-on while also thinking strategically
• Strong communication skills (clear, direct, solutions-oriented; not rigid or punitive)

Preferred skills and qualifications

• Experience in regulated industries (cannabis, alcohol, healthcare, manufacturing, or similarly compliance-heavy environments)
• Cannabis industry experience (plus, not required)
• Experience building internal promotion pathways and succession planning programs
• Familiarity with Homebase, Gusto, Ease, and/or Cal Savers (helpful but not required if adaptable)
• Experience using behavioral assessments (e.g., Predictive Index) for hiring and team-fit decisions