Senior Director, Human Resources & Labor Relations - West Coast

Senior Director, Human Resources & Labor Relations - West Coast

Compensation & Benefits

Compensation Overview

This role offers a competitive compensation package aligned with senior regional leadership responsibilities and a performance-driven operating environment.

• Base Salary: $180,000-$190,000 annually; final compensation within this range will be based on relevant experience, skills, and scope alignment.
• Cost-of-Living Adjustment: A 10% COLA applies based on location and is administered separately from base salary
• Annual Incentive: Eligibility for a target 40% discretionary annual bonus, tied to individual and company performance
• Long-Term Incentive: Participation in a discretionary long-term incentive program, subject to plan terms and eligibility
• Total Compensation Opportunity: Target estimated at $290,000-$345,000, inclusive of base salary, bonus opportunity, and long-term incentives; actual compensation may vary based on performance and business results

Additional Benefit

• Fully covered company provided vehicle benefit, including insurance and fuel.

Role Summary

Vaco/Highspring is supporting a nationally recognized organization to identify a senior HR and labor relations leader to oversee large-scale West Coast field operations. The organization operates across multiple business lines with a geographically dispersed operating model. This role serves as a critical partner to operations leadership and corporate HR, with responsibility for driving workforce strategy, labor stability, and operational effectiveness across multiple states.

The Senior Director will lead regional HR execution with a strong emphasis on labor relations, employee relations, compliance, and leadership effectiveness within a fast-paced, labor-complex environment. This is a hands-on, field-embedded leadership role requiring both strategic judgment and operational credibility.

Scope & Impact

This position offers significant visibility and influence across the region and enterprise. Leaders who have successfully navigated complex labor environments, supported large hourly populations, and delivered results through multi-site teams will find meaningful scale and impact in this role. The organization values stability, sound decision-making, and the ability to execute across full business cycles.

Location & Travel

• Onsite role based in the San Francisco Bay Area (San Francisco or San Jose)
• Approximately 50% travel across the West Coast (air and car)
• Candidates must currently reside in the San Francisco Bay Area

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a regional HR organization supporting multi-state field operations
• Serve as a trusted advisor to senior operational leaders on workforce planning, engagement, and performance
• Own labor relations strategy, including union negotiations, contract administration, and ongoing labor partnership
• Provide oversight of employee relations, compliance, investigations, and risk mitigation
• Partner with HR Centers of Excellence to ensure consistent, high-quality HR practices
• Support talent planning, leadership development, and succession initiatives
• Ensure compliance with employment laws and company policies while balancing business priorities
• Promote a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and operational excellence

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required
• 8+ years of progressive HR leadership experience, including regional or multi-site responsibility
• Demonstrated experience supporting large, distributed, hourly workforces
• Hands-on labor relations experience, including Union negotiations, collective bargaining agreements (CBAs), and grievance management
• Background in operationally intensive industries such as retail, hospitality, manufacturing, logistics, or similar environments
• Strong working knowledge of employment law, compliance, and HR risk management
• Comfortable operating in fast-paced, customer-facing settings
• Data-driven leader with the ability to influence senior stakeholders
• MBA and/or SHRM certification preferred

Benefits

• Medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance
• 401(k) with company match
• Company vehicle
• Transit and parking benefits
• Professional development and training programs
• Employee Assistance Program
• Performance-based merit and review process
• Community engagement and volunteer opportunities

Why This Role

This is a high-impact opportunity for an HR leader who values proximity to the business and credibility with frontline and Unionized teams. The successful candidate will balance strategic thinking with disciplined execution, bringing steady leadership, sound judgment, and a results-oriented mindset to a complex West Coast operation.

Equal Opportunity Notice

Highspring LLC (d/b/a Vaco by Highspring) and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries ("we," "our," or "Vaco by Highspring") are committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race (including but not limited to traits historically associated with race such as hair texture and hair style), color, sex (includes pregnancy or related conditions), religion or creed, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, status as a veteran, union membership, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, political affiliation, or any other protected characteristics as required by applicable law. The company is also committed to ensuring that persons who need them are provided with reasonable accommodations; if an accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, please contact HR@vaco.com .

Vaco by Highspring also wants all applicants to know their rights that workplace discrimination is illegal.

Representation Notice

By submitting to this position, you agree that you will be giving Vaco by Highspring the exclusive right to present your as a candidate for the foregoing employment opportunity. Additionally, you agree to be included in our talent pool for future hiring for similarly qualified positions. You further agree that you have represented information about yourself accurately and have not affirmatively misrepresented your qualifications. Lastly, you agree to maintain as confidential, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any information you learn from Vaco by Highspring about the position and you will limit disclosure of information about the position only to the extent necessary to perform any obligations in furtherance of your application. In exchange, Vaco by Highspring agrees to exercise reasonable efforts to represent you through all solicitation, job screening and resume dispersal.

Privacy Notice

Vaco by Highspring respects your privacy and are committed to providing transparent notice of our policies.

• California residents may access Vaco by Highspring HR Notice at Collection for California Applicants and Employees here.
• Virginia residents may access our state specific policies here.
• Residents of all other states may access our policies here.
• Canadian residents may access our policies in English here and in French here.
• Residents of countries governed by GDPR and UK GDPR may access our policies here.

Additionally, submissions to this position are subject to the use of AI to perform preliminary candidate screenings, focused on ensuring minimum job requirements noted in the position are satisfied. More details about Vaco by Highspring's use of AI can be found here (https://www.highspring.com/ai-use-notices/). Further assessment of candidates beyond this initial phase will be conducted by recruiters and hiring managers. Vaco by Highspring does not know and cannot opine on if its client's use of AI products in hiring.

Pay Transparency Notice

Determining compensation for this role (and others) at Vaco by Highspring depends upon a wide array of factors including but not limited to: the individual's skill sets, experience and training;

licensure and certification requirements; office location and other geographic considerations; and

other business and organizational needs.

With that said, as required by local law, Vaco by Highspring believes that the following salary range referenced above reasonably estimates the base compensation for an individual hired into this position in geographies that require salary range disclosure. The individual may also be eligible for discretionary bonuses and/or participation in medical, dental, and vision benefits as well as the company's retirement plan (or similar retirement benefits).