Senior Director, Human Resources & Labor Relations-West Coast POST NUMBER: 479125
Senior Director, Human Resources & Labor Relations-West Coast
Compensation & Benefits
This role is scoped at the senior regional leadership level and offers a competitive, performance-oriented compensation structure aligned with operational accountability.
- Base Salary: $190,000–$205,000 annually; final offer will reflect experience, qualifications, and overall alignment to role scope
- Cost-of-Living Adjustment: 10% COLA (Cost of Living Allowance) applied separately based on geographic location
- Annual Incentive: Eligible for a discretionary bonus with a target of 40%, tied to individual and company performance
- Long-Term Incentive: Participation in a long-term incentive program aligned to sustained business performance, subject to plan design and eligibility
- Additional Benefit: Fully covered company vehicle, including insurance and fuel
This role provides meaningful upside through both annual incentives and long-term compensation tied to performance.
About the Role
Vaco/Highspring has been engaged by a nationally recognized organization to identify a Senior HR and Labor Relations Leader supporting a large-scale, multi-state West Coast operation.
This position serves as a key partner to regional operations leadership, with responsibility for aligning workforce strategy to business execution across a distributed, field-based environment. The role requires a leader who can operate effectively in complex labor settings while maintaining strong credibility within frontline teams.
Scope & Impact
This is a high-visibility leadership role with influence across multiple business lines and operating regions.
The environment is fast-paced and operationally intensive, requiring a leader who has successfully supported large, hourly workforces and navigated labor dynamics across multiple sites. Success in this role will come from the ability to balance strategic perspective with consistent, hands-on execution.
Location & Travel
- Onsite in the San Francisco Bay Area (San Francisco or San Jose)
- Approximately 50% travel across West Coast operations
- Candidates must currently reside in the Bay Area
Key Responsibilities
- Lead and scale a regional HR function supporting multi-state field operations
- Partner with senior operations leaders on workforce planning, performance management, and engagement strategies
- Own labor relations strategy, including Union Negotiations, Collective Bargaining Agreements, and Grievance Management
- Oversee employee relations, investigations, compliance, and workplace risk mitigation
- Collaborate with HR Centers of Excellence to ensure alignment with enterprise processes and programs
- Drive talent planning, leadership development, and succession initiatives across the region
- Ensure consistent application of employment laws, policies, and operational standards
- Reinforce a culture of accountability, execution, and continuous improvement
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree required
- 8 years of progressive HR leadership experience, including regional or multi-site oversight
- Proven experience supporting large, distributed hourly workforces
- Hands-on labor relations experience, including union negotiations, CBAs, and grievance processes
- Background in operationally intensive industries (e.g., retail, hospitality, manufacturing, logistics)
- Strong working knowledge of employment law, compliance, and HR risk management
- Demonstrated ability to influence senior stakeholders and drive business outcomes
- Comfortable operating in fast-paced, field-based environments
- MBA and/or SHRM certification preferred
Benefits
- Medical, dental, vision, life, and disability coverage
- 401(k) with company match
- Company vehicle and related travel benefits
- Professional development and training programs
- Employee assistance resources
- Performance-based review and merit structure
- Community engagement and volunteer opportunities
Why This Role
This opportunity is designed for an HR leader who values proximity to the business and can establish credibility quickly with both operational leadership and unionized teams.
The role requires a balance of sound judgment, operational discipline, and strategic thinking, offering the ability to make a meaningful impact across a complex and evolving West Coast operation.
Determining compensation for this role (and others) at Vaco/Highspring depends upon a wide array of factors including but not limited to the individual’s skill sets, experience and training, licensure and certifications, office location and other geographic considerations, as well as other business and organizational needs. With that said, as required by local law in geographies that require salary range disclosure, Vaco/Highspring notes the salary range for the role is noted in this job posting. The individual may also be eligible for discretionary bonuses, and can participate in medical, dental, and vision benefits as well as the company’s 401(k) retirement plan. Additional disclaimer: Unless otherwise noted in the job description, the position Vaco/Highspring is filing for is occupied. Please note, however, that Vaco/Highspring is regularly asked to provide talent to other organizations. By submitting to this position, you are agreeing to be included in our talent pool for future hiring for similarly qualified positions. 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. Further assessment of candidates beyond this initial phase within Vaco/Highspring will be otherwise assessed by recruiters and hiring managers. Vaco/Highspring does not have knowledge of the tools used by its clients in making final hiring decisions and cannot opine on their use of AI products.Vaco by Highspring values a diverse workplace and strongly encourages women, people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, people with disabilities, members of ethnic minorities, foreign-born residents, and veterans to apply.
EEO Notice
Vaco by Highspring is an Equal Opportunity Employer 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 federal, state or local law.
Vaco by Highspring and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries are committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, Vaco by Highspring and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact HR@vaco.com .
Vaco by Highspring also wants all applicants to know their rights that workplace discrimination is illegal.
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. You further agree that you have represented information about yourself accurately and have not affirmatively misrepresented your qualifications. You also 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 and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries (“we,” “our,” or “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 may access our policies here.
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;
- 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.