Company Description Why Hotaling & Co. Hotaling & Co. brings together brands that are anything but ordinary, creating and curating a distinctive portfolio of spirits and cocktail essentials defined by artisanal excellence. For us, artisanal means more than premium. It reflects the passion, craftsmanship, care, and discerning taste that go into everything we do. Our portfolio is embraced by partners and customers who share our commitment to exceptional quality and the pursuit of something truly distinctive. Rooted in our San Francisco heritage and strengthened by passionate partners across the U.S. and around the world, Hotaling & Co. is a family of like-minded spirits brands with a shared appreciation for craftsmanship, authenticity, and excellence. The Company has approximately 70 employees.
Our Workplace Our office is located at 115 Sansome Street in downtown San Francisco in a newly remodeled, upscale setting designed to foster collaboration and connection. Hotaling & Co. currently maintains a hybrid workplace, combining on-site and remote work. Employees are onsite Tuesday through Thursday and remote Monday and Friday. As with any workplace practice, the hybrid work model may vary, or change, based on the needs of the business.
Job Description
The Opportunity We are seeking an experienced, strategic, and hands-on Human Resources Director to lead our people strategy and help shape the next chapter of Hotaling & Co. Reporting directly to the Chief Financial Officer, the Human Resources Director will lead the full spectrum of human resources, including talent acquisition and development, compensation and benefits, payroll, compliance, employee relations, performance management, and workplace culture. This is a high-impact leadership role with organization-wide influence. The Human Resources Director will serve as a trusted advisor to the CFO and senior leadership team, partnering across the organization to ensure our people strategies and practices directly support Hotaling & Co.’s business objectives, culture, mission, and values. The role carries broad responsibility for the people-related strategies and decisions that shape employee engagement, organizational effectiveness, compliance, performance, and ultimately, business results. The position will be supported by one HR and Payroll Manager. We are looking for a leader who is equally comfortable setting strategy and rolling up their sleeves to get the work done. This is a hands-on leadership position in a dynamic, entrepreneurial environment where priorities can evolve quickly and where collaboration, sound judgment, discretion, adaptability, and follow-through are essential.
Key Responsibilities
People Strategy & Leadership
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- Develop and execute human resources strategies that align with Hotaling & Co.’s business objectives, mission, and values.
- Serve as a trusted advisor to leadership on organizational design, workforce planning, talent, employee relations, compensation, performance, and culture.
- Champion and strengthen the company’s culture, values, and employee experience.
- Develop initiatives that support employee engagement, retention, recognition, productivity, morale, and professional development.
- Identify current and future staffing needs and develop effective talent acquisition and retention strategies.
- Establish and continuously improve best practices for performance management, succession planning, and talent development.
- Navigate change in an environment that embracing new ideas and process improvement.
- Play an active role with internal employee communications.
Staffing & Recruiting
- Own the Company’s entire staffing function, with responsibility for recruiting, interviewing, and making recommendations to leadership for all open positions within the organization, from administrative roles to national sales positions.
- Establish and continuously improve best practices for recruitment & staffing for the Company’s administrative roles, as well as a national sales team.
- Establish and continuously improve best practices for onboarding and off-boarding employees and consultants.
- Maintain recruitment operations with regard to reference checks & background checks.
Compensation, Benefits & Payroll
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- Design, own, and continuously evolve the company’s compensation strategy, ensuring internal equity, market competitiveness, and alignment with business objectives.
- Lead annual compensation planning and coordinate participation in third-party compensation surveys.
- Oversee payroll administration, ensuring employees are paid accurately and on schedule.
- Maintain and administer the company’s HRIS system (ADP) and processes.
- Manage and ensure compliance with multi-state payroll, including establishing and closing state payroll accounts as business needs change.
- Oversee employee benefits programs and annual health insurance renewals.
- Administer and oversee leave and benefit programs in accordance with company policies and applicable regulations.
Compliance & Employee Relations
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- Ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations.
- Regularly review and update policies, procedures, and practices to reflect regulatory changes and evolving best practices.
- Oversee employee relations matters, including disciplinary issues, disputes, investigations, and performance concerns.
- Manage workers’ compensation cases and coordinate workers’ compensation insurance renewals.
- Maintain current knowledge of employment law, HR trends, technology, and emerging best practices and translate relevant developments into actionable recommendations for leadership.
- In partnership with Operations, oversee occupational health, safety, and workplace compliance initiatives.
- Maintain and administer training and professional development, especially harassment prevention training.
Operations & Administration
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- Develop and manage the Human Resources departmental budget.
- Lead HR-related training and development initiatives.
- In partnership with Operations, oversee office functions and the company’s IT equipment and related administrative needs.
- Develop and implement HR policies, processes, programs, and initiatives that support an efficient and high-performing organization.
- Perform other duties and special projects as required.
- Continually improve and maintain system administration with multiple HR related vendors that include ADP, Benefits Administration, Workers Compensation, for example.
Qualifications
Qualifications & Experience
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- Bachelor’s degree required; degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field preferred.
- Minimum 7 years of progressive HR experience, including at least 5 years in a senior or leadership capacity.
- Deep knowledge of federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations.
- Demonstrated experience developing and executing comprehensive people operations and strategies in a growing organization.
- Strong experience with compensation strategy, benefits administration, payroll, employee relations, and HR compliance.
- Experience managing workers’ compensation claims and workers’ compensation insurance renewals.
- Experience managing multi-state payroll compliance, including establishing and closing state payroll accounts.
- Experience with annual health insurance and benefits renewals.
- Hands-on experience with ADP preferred, and payroll administration.
- Strong leadership, management, and supervisory skills.
- Demonstrated ability to establish and achieve organizational, operational, revenue, and/or cost objectives and successfully execute strategic initiatives.
- Entrepreneurial mindset with the ability to operate effectively in a lean, collaborative, and hands-on environment.
- High degree of flexibility and comfort managing multiple priorities in a dynamic, fast-paced organization.
- Exceptional judgment, discretion, problem-solving ability, and attention to detail.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build credibility and trust at all levels of an organization.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Word, Outlook, and PowerPoint.
Additional Information The above statements describe the essential functions and qualifications needed for a Human Resources Director and has been prepared by Hotaling & Co., LLC. It also provides employees with a guide to the duties they are expected to perform. It is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of employees in this position. Actual job responsibilities may change at management's discretion, without notice. Hotaling & Co., LLC is an at-will employer, which means that an employee may resign or Hotaling & Co., LLC may separate an employee from service with or without cause at any time for any reason. There is nothing written in this position description that guarantees continued employment.