Los Angeles, CA

The Organization

The California Endowment is the state’s largest private health foundation, created in 1996 with a mission to expand access to affordable, quality health care for underserved individuals and communities, and to promote fundamental improvements in the health status of all Californians. Headquartered in downtown Los Angeles, the foundation maintains offices in Sacramento, Oakland, Fresno, and San Diego, with staff working throughout the state.  The Endowment supports the Health Happens Here campaign which is reframing the conversation around health care from medical settings and individual choices to the idea that our health happens in neighborhoods, schools, and through aggressive prevention measures.

Position Overview

At The California Endowment, we believe our employees are our greatest assets and critical to achieving our ambitious goals.  The Endowment is seeking a strategic leader and human resource (HR) professional with exceptional interpersonal and organizational skills to manage the HR Department with vision, strategy, effectiveness and integrity.  The Human Resources Director is the senior HR role within The Endowment with key responsibilities in the following areas: 1) governance, management and personnel administration, 2) benefits administration and 3) recruitment, evaluations, professional development and disciplinary action. This position is a key partner in maintaining an environment that values employees and builds trust throughout the organization.  The HR Director reports directly to the EVP/ Counsel, and is located in the foundation’s Los Angeles headquarters.

Key Responsibilities

The following are the key responsibilities of the Human Resources Director:

• Governance, Management and Personnel Administration.  Manages all aspects of Human Resources with accountability and transparency. Manages mentors and develops the HR staff. Participates as a thought partner and advisor to EVP / Counsel on matters within HR realm. Responsible for updating the employee handbook and all personnel policies to ensure compliance with all laws.  Enforces personnel policies through consistent practices. Provides advice to managers regarding personnel policies or staff-related issues. Responds to disputes between co-workers or employees and their managers through a fair and effective process. Maintains and manages a human resources information system to properly record and track employee data.  Ensures TCE’s compliance with all applicable employment laws and regulations. 

• Benefits Administration. Establishes fringe benefit programs for all employees, reviewing periodically to ensure currency with the market.  Administers the benefits program and ensures all necessary administrative procedures are completed to provide effective quality of service for staff. Administers the workers’ compensation program by selecting the carrier, processing claims, and monitoring the status of injured workers to ensure they receive appropriate benefits and return to work as soon as possible. Monitors the leave of absence program to ensure compliance with all The Endowment’s policies and applicable laws. Monitors all retirement plans for compliance with plan documents, and ensures all assets under Human Resources’ fiduciary care are appropriately accounted for in a robust control environment. 

• Recruitment, Evaluations, Professional Development, Disciplinary Action. Responsible for oversight of all recruitment activities; interviews all final candidates and ensures that all candidates are properly screened, interviewed, and reference checked prior to an offer of employment being made. Evaluates and approves all newly created positions.  Ensures appropriate job descriptions are written for each position within The Endowment, and updated as needed.  Establishes salary ranges for all positions and periodically reviews those ranges for currency with job market.  Establishes reasonable guidelines for determining salary decisions.  Establishes, updates, monitors, and administers the performance review process. Train managers in effective performance evaluation practices. Maintains and updates the employee recognition program.  Establishes and coordinates management training and development programs. Establishes succession and leadership development plans for executives and directors. Reviews and approves all disciplinary actions (including terminations) prior to discipline being given to staff. 

Minimum Qualifications:

• 10 years of experience working in human resources, preferably in a generalist role.
• 3-5 years of experience in a key management role within human resources.
• Bachelor’s degree in human resources, business, or related field.
• Thorough knowledge and understanding of federal and state employment and leave laws.
• Demonstrated experience managing – or certification in – human resource specialties such as benefits, compensation, training, safety, or general human resources.
• Experience managing personnel issues arising in multiple locations.
• Ability to think strategically while effectively managing the daily details of the department
• Excellent communicator
• Ability to listen well and provide appropriate advice to staff and managers.
• Ability to translate the strategic plan into appropriate employee initiatives and programs.
• Possess strong analytical skills
• Ability to identify opportunities for improved productivity, employee morale, and cost-savings.
• Creative problem solver.
• Commitment to diversity in employment.

Preferred Experience (not required):

• Graduate degree
• Working knowledge of foundations, health care, nonprofit organizations
• HR certifications
• Membership in HR professional organizations