HR & Compliance Risk Manager

Retained search conducted exclusively by Oak Tree Talent Partners. Remote-hybrid role with 20% in-person meetings (San Diego, CA preferred). Direct hire, full-time exempt position reporting to Controller & Operations Manager.

About the Role

Our client is a privately owned, union testing and inspection firm — associated with Operating Engineers Local 12 and Local 3 — delivering third-party materials testing and special inspection across California, Nevada, and Utah. As they build their first dedicated HR function, this hire will own the ground-up build of safety training compliance, HR administration, and regulatory/client compliance for a 70-person field workforce (90% union) plus office staff.

Responsibilities

• Talent & Onboarding: Support onboarding and maintain the jobsite required-documents file, hiring packet forms, and employee handbook.
• Employee & Labor Relations: Support fair, well-documented resolution of employee/employer complaints. Manage grievance documentation and CBA-aligned recordkeeping within a 90% union field workforce.
• Safety & Risk Compliance:
  • Own monthly Toolbox Topics and quarterly safety trainings (e.g., OSHA Most Cited) end-to-end — assign, distribute, follow up, collect, and maintain complete training records for 70 field employees.
  • Maintain and update the Injury & Illness Prevention Program (IIPP) and distribute company-wide.
  • Administer the Nuclear Gauge program: user lists, new-hire gauge courses, annual Gauge Refresher and HAZMAT training, and radioactive materials licensing (CA renewals, reciprocity, and new-state applications).
  • Schedule and track mandatory Anti-Harassment and OSHA Workplace Violence Prevention training at new hire and bi-annual intervals.
  • Serve as day-to-day liaison to the insurance broker (Cavignac & Associates) for risk management education and HR compliance guidance, and administer training via the LMS and broker training portal.
• Licensing & Prequalification:
  • Maintain client vetting/prequalification portals — Highwire, ISNetworld, and Avetta — on weekly, monthly, and annual cycles; keep the Prequal Cut Sheet current. Portal standing is deadline-critical to the client's ability to bid and work.
  • Coordinate PE license applications/renewals and Professional Development Hours by state; maintain NCEES records; manage business licenses across cities, counties, and states.
• HR Admin & Reporting:
  • Maintain the digital labor law poster, required notices, and org charts; update the SOQ with new project write-ups and keep field personnel resumes current in company format.
  • Build and document the HR workflows, processes, and reporting that will define this function going forward.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in HR, Business Administration, Risk Management, or a related field — or equivalent combination of education, HR certification (PHR, SHRM-CP), and relevant experience.
• 3–5 years of progressive experience in HR administration, HR compliance, or safety/training compliance, with working knowledge of California employment law.
• Track record administering training programs and maintaining auditable compliance records — LMS experience strongly preferred.
• Exceptional organization and deadline management across recurring weekly-to-annual compliance cycles, with strong documentation skills and discretion handling sensitive employee matters.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in engineering, testing/inspection, energy, or other field-based technical environments.
• Union/labor relations exposure.
• Familiarity with ISNetworld/Avetta/Highwire, Cal/OSHA program administration (IIPP, Workplace Violence Prevention), or PE/NCEES and nuclear gauge licensing.
• Experience managing records via SharePoint.

Pay

$85,000–$95,000 base, dependent on experience.