HR Services Director

About the role

Unity. Loyalty. Advancement. Charity. It's what drives United Legwear & Apparel Co. (ULAC) to be the best global designer, manufacturer, and distributor of legwear, bodywear, apparel, and accessories. Founded in 1998, ULAC is an industry leader offering a full range of products for babies, kids, teens, and adults at affordable prices. The HR Services Director is a senior HR leader responsible for overseeing and elevating the corporate Human Resources function across the New York City and New Jersey offices as well as US retail services, while also directing enterprise-wide recruitment strategy and execution for open positions across the US and Canada.

This role provides strategic and operational leadership for the Corporate HR team, driving consistency, compliance, and a connected employee experience across ULAC's NY and NJ locations while serving as a trusted advisor to senior business leaders. Reporting directly to the VP of Human Resources, the HR Services Director leads and develops the NJ-based HR Manager, the broader NY/NJ HR Generalist and Specialist team, and the Corporate Recruiter, ensuring high-quality, consistent delivery of HR programs across the corporate footprint.

Responsibilities

• HR Leadership & Team Management
  • Directly lead, coach, and develop the NJ-based HR Manager, the Corporate Recruiter, and the NY/NJ HR Generalist and Specialist team, setting clear goals and providing regular feedback.
  • Establish and oversee team workload distribution, coverage plans, and performance standards to ensure consistent, high-quality HR support across the NY and NJ offices.
  • Serve as a mentor and escalation point for the HR team on complex employee relations, compliance, and policy interpretation matters.
  • Identify opportunities to improve HR service delivery, processes, and tools; lead process-improvement initiatives in partnership with HR leadership.
  • Partner with the VP of HR to design and execute the corporate HR team's structure, staffing plan, and long-term capability roadmap.
  • Conduct regular one-on-ones, team meetings, and development planning for direct and indirect reports.
  • Leverage HR metrics and data to evaluate team performance, identify trends, and inform staffing and resource decisions.
• Talent Acquisition & Recruitment Oversight – US & Canada
  • Directly lead and manage the Corporate Recruiter, setting recruitment priorities and performance standards for full life-cycle hiring across the US and Canada.
  • Partner with hiring managers and business leaders to define role requirements, sourcing strategy, and selection criteria for corporate, retail, and distribution positions.
  • Establish and monitor recruitment metrics, including time-to-fill, pipeline health, and quality-of-hire, to drive consistent and compliant hiring outcomes.
  • Ensure recruitment practices comply with US federal, state, and Canadian employment laws.
  • Oversee the selection, use, and administration of recruiting and sourcing applications (ATS, job boards, LinkedIn Recruiter).
  • Manage and cultivate external recruiting partnerships, including staffing agencies, university pipelines, and industry associations.
• Strategic HR Business Partnering
  • Serve as a strategic HR business partner and trusted advisor to senior leaders on organizational design, workforce planning, and talent strategy.
  • Proactively engage business leaders to understand goals and translate insights into actionable HR recommendations.
  • Partner with the VP of HR on enterprise-wide HR initiatives, including performance management, compensation planning, and retention strategy.
  • Consult with leaders on workforce planning, role design, succession planning, and organizational structure.
  • Track and present HR metrics, including turnover, engagement, headcount, and employee relations trends.
• Employee Relations & Investigations – NY & NJ
  • Serve as the senior HR point of contact for employee relations matters, providing guidance grounded in policy and employment law.
  • Coach and advise managers through performance management, corrective action, and disciplinary processes.
  • Lead or oversee workplace investigations, ensuring compliance with NYC, NYS, and NJ employment laws.
• Training & Development – NY & NJ
  • Identify learning and development needs; design, coordinate, or source learning solutions aligned to business priorities.
  • Lead enterprise-wide L&D initiatives, onboarding programs, and manager capability-building efforts.
  • Champion leadership development and culture-building initiatives that reinforce company values.
• HR Operations & Compliance – NY & NJ
  • Oversee day-to-day HR operations and generalist support across the NY and NJ offices, ensuring consistent delivery across the employee lifecycle.
  • Ensure consistent application of ULAC policies, benefits programs, and HR processes.
  • Lead annual HR cycles, including performance reviews, compensation planning, and employee engagement initiatives.
  • Maintain accurate, compliant HR records and uphold HRIS and ATS data integrity standards.
  • Serve as a visible, accessible, and trusted senior HR presence to reinforce a positive, inclusive, and high-performance workplace culture.

Leadership Responsibilities

At ULAC, all team members contribute to a safe and positive work culture. Leadership behaviors that model ULAC's mission and values include:

• Lead Proactively – Anticipate and solve problems with foresight and curiosity.
• Provide Positive & Frequent Performance Feedback – Give and receive constructive feedback.
• Initiate Structure and Goal Setting – Establish, communicate, and achieve ambitious goals.
• Foster Positive Culture – Promote an optimistic, trusting, and innovative work environment.
• Communicate Effectively – Encourage dialogue, problem-solving, and collaboration.
• Develop Self and Others – Engage in continuous learning and skill growth.

Requirements

• Education & Qualifications
  • Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field required; Master's degree preferred.
  • SHRM-SCP or SPHR certification strongly preferred; SHRM-CP or PHR required at minimum (with attainment of senior-level certification within 18 months of hire).
  • Strong working knowledge of NYC, NYS, and NJ employment law; federal employment law compliance experience required.
  • Proficiency with HRIS and ATS platforms; ADP experience preferred.
  • Working knowledge of recruiting and sourcing applications (ATS, job boards, LinkedIn Recruiter).
  • Excellent communication, interpersonal, and influencing skills with the ability to build trust and credibility with senior executives.
• Experience
  • Minimum 8+ years of progressive HR experience, including at least 5 years in a formal HR leadership role with direct supervisory responsibility.
  • Experience overseeing or directly managing a recruiter or talent acquisition function, including cross-border (US and Canada) recruitment.
  • Experience in the apparel, fashion, consumer goods, or retail industry preferred.
  • Familiarity with multi-state HR compliance, particularly NY/NJ employment law.
  • Experience building or scaling a corporate HR function or team.