Bilingual Human Resources Specialist

Role Overview

• Serves as a trusted HR partner and liaison for staff, with a primary focus on Spanish-speaking employees, offering timely, respectful, and confidential support to address questions, concerns, and feedback.
• Supports positive workplace culture by acting as a bridge between employees and managers to strengthen communication, engagement, and mutual understanding.
• Leads or co-facilitates conversations with management regarding performance concerns, including coaching, progressive discipline, and role reevaluation; identifies and recommends development supports such as EAP, coaching, or additional training.
• Administers and monitors performance improvement plans for entry
• to mid-level staff in collaboration with supervisors, ensuring clear expectations, documented progress, and follow-through support.
• Manages layoff, termination, and rehire processes for seasonal and cyclical roles, ensuring alignment with policy, communication with impacted staff, and coordination with program leadership.
• Partner with HR related vendors to organize and schedule employee facing development and information sessions and training.
• Leads or participates in internal investigations and supports workers’ compensation eligibility reviews in coordination with the Senior HR Director.
• Manages all aspects of employee leaves of absence including FMLA, CFRA, PFL, PDL, and workers’ compensation, evaluating eligibility, coordinating documentation, and maintaining consistent communication with employees and supervisors throughout the process.
• Leads the interactive accommodations process in accordance with ADA and state laws, guiding employees and managers through request, documentation, and implementation steps with care and compliance.
• Supports agency safety efforts by participating in audits, leading follow-ups on workplace accidents, coordinating OSHA log reporting, and serving as a liaison to the workers’ compensation claims adjuster and treating physicians to track employee recovery and return-to-work status.
• Collaborates with Senior HR Director to ensure agency-wide compliance with California and federal labor laws; contributes to policy updates and internal HR documentation.
• Maintains an active role in agency HRIS platforms including Paylocity, BHHC, and Heffernan ensuring data accuracy and supporting system utilization across multiple functions.
• Assists with employee recognition initiatives and onboarding resource development.
• Provides support in recruitment activities, including job fair participation, screening candidates, tracking applicant status in Paylocity, providing interview coordination, serves as HR representation in interviews, and sharing candidate notes with hiring managers.
• Designs and facilitates entry-level professional development sessions in both English and Spanish on workplace communication, professionalism, and related topics.
• Responds to employee and agency needs for verification of employment (VOE), EDD claims, and SDI paperwork with accuracy and timeliness.
• Assists with the preparation and implementation of the annual performance review cycle in partnership with department managers.
• Partners with managers to assess training and development needs; supports planning and occasionally facilitates leadership or skill-building workshops aligned with agency values.
• Reviews and signs off on HR forms to ensure documentation is complete, accurate, and in compliance with policy and best practices.
• Maintains secure and confidential personnel records and evaluation files, and generates reports on key HR metrics such as turnover, absenteeism, transfers, and performance reviews.
• Collaborates with vendors, brokers, and internal teams on matters related to benefits, recruitment, and other HR projects.
• Creates and distributes a quarterly internal HR newsletter that includes agency events, professional development resources, and relevant workplace updates in collaboration with department leadership.

Requirements

• Minimum three (3) years of experience directly and independently managing a broad range of HR functions including compliance and employee relations.
• Associate degree (AA/AS) in Human Relations, Business, Psychology, or two years' experience in the human resource field, or any similar combination of education and experience.
• Bilingual oral and written skills are required, and receive additional compensation per policy.
• Commitment to ongoing professional development and learning.
• Excellent interpersonal and verbal communication skills, with the ability to build strong relationships across all levels of staff.
• Demonstrated cultural competence and the ability to build respectful working relationships across differences in race, culture, socioeconomic background, gender identity, differing abilities, sexual orientation, and lived experience.
• Awareness of structural inequities and their impact on staff, the communities we serve, and our partner organizations, with a commitment to advancing equity.
• Skilled in conflict resolution and navigating sensitive or complex interpersonal dynamics with professionalism and empathy.

Benefits

• Medical insurance through Kaiser or Sutter is 80-95% paid by the employer for employee premiums plus 50% paid by the employer for dependent coverage
• Elective dental, vision insurance, FSA, and Accident insurance.
• Employer-paid $10k of life insurance with expandable options
• Employer-paid Long-term Disability Insurance
• 401(K) plan with a 2% contribution and an additional 1% matched contribution after one year of service
• Employee assistance program, through Concern and CalPerks discount rewards program
• 3 weeks vacation (4 hours accrued per pay period) based on full-time work increases at 5 years of service
• 96 hours of sick time per year (4 hours accrued per pay period) based on full-time work
• 1 floating personal day
• 16 paid holidays