Assistant Director of HR (Employee Relations and Compliance)

Assistant Director Of Human Resources

Dare to bring your unique perspective?

At Novogradac, we value individuals who bring unique perspectives and bold ideas. If you're eager to contribute to an inclusive, innovative environment where your personal and professional growth is encouraged and supported, we invite you to explore this exciting opportunity with us.

Position Summary :

The Assistant Director of Human Resources (Assistant Director) is responsible for oversight of the firm's employee relations practices and employment law compliance. This role will oversee internal investigations, resolve complex or escalated employee issues, and ensure that HR policies, procedures, and practices align with federal, state, and local laws, minimizing risk and supporting compliant company operations, all in collaboration with Legal and Risk and HR leadership. The Assistant Director will support performance management through effective process improvement and change management, and leverage HR technologies to enhance efficiency and the employee experience. This position will also assist the Director of Human Resources in executing strategic projects and may also manage identified departmental operational processes. This position requires strong judgement, discretion, and a commitment to fostering a fair and compliant workplace culture.

The firm has one available position in either Long Beach, CA, Austin, TX, Atlanta, GA, Dover, OH, or Portland, OR.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities :

Serve as a strategic partner to leadership on employee relations, compliance, and risk management matters.

Serve as the primary liaison with external (third-party) investigators and also conduct internal employee relations investigations as needed, ensuring timely and thorough resolution of cases.

Recommend and implement corrective actions based on internal assessments or external findings, in alignment with company policies and legal guidance.

Maintain accurate and up-to-date records in the employee relations case management system.

Oversee all employee relations functions, including reviewing disciplinary actions and termination recommendations, monitoring leave of absence and accommodation processes, ensuring complete documentation, and collaborating with the Legal team to assess risk and ensure compliance.

Resolve complex employee relations issues and manage escalations with professionalism, discretion, and consistency.

Lead the development, implementation, and ongoing auditing of HR compliance programs, policies, and procedures to ensure alignment with federal and multi-state labor laws.

Collaborate with internal and external legal counsel and HR to address compliance matters, including risk mitigation efforts.

Serve as the primary point of contact for external audits and regulatory inquiries, ensuring timely, accurate, and compliant responses.

Monitor legislative and regulatory developments to keep policies current and ensure compliance.

Drive change management initiatives related to performance management, partnering closely with the Employee Relations team to ensure alignment and adoption.

Assess organizational needs for additional firmwide and / or specific training opportunities related to employee and management development.

Research, recommend, and implement best practices for leveraging HR technologies and tools to improve process efficiency and employee experience.

Provide direct supervision and leadership to the Employee Relations team and may have dotted-line reporting relationships with other HR team members as determined by the Director of Human Resources.

Assist the Director of Human Resources in executing strategic projects and may manage some departmental operational processes as identified.

Complete other projects as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities :

Strong knowledge of relevant federal, state, and local employment laws.

Record of effectively managing a wide variety of employee relations cases, ensuring fair and consistent processes and mitigating risk.

Excellent verbal and written communication skills, in particular the ability to interpret complex HR policies and law and translate them clearly to staff at all levels of the organization.

Experience in providing effective training, feedback, and coaching to direct reports. Manage with a positive and proactive approach.

Proven ability to mentor and grow staff in functions of the employee relations area.

Display strong analytical skills, including the ability to gather information, conduct analyses, present findings, and create solutions.

Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to develop trust and rapport with a variety of personalities and maintain a calm and professional demeanor during stressful situations.

Ability to influence change and process improvements.

Ability to meet deadlines and effectively prioritize a fast-paced and varied workload, effectively manage a variety of concurrent and shifting priorities.

Perform work accurately with a strong attention to detail.

Ability to maintain strict confidentiality of sensitive work-related information.

Solid computer skills, including familiarity with the Microsoft Office suite and familiarity with a variety of HR software programs (Paychex Flex, Workday, Flock experience desirable but not required). Strong excel skills are highly desirable.

Minimum Qualifications :

Bachelor's degree in related area plus 10-15 years of progressively responsible experience, preferably in an employee relations or HR compliance focused position, including at least 3 years of successful people management experience.

Preferred Qualifications :

Master's degree and HRCI and / or SHRM professional certification and deep knowledge of California employment law is preferred. Strongly prefer a candidate with at least 5 years of supervisory experience and / or experience overseeing multiple functions and positions within an HR department.

Why Work With Us?

Novogradac is committed to fostering a welcoming workplace where all employees feel valued and empowered to grow. We believe in offering a supportive, balanced work environment that encourages professional growth and work-life integration.

We are proud to offer :

• Increased number of paid holidays per year
• Competitive salaries with continuous review of market conditions
• Flexible working hours and work arrangements
• Remote and hybrid opportunities
• Inclusive workplace, providing strong professional growth and development opportunities

The Benefits Of Joining Our Team

Don't Meet Every Single Qualification?

After reviewing this job posting, are you hesitating to apply because you don't meet all the listed requirements? At Novogradac, we are dedicated to building a workplace supported by unique perspectives and experiences, so if you're excited about this role but your experience doesn't align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we still encourage you to apply.

You may still be the right candidate for this or one of our other roles.

Get to know us better!

We're Novogradac, a national certified public accounting and consulting firm headquartered in San Francisco. Founded in 1989, the allied group of Novogradac companies has grown to more than 800 employees and partners with more than 25 offices throughout the country.

Novogradac is one of the nation's top 40 certified public accounting and consulting firms and is a recognized leader in real estate and community development. Novogradac provides publicly and privately held national enterprises with a full spectrum of audit, tax, valuation, expert witness and litigation support, property compliance and general consulting services and works extensively in the affordable housing, community development, historic preservation and renewable energy fields.

Commitment to Inclusion

Novogradac is committed to ensuring a fair and inclusive recruitment process, making reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities or special needs throughout the application process. We encourage applicants from all backgrounds, identities, and experiences to apply, as we believe that unique perspectives strengthen our ability to achieve excellence.

At Novogradac, we offer a variety of Employee Resource Groups and Affinity Groups to provide all employees with opportunities to connect, collaborate, and support one another in the workplace.