Manager of People & Culture
Santa Ana, CA
Full Time
Mid Level
“Every person deserves compassion, dignity, and the safety of a place to call home.”
Homelessness is the largest social and public health crisis in California. Illumination Foundation (IF) is a growing non-profit organization dedicated towards disrupting the cycle of homelessness by providing targeted, interdisciplinary services in our recuperative care centers, emergency shelters, housing services and children's and family programs. IF currently has 13+ facilities with 22+ micro-communities scattered across Orange County, Los Angeles County and the Inland Empire.
Job Description
The Manager of People and Culture serves as a key partner and advocates across all levels of the organization. This role provides strategic guidance in employee relations, ensures compliance with employment regulations, and supports day-to-day HR operations. The Manager of People and Culture fosters a supportive environment for employees and supervisors alike, empowering teams through training, communication, and inclusive practices.
The pay range for this position is $76,000-$82,000 per year.
Responsibilities
HR Operations & Systems
Leadership & Supervision
Training & Development
Benefits & Employee Support
Communication & Reporting
Preferred Experience/ Minimum Qualifications
Required:
Preferred: Benefits
Homelessness is the largest social and public health crisis in California. Illumination Foundation (IF) is a growing non-profit organization dedicated towards disrupting the cycle of homelessness by providing targeted, interdisciplinary services in our recuperative care centers, emergency shelters, housing services and children's and family programs. IF currently has 13+ facilities with 22+ micro-communities scattered across Orange County, Los Angeles County and the Inland Empire.
Job Description
The Manager of People and Culture serves as a key partner and advocates across all levels of the organization. This role provides strategic guidance in employee relations, ensures compliance with employment regulations, and supports day-to-day HR operations. The Manager of People and Culture fosters a supportive environment for employees and supervisors alike, empowering teams through training, communication, and inclusive practices.
The pay range for this position is $76,000-$82,000 per year.
Responsibilities
HR Operations & Systems
- Manage employee processes, including onboarding preparation, pre-employment eligibility, and ongoing employee data maintenance in UKG.
- Facilitate weekly HCM and UKG implementation meetings to ensure accuracy, alignment, and efficiency.
- •Review and oversee payroll processes in partnership with payroll providers; manage related functions such as meal waivers and cell phone reimbursements.
- Process tuition reimbursement requests and HR-related billing in a timely and accurate manner.
- Maintain HR platforms including JazzHR ensure systems are optimized for recruitment, recordkeeping, and compliance.
- Build strong relationships across the organization to cultivate a positive, inclusive work culture.
- Respond to employee concerns with empathy and fairness, ensuring issues are addressed in a timely and respectful manner.
- Ensure adherence to employment laws and regulations including FLSA, FMLA, ADA, COBRA, EEO, OSHA, and Workers Compensation.
Leadership & Supervision
- Supervise HR team members, supporting their development and fostering a collaborative team environment.
- Encourage a culture of continuous improvement and shared accountability within the People & Culture team.
Training & Development
- Assess organizational learning needs and coordinate or lead training for supervisors and staff.
- Promote awareness and understanding of HR policies, legal compliance, and equity practices.
- Support and guide the annual employee evaluation process, encouraging a feedback-rich culture.
Benefits & Employee Support
- Support employees through open enrollment, benefit questions, and ongoing engagement with core brokers.
- Participate in monthly meetings with benefits partners and maintain positive working relationships with vendors.
Communication & Reporting
- Serve as a point of contact for employees and supervisor questions, providing timely and thoughtful responses.
- Maintain confidential, organized documentation and prepare HR reports as needed.
- Represent the People & Culture department at meetings, conferences, and events.
Preferred Experience/ Minimum Qualifications
Required:
- Bachelor’s degree in human resources, Business Administration, or a related field.
- 5+ years of progressive experience in Human Resources, with a strong focus on employee relations and compliance.
- At least 2 years of experience in a supervisory or managerial HR role.
- Demonstrated knowledge of federal and state employment laws and regulations (e.g., FMLA, ADA, FLSA, EEO, OSHA, Workers’ Compensation).
- Proficiency with HRIS systems (preferably UKG) and applicant tracking systems (preferably JazzHR).
- Strong interpersonal, communication, and conflict-resolution skills.
- High level of integrity, professionalism, and confidentiality.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
Preferred:
- HR certification such as PHR, SPHR, SHRM-CP, or SHRM-SCP.
- Experience working in a nonprofit, healthcare, or mission-driven organization.
- Familiarity with payroll processes and benefit administration.
- Experience with HR system implementation and optimization projects (e.g., UKG).
- Bilingual is a plus.
- Medical Insurance funded up to 91% by Illumination Foundation (Kaiser and Blue Shield), depending on the plan
- Dental and Vision Insurance
- Life, AD&D and LTD Insurance funded 100% by Illumination Foundation
- Employee Assistance Program
- Professional Development Reimbursement
- 401K with Company Matching
- 10 days vacation PTO/year
- 6 days of sick pay/year
- Potential eligibility for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSFL) for federally qualified loans
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