HR & Compliance Manager

Head of People & Compliance U.S. Trading Company • Full-Time • On-Site (Hayward & San Jose, CA) Reports to:

CFO ABOUT US U.S.

Trading Company (UST) is a Bay Area-based Asian food importer and distributor with over 40 years of operating history. Founded in 1985 and headquartered in Hayward, CA, we source products from across Asia and supply grocery retailers, foodservice accounts, and specialty markets throughout the U.S. We operate multiple affiliated companies with approximately 100 employees across our Hayward and San Jose locations, and we are in a period of active growth•adding locations, expanding our product portfolio, and investing in the systems and people needed to scale.

THE OPPORTUNITY

We are building a centralized HR function for the first time across our family of companies. This is a ground-up leadership role: you will design the systems, own compliance, and be the primary people partner for a multi-entity, multi-location business. You will work closely with the CFO and senior leadership, and your work will directly shape how we grow. We need someone who can build, execute, and lead•in that order. SCOPE Multi-entity HR coverage across UST and affiliated operating companies (current and future) On-site presence across both office locations (Hayward HQ and San Jose)•expected to bounce between sites regularly Direct ownership of all HR systems, compliance, recruiting, and workforce infrastructure

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES 1.

Multi-Entity HR Leadership Centralize and standardize HR processes across all companies Own hiring, onboarding, policies, and offboarding end-to-end Serve as the primary HR leader and point of contact across the organization This is an individual contributor role to start•you will build the team as the business grows 2. Compliance & Risk Management Ensure full compliance with California labor law and applicable federal regulations Coordinate with overseas partners to align with local labor requirements in relevant jurisdictions Conduct regular compliance audits across all entities 3. Workforce Strategy & Recruiting Develop hiring plans aligned with business growth roadmap Build scalable recruiting systems across multiple business units Support expansion into new markets and locations 4. Workers' Comp, Insurance & Risk Oversee workers' comp and insurance programs across all entities Manage claims and implement risk mitigation strategies Provide aggregated payroll and insurance data to Finance as needed (no P&L ownership) 5. HR Systems & Infrastructure Implement and manage an HRIS across all companies Standardize documentation, onboarding workflows, and reporting Build for scale•systems should support 2x headcount growth without a rebuild 6. Workforce Analytics & Reporting Headcount by entity and location Turnover and retention trends Overtime and scheduling patterns Hiring velocity and cost-per-hire

QUALIFICATIONS

7+ years of HR experience, including multi-location or multi-entity environments Deep knowledge of California labor law•this is non-negotiable Proven track record building or scaling HR systems from the ground up Experience in distribution, logistics, food & beverage, or similar industries strongly preferred Strong leadership and process-building capability; comfort operating without a large team Bilingual or multilingual a plus•English/Spanish/Chinese preferred

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

Base Salary:

$130,000•$160,000 depending on experience

Bonus:

Performance bonus tied to compliance outcomes, hiring efficiency, and workforce metrics

Benefits:

Medical, Dental, Vision, PTO

HOW WE'LL MEASURE SUCCESS

Standardized HR processes live across all entities within 90 days Zero major compliance violations Measurable improvement in hiring speed and offer acceptance rates Reduced workers' comp claims and labor-related risk incidents Leadership has actionable workforce data on a regular cadence U.S. Trading Company is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

Pay:

$110,000.00•$160,000.00 per year

Benefits:

401(k) Health insurance Health savings account Life insurance Paid time off Retirement plan

Work Location:

In person