Director of Human Resources (48005)

Director of Human Resources
Job Family: Admin/HR
FLSA Status: Exempt
Reviewed: 8/25/2026

Reports To: Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Direct Reports: HR Generalist
Key Partnerships: VP of Finance, Executive Leadership Team, Safety Committee

Overview:

This is a high-impact role for an experienced HR professional who thrives in a visible, accessible leadership position and is passionate about employee engagement, retention, and organizational development. The Director of People & Culture will balance strategic planning with day-to-day workforce support, ensuring HR practices are compliant, effective, and people centered.

Reporting directly to the CEO, this role partners closely with executive leadership. To be successful in this role, you will cultivate employee communication, foster positive change, and be a leading ambassador of the Durango Coca-Cola culture.

Teamwork:

Our company is a dynamic, ever-changing environment that requires flexibility and a team-based attitude.

• Good communication and people skills are essential, as is the ability to lead by example and maintain a proactive, solution-focused mindset
• Actively listen to all employees’ needs and concerns responding with thoughtful, respectful solutions that balance employee and business needs
• Work to resolve conflicts and/or misunderstandings with diplomacy and emotional regulation
• Represent the company’s values and culture through every interaction using clear, consistent communication and documentation

Core Responsibilities

Primary Accountability: The Director establishes standards, executes the work, advises the CEO, and is accountable for results in the following areas.

Strategic Leadership & Culture

• Partner with the CEO and leadership team to develop and execute HR strategies that support business goals and long-term growth
• Champion a culture of transparency, trust, accountability, and respect across all levels of the organization
• Serve as a trusted advisor to leadership on employee relations, organizational design, and workforce planning

Employee Experience & Retention

• Design, implement, and maintain employee engagement and retention programs tailored to our distribution workforce
• Recommend and review employee benefit programs including but not limited to Health Insurance, Dental, Wellness, and Time off programs
• Oversee employee relations matters, providing fair, consistent, and timely resolution
• Monitor workforce trends, turnover data, compensation structures and engagement feedback to recommend improvements

Talent Management, Onboarding & Offboarding

• Oversee recruitment, hiring, onboarding, and offboarding processes to ensure consistent and positive employee experience
• Maintain and enhance onboarding programs that effectively integrate new hires into the company culture and operations
• Collaborate with other leaders to develop and maintain career paths and talent development
• Lead exit processes, analyze feedback, and identify opportunities for organizational improvement

HR Operations & Compliance

• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations
• Oversee HR policies, procedures, and documentation, keeping them current and aligned with company values
• Oversee, maintain and train on HRIS system capabilities with a continuous improvement mindset
• Supervise and mentor the Part-Time HR Generalist, ensuring operational excellence

Shared Accountability: Director contributes people expertise, coordinates execution, identifies workforce risk, and supports the functional leader who retains final accountability in the following areas.

Finance, Payroll, Compensation, and Benefits

• Partner with the VP of Finance on payroll administration, compensation planning, benefits, workforce budgeting, and related controls
• Own the accuracy and timeliness of employee data, approvals, and documentation required for payroll and benefit administration
• Provide workforce analysis and recommendations while Finance retains accountability for financial controls, payroll processing, and budget governance

Safety

• Work directly with operational leaders and the Safety Committee to strengthen safety culture, communication, training, and employee engagement
• Provide people and policy guidance related to safety expectations, investigations, corrective action, and return to work matters
• Manage workers’ compensation administration and OSHA recordkeeping with appropriate levels of operational leadership

Communication & Availability

• Act as a readily available HR resource for employees at all levels
• Communicate HR initiatives, policy updates, and changes clearly and transparently
• Support leadership and frontline managers with coaching, training, and HR guidance
• Strong business acumen with the ability to collaborate cross-functionally
• Comfortable working in a lean HR environment and rolling up sleeves as needed
• Standard schedule includes Monday-Friday 8a.m. – 5p.m. Flexibility for additional or alternative days/times may be required to meet business needs.

Key Attributes for this position:

• Identifies potential risks and provides thoughtful assessment to ensure responsible and informed decision-making
• Communicates difficult messages with clarity and empathy while adapting messaging for different audiences (board/ownership, managers, workforce)
• Demonstrates Self-awareness and emotional regulation and is approachable and trustworthy
• Responds calmly during high stress situations and while building trust across the organization
• Demonstrates neutral facilitation during conflict resolutions utilizing de-escalation techniques effectively
• Balances empathy with policy enforcement