Vice President of Human Resources - Swift HR Solutions

Our client, Uwajimaya, a renowned family-owned business specializing in Asian groceries and products, is seeking a dynamic Vice President of Human Resources. This role offers the opportunity to work closely with the CEO and leadership team to help shape the future of the company.  This is an exceptional opportunity to join a business dedicated to creating a thriving workplace and long-term success.

Responsibilities:

• Assists CEO with development and implementation of strategic plan.
• Collaborate with Executive Leadership team on business strategy and complex initiatives.
• Provide strong leadership to the HR team focused on employee development, talent management and performance.
• Designs, shares, and trains managers and leaders on management procedures and best practices, sponsoring ongoing professional development and risk management.
• Diagnoses, researches, investigates reports on, and guides staff and leaders in addressing employee relations matters.
• Provides organizational change management guidance and training to minimize impact of change on productivity and morale.
• Serves as internal consultant on performance management and professional development; structuring processes, training staff and managers, and providing guidance to fuel top performance and high engagement.
• Apply skills and knowledge in organizational design, coaching, talent management, and training and development to support a high performing culture.
• Manage total rewards activities that attract and retain the best talent, drive performance, and align with business objectives. Coach and educate leaders on compensation philosophies and practices such as incentive programs, merit increases, and all other compensation related topics.
• Lead company-wide communications, employee recognition and culture building activities that reinforce company vision, mission and strategies.
• Assess leadership effectiveness and create programs to develop leadership talent. Provide ongoing coaching and support.
• Develops and refines total rewards structure, assessing compensation and benefits to market and internal equity.
• Leads talent acquisition and management function and optimizes the experience to attract the best candidates.
• Project manages large-scale HR initiatives such as system upgrades, reorganizations, compensation program design and restructuring.
• Manages HRIS optimization and administration, ensuring data integrity and reporting accuracy.
• Assesses and reports on key human capital success indicators, developing and facilitating plans for continuous improvement.
• Proactively assesses compliance and areas of risk to support a safe, healthy, and productive workplace while minimizing exposure to risk.

Requirements:

• Integrity and Trust - Is widely trusted; is seen as a direct, truthful individual; can present the unvarnished truth in an appropriate and helpful manner; keeps confidence; admits mistakes; doesn't misrepresent him/herself for personal gain.
• Interpersonal Savvy - relates well to all kinds of people, up, down, and sideways, inside and outside the organization; builds appropriate rapport; builds constructive and effective relationships; uses diplomacy and tact; can diffuse even high-tension situations comfortably.
• Strategic Agility - Sees ahead clearly; can anticipate future consequences and trends accurately; has broad knowledge and perspective; is future oriented; can articulately paint credible pictures and visions of possibilities and likelihoods; can create competitive and breakthrough strategies and plans.
• Business Acumen – Knows how businesses work; knowledgeable in current and possible future policies, practices, trends, technology, and information affecting his/her business and organization; knows the competition; is aware of how strategies and tactics work in the marketplace.
• Command Skills – Relishes leading; takes unpopular stands if necessary; encourages direct and tough debate but isn't afraid to end it and move on; is looked to for direction in a crisis; faces adversity head on; energized by tough challenges.
• Ethics and Values – Adheres to an appropriate (for the setting) and effective set of core values and beliefs during both good and bad times; acts in line with those values; rewards the right values and disapproves of others; practices what he/she preaches.
• Perspective – Looks toward the broadest possible view of an issue/challenge; has broad-ranging personal and business interests and pursuits; can easily pose future scenarios; can think globally; can discuss multiple aspects and impacts of issue and project them into the future.
• Sizing Up People – Is a good judge of talent; after reasonable exposure, can articulate the strengths and limitations of people inside or outside the organization; can accurately project what people are likely to do across a variety of situations.
• Managing Vision and Purpose – Communicate a compelling and inspired vision or sense of core purpose; talks beyond today; talks about possibilities; is optimistic; creates mileposts and symbols to rally support behind the vision; makes the vision shareable by everyone; can inspire and motivate entire units or organizations.
• Cross-Cultural Sensitivity – Understands and can empathize with differences in people and cultures; is not judgmental about difference; respects differences; operates at a minimal noise level; tries to learn the local language; dutifully participates in local rituals and ceremonies; understands nuances of local culture; respects different value sets; handles and is comfortable with diversity.

Ideal Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in related field required, MBA or advanced degree and SPHR preferred.
• 15+ years human resources leadership experience, including 5 years' experience in a Sr. Leadership role, experience leading a multi-location, matrixed organization.
• Demonstrated skills in designing and delivering organizational training and development initiatives.
• Strong knowledge of compensation program design, organizational development and communication, change management, and HR project management.
• Demonstrated ability to diagnose, investigate, and drive resolution of employee relations matters.
• Highly collaborative team player that quickly builds trustful and strong working relationships with business leaders and employees across the organization.
• Exposure to Asian culture or working in an ethnically diverse work environment is preferred.
• Experience working in a family-owned business is preferred.
• Preference for some experience in the grocery industry, a fair amount of experience in retail businesses or consumer goods is required.