Senior HR Operations Specialist

Job description

About Red White & Blue Thrift Red White & Blue Thrift is a growing thrift retailer with 35 stores across 15 states, supported by a network of depots, warehouses, and store support teams. Our nearly 3,800 team members work in retail, production, and procurement, giving quality goods a second life and making affordable shopping accessible in every community we serve. Our HR team is small, collaborative, and close to the business, so your work is visible and makes a real difference. Job Summary As a Senior HR Operations Specialist, you will own several of our most important HR operations and compliance processes, including leave and accommodation administration, I-9 and work authorization compliance, employment verification, and required employee documentation. This hands-on role is for an experienced HR operations professional who can step in with strong working knowledge, work with a high degree of autonomy, and use sound judgment to keep processes accurate, on time, and consistent across a multi-state organization, while escalating issues to HR leadership when needed. You are highly organized, exceptionally detail-oriented, and thoughtful about how you prioritize your time, and you follow work through to completion while managing multiple deadlines. You are also naturally curious about how processes work and comfortable finding ways to streamline workflows, improve consistency, and build practical solutions that make recurring HR processes more efficient. You will regularly work with employees and leaders, so you should communicate in a positive, professional, and persistent way to keep work moving. Because leaves of absence and work authorization matters can be stressful for employees, empathy, patience, and clarity are equally important. You will also support additional projects across Payroll, Benefits, HRIS, compliance, and other areas of HR as business needs arise. This position is based in our Ventura, California corporate office and requires regular on-site presence to support HR operations, physical mail, and other administrative processes. Compensation: $80,000 to $95,000 per year, based on experience, skills, certifications, and bilingual English/Spanish proficiency. Key Responsibilities Leave & Accommodation Administration • Manage the day-to-day administration and tracking of employee leaves of absence and workplace accommodations in accordance with Company processes and applicable requirements. • Own and actively manage the Leaves inbox, serving as a point of contact for employees and leaders regarding leave and accommodation processes, required documentation, timelines, and next steps. • Track open leaves, accommodation requests, and required documentation, and proactively follow up with employees and leaders on outstanding items. • Maintain accurate leave and accommodation records and ensure employee status, supporting documentation, and related information are appropriately maintained. • Coordinate with HR leadership and other partners on complex, sensitive, or higher-risk leave and accommodation situations, including requests that may require an interactive review or additional operational consideration. • Partner closely with the Workers’ Compensation team to coordinate workers’ compensation-related leaves, return-to-work activity, and transitional or modified work arrangements, including situations where employees may temporarily work in an alternate role or location. • Support the ongoing administration of approved workplace accommodations, including communicating expectations, tracking applicable timeframes, and following up with employees and leaders as needed. I-9 & Work Authorization • Own the company’s I-9 and work authorization administration process, ensuring required documentation is completed accurately and within applicable timelines • Own and actively manage the I-9 inbox, responding to employee and leader inquiries, resolving issues, and ensuring required follow-up is completed timely • Monitor new-hire I-9 completion and proactively follow up with employees and managers on missing, incomplete, or incorrect documentation • Track employment authorization expiration dates and coordinate timely reverification when required • Maintain accurate and complete I-9 and work authorization records and support internal or external audits as needed • Monitor compliance trends and recurring issues and identify opportunities for additional communication, training, or process improvement Employment Verification & Employee Documentation • Own the company’s employment verification process, including administration of requests through The Work Number and completion of manual verifications when needed • Prepare employment verification letters and other employment-related documentation for employees, managers, and authorized third parties when requests cannot be completed through The Work Number • Complete DOT and other regulated employment verification requests accurately and within required timelines • Respond to employee and leader questions regarding employment verification requests and proactively follow up on outstanding information as needed HR Operations & Compliance Support • Monitor completion of required Company and employment-related training, including sexual harassment prevention training, and follow up with employees and leaders to ensure completion within required timelines. • Provide administrative support for unemployment claims and related matters as needed, including gathering employment records, responding to requests for information, and coordinating required documentation with appropriate internal partners. • Support HR compliance activities, audits, documentation reviews, and other recurring or time-sensitive operational requirements. • Partner with HR leadership and other members of the HR team on higher-risk, unusual, or unresolved matters as appropriate. • Support additional HR operational projects and Company initiatives as business needs arise. HR Systems & Process Management • Use HR data, reports, and operational metrics to identify trends, monitor completion and compliance, surface potential issues, and support process improvements and decision-making • Utilize HR systems, reports, trackers, and other tools to monitor compliance, deadlines, and operational completion across assigned areas • Develop and maintain organized workflows, trackers, procedures, and reference materials that support consistent and efficient execution • Evaluate how work moves through HR processes and identify opportunities to simplify, strengthen, or automate recurring activities where appropriate • Partner cross-functionally with HR, Payroll, Talent Acquisition, Legal, field leadership, and other teams to resolve process issues and keep work moving forward Qualifications • Demonstrated expertise in I-9 and E-Verify compliance and in multi-state leave and accommodation administration, including federal and California leave requirements, along with working knowledge of unemployment claims, employment verification, and other HR compliance processes • 5+ years of progressive experience in Human Resources, HR Operations, Leave Administration, HR Compliance, or a related area, including direct ownership of leave and I-9 processes • Proficiency with HRIS and HR technology platforms; experience with Dayforce, HireRight, E-Verify, AbsenceSoft, and Smartsheet is preferred • Proficiency with Microsoft Office and other business systems used to track, manage, and communicate HR-related work • Experience supporting a multi-state, multi-location workforce, particularly in an environment with a large hourly/non-exempt employee population, is preferred • Demonstrated experience managing high-volume HR processes, deadlines, documentation, and employee follow-up across multiple areas of responsibility • Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field preferred, or equivalent relevant experience Location and Travel • This position is based in the Ventura, California corporate office and is expected to work on-site • Limited travel may occasionally be required based on business needs Physical Requirements • Computer Work: The primary responsibilities of this role involve working on a computer and performing tasks that require prolonged periods of sitting, typing, reviewing information, and using a computer monitor. • Travel: Occasional travel to Company locations may be required based on business needs. Travel may involve driving, conducting on-site visits, and/or attending meetings. • Mobility: The ability to move throughout the office and during occasional on-site visits is necessary. This may include standing, walking, reaching, bending, and occasional lifting or carrying of files, office supplies, or other materials. • Visual and Auditory: The role requires the use of visual and auditory senses to review computer screens and documents and to communicate effectively during meetings, phone calls, and other interactions, both in person and remotely. • Communication: Effective verbal and written communication is essential when interacting with employees, leaders, HR team members, and other internal and external partners. • Manual Dexterity: Frequent use of hands and fingers for tasks such as typing, writing, sorting mail and documents, and handling standard office equipment is necessary. • Safety: Adherence to applicable safety guidelines and protocols is required while working in the office and when visiting Company locations. • Environment: This role is primarily performed in a corporate office setting, with occasional work at Company locations. These environments may include indoor and outdoor spaces and may involve exposure to varying physical surroundings and weather conditions during travel or on-site visits. Language Requirements Conversational fluency in both English and Spanish (written and verbal) is preferred. This role involves frequent interactions with employees, leaders, and team members who primarily communicate in Spanish, as well as corporate stakeholders who communicate in English. Red, White, and Blue Thrift is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. We value diversity and inclusion and are committed to creating a work environment that is welcoming, respectful, and supportive of all individuals. We encourage qualified individuals with disabilities to apply and will provide reasonable accommodations to ensure equal access to employment opportunities.