Public relations specialist Jobs in Bakersfield, CA

Director of Employee Relations

The Wonderful Company is committed to offering high-quality, healthy, and iconic brands such as Wonderful Pistachios, Wonderful Halos, FIJI Water, and POM Wonderful. We're looking to make the world a healthier place through an uncompromising commitment to the well-being of our employees and their families.

Director of Employee Relations is responsible for developing, implementing, and enforcing employee relations policies and procedures. They will provide support to management and employees in resolving employee issues, conducting investigations of complaints, leading the interactive process and leaves of absences, ensuring compliance with employment laws and regulations, and designing and delivering training programs on employee relations topics.

This position will be based at our Shafter, CA office. We work a hybrid schedule with an in-office requirement Monday-Wednesday and the option to work remotely on Thursday and Friday.

Job Description

• Conducts employee investigations involving a wide range of employee relations complaints and conflicts in partnership with HR Business Partners and legal as appropriate. This includes investigating employee complaints and grievances, conducting interviews and research, drafting investigation findings reports, and making recommendations for employee development or training and/or disciplinary action as appropriate.
• Manages escalated leaves of absences and accommodation. Facilitates the interactive process to achieve a mutually agreeable accommodation between employee and the business and properly documents the outcome.
• Provides guidance and support to managers and employees in resolving conflicts and addressing workplace issues. Serves as a mediator in employee disputes or conflicts, facilitates open communication and negotiation to reach mutually acceptable resolutions.
• Assists managers with escalated or complicated performance management as needed.
• Develops and delivers conflict resolution training programs for managers and employees.
• Delivers, coordinates and tracks compliance trainings, including wage and hour, anti-harassment, FCPA, mandated reporter, DOJ background checks.
• Implements strategies to mitigate risks related to employment law.
• Partners with legal to ensure employment policies are up to date and implemented across the business unit.
• Regularly reviews HR practices and documentation for compliance.
• Monitors and enforces legal changes and keeps track of updates in employment laws and regulations.
• Manages complex workers' compensation cases.

Qualifications

• 20 years in a professional business and or human resources role
• 12-15 years of relevant employee relations and compliance experience
• Bachelors degree in Human Resources, Employee or Industrial Relations
• Proficient in conversational Spanish. Ability to converse in business Spanish and/or write in Spanish a plus.
• Experienced in leading employee leave and labor law compliance, with deep expertise in federal and California regulations.
• Proven experience in an employee relations leadership role, with a strong understanding of employee relations practices and principles.
• In-depth knowledge of employment laws, regulations, and best practices related to employee relations.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to assess complex employee relations issues and provide effective solutions.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to communicate effectively and build relationships with employees at all levels.
• Strong conflict resolution and mediation skills, with the ability to facilitate difficult conversations and resolve disputes.
• Strong leadership and management skills, with the ability to effectively lead and develop a team.
• Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion.
• Strong organizational and time management skills, with the ability to prioritize and manage multiple employee relations initiatives.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and HRIS software.
• Ability to stay updated on industry trends, employment laws, and best practices related to employee relations.

Pay Range: $160,000-$170,000 and may include a discretionary bonus. Final compensation will be dependent upon skills & experience.

Additional Information

• Thriving Wellness Community: Access to top-notch medical coverage comprehensive vision and dental plans, and a 401k with match eligibility to secure your financial future and including:
• 24/7 online physician consultations
• virtual mental health resources
• life coaching
• engaging employee community groups
• cash rewards for healthy habits and fitness reimbursements
• library of on-demand fitness videos
• Career Advancement Opportunities: Unlock your potential with clear paths for career progression and internal mobility across our diverse family of brands and business units.
• Focused Learning and Development: Grow as a leader with our dedicated Learning and Organizational Development department, offering extensive resources like People Manager and leadership training, webinars, and eLearning courses.
• Empowering Mentorship Program: Connect with colleagues through our company-wide mentorship program to share goals, overcome challenges, and drive your career forward.
• Continuous Improvement Training: Participate in training that empowers all employees to learn and implement concepts that drive significant, positive change in the workplace.
• Building a Healthy Society: To date, our co-Founders Lynda and Stewart Resnick, through their foundations and The Wonderful Company, have invested more than $2.5 billion in education, health and wellness, community development, and sustainability initiatives across California's Central Valley, Fiji, and the world. In 2025, Wonderful ranked as #1 in PEOPLE's "100 Companies That Care" list and was named one of Fortune magazine's 100 Best Companies to Work For. To learn more about our corporate social responsibility efforts, visit csr.wonderful.com.
• Giving Back to the Community: Make a difference with Wonderful Giving, allowing you to allocate company-provided funds to up to three charities of your choice, and join Wonderful Neighbor to contribute to group service projects within our local communities.

Headquartered in Los Angeles, The Wonderful Company is a privately held $6 billion company dedicated to harvesting health around the world through its iconic consumer brands. The Wonderful Company's connection to consumers has health at its heart and giving back at its core. The company has a long-standing commitment to corporate social responsibility, including more than $1 billion invested in environmental sustainability; $65 million in charitable giving, education initiatives, and innovative health and wellness programs each year; and $143 million toward the construction of two charter school campuses in California's Central Valley. To view the current Corporate Social Responsibility report, visit

The Wonderful Company is an Equality Opportunity Employer that provides opportunities for advancement. We are committed to creating a diverse workforce that embodies a deep culture of acceptance, equity, and inclusion. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected categories.