Director of Human Resources

As the Director, People Business Partner, you will serve as a trusted advisor and strategic thought partner to RSC executives and leaders, providing leadership across all levels of the organization. You will drive the development and execution of people strategies that align with Portillo’s business goals, financial objectives, and our commitment to creating a world-class team member experience. This role assumes full ownership of assigned business areas, offering strategic guidance and innovative solutions in areas such as compensation, organizational design, talent management, retention, engagement, leadership development, and succession planning. You will be a key driver in enabling Portillo’s Purpose to create lifelong memories by igniting the senses with unrivaled food and experiences.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES

Enable our Purpose to create lifelong memories by igniting the senses with unrivaled food and experiences:

·       Provide high-level strategic counsel, creative solutions, and data-driven recommendations on organizational effectiveness, talent strategies, and people processes to enhance business performance.

·       Act as a culture ambassador, ensuring that all people strategies reinforce and amplify Portillo’s core values: Family, Greatness, Energy, and Fun.

·       Lead and influence cross-functional People initiatives in partnership with stakeholders across the organization to ensure alignment with the broader People strategy.

·       Champion change by leveraging data insights to inform decisions and inspire continuous improvement across the organization including functional strategy.   

·       Serve as the primary liaison between business leaders and People team Centers of Excellence (CoEs), ensuring alignment and seamless execution of talent strategies, policies, and initiatives.

·       Partner with CoEs to design and implement specialized programs in areas such as talent acquisition, compensation, benefits, learning and development, and other areas.

·       Provide business insights to CoEs to influence the development and refinement of enterprise-wide People solutions.

 Family:  Work together to make everyone feel at home, and we step up when someone needs help

·       Act as a trusted consultant to the Chief People Officer and VP, People and Talent on critical talent initiatives, including succession planning, executive talent placement, and organizational development.

·       Oversee talent management and succession planning for RSC and PFS, ensuring strategies to build leadership capability, drive performance, and retain top talent with talent management team.

·       Partner with Talent Acquisition to develop a best-in-class candidate experience, designing innovative recruiting strategies to attract and hire top talent.

·       Design and implement leadership development programs to prepare leaders for future roles and challenges in partnership with the learning and development team.

·       Partner with Learning & Development to create scalable solutions for skill-building and career development across the organization.

·       Work with CoE in the deployment of delivered programs, customizing and scaling solutions to meet the unique needs of assigned business units.

·       Ensure consistency and alignment between CoE initiatives and the business strategies of RSC and PFS teams.

·       Act as a feedback loop to CoEs, providing insights from the business on program effectiveness and opportunities for improvement.

·       Coach and mentor executives and department leaders to build leadership capacity and prevent potential talent challenges.

 Greatness:  We’re obsessed with being the best and work hard to continuously improve.  Our greatness is rooted in Quality, Service, Attitude and Cleanliness

·       Guide executives and department leaders in fostering a high-performance culture, ensuring alignment between individual and organizational goals.

·       Participate as a strategic partner in department leadership meetings to identify Team Member impacts related to business strategies, including development, engagement, and performance management.

·       Implement tools and programs to develop leaders, create a robust leadership bench, and assess training and coaching needs at all organizational levels.

·        Design and recommend organizational structures to maximize efficiency and align with company business strategies.

Energy:  We move with urgency and passion, while maintaining attention to detail

·       Oversee the rollout and ongoing implementation of People programs and initiatives that impact Team Members, ensuring seamless execution.

·       Provide strategic guidance and coaching to RSC and PFS leadership on all areas of human resources, including policy development, talent acquisition, leadership skills, and conflict resolution.

·       Lead the creation and updates of HR policies and procedures to ensure relevance and alignment across the business with the Team Member Relations and Policy Committee.

·       Define and execute strategies to enhance the end-to-end Team Member experience, from onboarding to offboarding.

·       Manage key department programs, including onboarding, action planning, succession planning, career development, and Team Member engagement.

·       Leads implementation of Restaurant Support Center and Portillo’s Plants engagement surveys and action planning, providing actionable insights to improve Team Member satisfaction and retention.

·       Partner with IT and People teams to enhance the use of technology in people-related processes, leveraging tools like Workday to drive efficiency and insights.

Fun:  We entertain our guests, we connect authentically, and we make each other smile

·       Collaborate with cross-functional teams to evaluate and enhance rewards and recognition programs, ensuring competitive and meaningful offerings.

·       Partner with Leadership, Team Member Relations, and the LOA Administrator on complex issues such as performance improvement, disciplinary action, and accommodations.

·       Partner with the Communications team to ensure consistent, audience-specific communication for RSC and PFS initiatives.

·       Lead position and job description reviews, ensuring alignment with organizational needs and work with the total rewards team in conducting analyses to maintain market competitiveness.

·       Assess and mitigate risks related to organizational changes, ensuring compliance with labor laws and regulations.

ORGANIZATION RELATIONSHIPS

This position reports to the CPO and works with RSC/PFS executives and leaders as their direct business partners.  The Director, RSC and PFS People Business Partner interacts with executive and senior leadership, other People leaders, as well as Legal, Operations, Payroll and Accounting/Finance, Marketing, and Information Technology.

QUALIFICATIONS

Educational Level/Certifications

·       Bachelor’s degree in business or related field preferred

·       PHR/SPHR or SHRM-CP/SHRM-SCP (not required)

Work Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills, Abilities

• 10+ years of progressive HR leadership experience, with at least 5+ years in a strategic HR business partner or similar leadership role advising senior executives and influencing organizational outcomes.

·       Proven experience working within or closely with HR Centers of Excellence, with a strong understanding of how to collaborate across functional People department areas.

·       Demonstrated ability to operate and influence effectively in a matrixed environment, driving outcomes through partnerships rather than direct control.

·       Experience tailoring enterprise-wide people department solutions delivered by CoEs to meet the nuanced needs of diverse business units.

• Strong ability to balance and prioritize the needs of business leaders while aligning with CoE strategies and frameworks.
• Proven track record of successfully leading HR strategies in areas such as talent management, succession planning, team member relations, compensation, benefits, leadership development, and organizational design.
• Demonstrated ability to build and sustain relationships with senior executives, cross-functional leaders, and Team Members at all levels to establish trust and drive collaboration.
• Experience as a developer of high-performing teams, with expertise in identifying strengths, setting clear expectations, providing coaching, and fostering professional growth.
• Ability to inspire and influence others by creating a compelling vision, building confidence, and challenging teams to deliver exceptional results.
• Proven accountability for performance outcomes with the ability to hold self and others to high standards, ensuring consistent and fair evaluation of results.
• Expertise in leading organizational change initiatives, aligned with company purpose, values, and strategic priorities, to achieve sustainable business results.
• Strong leadership capabilities with a proven track record of developing and scaling high-performing teams in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
• Exceptional communication skills, including the ability to present ideas in a concise, engaging, and impactful manner, while listening actively and being receptive to diverse perspectives.
• Proficiency in HRIS systems (e.g., Workday) and Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Experience working in multi-unit, customer-centric industries such as restaurants, retail with a preference for public company environments.
• Demonstrated success in multi-state HR leadership, including navigating complex employment laws and regulatory environments.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to leverage data-driven insights for strategic decision-making and organizational improvement.

Hot dog! The pay range for this role is $140,000.00 – $170,000.00 yearly. Your actual compensation will depend on experience, location, and/or additional skills you bring to the table.

This position is also served with:

• Participation in a discretionary bonus program based on company and individual performance, among other ingredients
• A monthly technology reimbursement
• Equity awards [senior manager and above]
• Quarterly Portillo’s gift cards
• A bun-believable benefits package that includes medical, dental, and vision insurance along with paid time off and our 401(k) plan with a company match
•  Learn more about our benefits here

Travel Requirement

• May travel up to 5% depending on PFS support and operational needs.