Director of Human Resources

<p><strong>WineTalent is working with Mesa Vineyard Management on a Human Resources Director Search</strong></p><p><br></p><p><strong>About the Company</strong>: Mesa Vineyard Management is a leading vineyard management company on the Central Coast of California and in Oregon. The company was founded in 1989 and focuses on quality winegrape growing. The corporate headquarters are based in Templeton, CA and the company manages ranches throughout California’s Central Coast and Oregon.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>About the Position:</strong> The Human Resources Director leads and executes all human resources functions for Mesa Vineyard Management and its agricultural entities, operating in a dynamic, compliance-driven environment. This role balances strategic leadership with hands-on execution to support a diverse workforce across multiple entities and operational settings. The Human Resources Director’s core responsibilities include employee relations, recruitment, benefits administration, payroll oversight, performance management, training, and compliance. The Human Resources Director provides direct oversight of Health & Safety programs, workers’ compensation administration, and risk management, including Cal/OSHA compliance, injury prevention programs, claims management, and audit preparedness. The Director also oversees office management and reception at headquarters and partners with executive leadership to ensure personnel practices support operational efficiency, regulatory compliance, and the organization’s culture and values.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>Key Responsibilities:</strong></p><p><u>Human Resources Leadership:</u></p><ul><li>Serve as a trusted advisor and hands-on partner to executive leadership on human resources, compliance, workforce strategy, safety, and risk management.</li><li>Develop, implement, and maintain HR policies, procedures, and practices aligned with organizational objectives and a multi-entity operating environment.</li><li>Lead end-to-end recruitment and workforce planning, including job postings, sourcing, interviewing, selection, onboarding, and workforce integration.</li><li>Oversee employee benefits and retirement programs.</li><li>Manage employee relations, investigations, corrective actions, and performance improvement plans, ensuring consistent, compliant, and values-aligned outcomes.</li><li>Provide payroll governance in partnership with the payroll provider, including review and approval of payroll processing, earnings, deductions, benefit and retirement contributions, reconciliations, and audits; serve as the backup payroll processor to ensure continuity, accuracy, and compliance with federal and state wage and hour laws.</li><li>Design, develop and administer compensation programs, employee benefits, and open enrollment processes.</li><li>Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws, including Cal/OSHA and applicable agricultural regulations; maintain current, audit-ready HR policies and employee handbooks.</li><li>Oversee the compliant administration of leaves of absence (FMLA, CFRA, PDL, Workers’ Compensation), coordinating with third-party administrators to ensure timely and accurate administration.</li></ul><p><u>Health and Safety:</u></p><ul><li>Lead the development, implementation, and ongoing management of organization-wide Health & Safety programs, partnering with third-party safety vendors and trainers to ensure effective, compliant delivery.</li><li>Ensure compliance with Cal/OSHA and all applicable federal, state, and industry safety regulations, maintaining audit-ready documentation and programs.</li><li>Ensure required safety training is completed and documented; coordinate and oversee safety training programs, inspections, and internal and external audits.</li><li>Facilitate and lead monthly safety meetings with Supervisors/Managers to review incidents, trends, corrective actions, and continuous improvement initiatives.</li><li>Oversee the timely investigation of workplace incidents, ensuring accurate reporting, corrective actions, and compliant administration of workers’ compensation claims in coordination with carriers and third-party administrators.</li><li>Partner closely with field and operations leadership to reinforce a strong culture of safety, accountability, and continuous improvement across all worksites.</li></ul><p><u>Office Management:</u></p><ul><li>Oversee the day-to-day operations of the headquarters office, ensuring efficient, professional, and well-organized office operations.</li><li>Supervise administrative and reception staff, including oversight of an administrative team member at a separate location, ensuring consistent performance, communication, and service standards.</li><li>Ensure reliable front office coverage and a positive, professional experience for employees, leadership, and visitors across all office locations.</li><li>Manage office services and vendor relationships, including supplies, equipment, and facilities maintenance, to support operational effectiveness.</li><li>Maintain a safe, clean, and welcoming office environment at headquarters and across supported locations.</li></ul><p><br></p><p><strong>Qualifications:</strong></p><ul><li>Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration or related field. Advanced degrees and Human Resources certifications highly desirable.</li><li>Minimum of 7 years of progressive Human Resources experience with at least 3 years in a leadership role</li><li>Experience in agriculture, construction or manufacturing industry personnel management.</li><li>Excellent communication, organizational, and analytical skills</li><li>Verbal and written Spanish language skills highly desirable.</li><li>Strong knowledge of California labor laws and HR best practices.</li><li>Proven experience managing safety and workers’ compensation programs.</li><li>Proficient in HRIS systems, Microsoft Office, and payroll/timekeeping/benefits platforms (ADP and/or AgCode a plus) including experience implementing various models of HRIS.</li></ul><p><br></p><p><strong>Compensation and Benefits:</strong></p><ul><li>This is a full-time, exempt position. The salary range is $130,000 to $170,000.</li><li>Competitive salary plus incentive bonus. Benefits include medical, dental, vision and life insurance. Additional benefits include 401(K) with employer match, vacation, sick and holiday pay.</li></ul><p><br></p><p><strong>About WineTalent:</strong> WineTalent is a wine industry focused recruitment company. We work closely with our clients and our job seekers to find the right fit of talents, experience and work environment. All inquiries will be kept strictly confidential.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>WineTalent: The Right People for the Job</strong></p><p></p>

Back to blog
Ads

Common Interview Questions And Answers

1. HOW DO YOU PLAN YOUR DAY?

This is what this question poses: When do you focus and start working seriously? What are the hours you work optimally? Are you a night owl? A morning bird? Remote teams can be made up of people working on different shifts and around the world, so you won't necessarily be stuck in the 9-5 schedule if it's not for you...

2. HOW DO YOU USE THE DIFFERENT COMMUNICATION TOOLS IN DIFFERENT SITUATIONS?

When you're working on a remote team, there's no way to chat in the hallway between meetings or catch up on the latest project during an office carpool. Therefore, virtual communication will be absolutely essential to get your work done...

3. WHAT IS "WORKING REMOTE" REALLY FOR YOU?

Many people want to work remotely because of the flexibility it allows. You can work anywhere and at any time of the day...

4. WHAT DO YOU NEED IN YOUR PHYSICAL WORKSPACE TO SUCCEED IN YOUR WORK?

With this question, companies are looking to see what equipment they may need to provide you with and to verify how aware you are of what remote working could mean for you physically and logistically...

5. HOW DO YOU PROCESS INFORMATION?

Several years ago, I was working in a team to plan a big event. My supervisor made us all work as a team before the big day. One of our activities has been to find out how each of us processes information...

6. HOW DO YOU MANAGE THE CALENDAR AND THE PROGRAM? WHICH APPLICATIONS / SYSTEM DO YOU USE?

Or you may receive even more specific questions, such as: What's on your calendar? Do you plan blocks of time to do certain types of work? Do you have an open calendar that everyone can see?...

7. HOW DO YOU ORGANIZE FILES, LINKS, AND TABS ON YOUR COMPUTER?

Just like your schedule, how you track files and other information is very important. After all, everything is digital!...

8. HOW TO PRIORITIZE WORK?

The day I watched Marie Forleo's film separating the important from the urgent, my life changed. Not all remote jobs start fast, but most of them are...

9. HOW DO YOU PREPARE FOR A MEETING AND PREPARE A MEETING? WHAT DO YOU SEE HAPPENING DURING THE MEETING?

Just as communication is essential when working remotely, so is organization. Because you won't have those opportunities in the elevator or a casual conversation in the lunchroom, you should take advantage of the little time you have in a video or phone conference...

10. HOW DO YOU USE TECHNOLOGY ON A DAILY BASIS, IN YOUR WORK AND FOR YOUR PLEASURE?

This is a great question because it shows your comfort level with technology, which is very important for a remote worker because you will be working with technology over time...