People Operations Partner｜High-end Japanese restaurant operating company

A High-end Japanese restaurant operating company in Cerritos, California is seeking a People Operations Partner.

＜Job Overview＞
The People Operations Partner is a hybrid role: approximately half talent acquisition, half HR generalist work. You lead high-volume recruitment for our restaurants while supporting the full employee lifecycle — onboarding, employee relations, leaves, compliance, and offboarding.
This role requires equal parts hospitality and rigor. An integral member of the HR team, the People Operations Partner bridges employees and the organization — smooth HR operations, accurate records and data integrity, and a positive workplace culture. The ideal candidate brings strong HR fundamentals and a recruiting background, ideally from restaurant, retail, or multi-unit hospitality environments. This is not an entry-level position, but we will invest in developing the right person — with a clear growth path toward broader HR leadership.
Bilingual capability in Japanese and English is strongly preferred. This role supports a cross-cultural organization where clarity and precision in communication — in both languages — directly impacts the candidate experience and the quality of employee support.

＜Responsibilities＞
1. Talent Acquisition & Hiring (approx. 50%)
•Lead full-cycle recruitment for hourly, supervisory, and management roles across multiple locations.
•Visit units to conduct on-site hiring events, interviews, and community recruiting outreach.
•Build strong pipelines for high-turnover and new-store opening roles.
•Partner with Unit Managers to understand staffing needs and ensure decisions align with Company hiring standards.
•Create job postings, screen candidates, conduct interviews, and coordinate offers.
•Track recruiting metrics (time-to-fill, source effectiveness, offer acceptance rate).
•Work with local universities, community organizations, and job fairs to strengthen talent pipelines.
•Support store openings by coordinating hiring, orientation, and onboarding.

2. HR Generalist & Employee Support (approx. 50%)
•Coordinate onboarding and offboarding: background checks, I-9 verification, new-hire orientation, exit interviews, final pay timing, and separation documentation.
•Maintain accurate HRIS records and employee files; manage and improve HR processes and systems.
•Serve as first point of contact for employee relations: intake concerns, document thoroughly, support investigations, and guide managers on corrective action in partnership with HR leadership.
•Independently research, analyze, and resolve complex HR issues; provide clear guidance and direction to managers.
•Support the administration of leaves of absence (CFRA/FMLA/PDL) and coordinate workers’ compensation claims.
•Track compliance requirements: harassment prevention training, workplace violence prevention plan, required postings, and food handler/RBS certifications.

＜Requirements＞
•3–5 years of progressive HR experience, including hands-on recruiting.
•Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field — or equivalent experience.
•Working knowledge of HR practices and California employment law: wage & hour, meal/rest periods, leaves, and anti-harassment requirements.
•Experience in fast-paced, high-volume hiring environments.
•Strong communication and service skills across frontline staff, managers, and senior leadership.
•Proficiency with HRIS, payroll systems, and Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and Word.
•Sound judgment and discretion with confidential employee information.
•Excellent organizational and multitasking abilities.
•A people-first mindset and genuine enthusiasm for hospitality.
•Must be authorized to work in the United States

＜Preferred Qualifications＞
•Multi-state HR and employment law experience (highly preferred).
•Experience in restaurant, retail, hospitality, or multi-unit operations.
•Experience supporting new store openings or pre-opening activities.
•PHR or SHRM-CP certification.

【Keywords】
①Human resources
②Employment law
③Talent Acquisition & Hiring