Job Description

JOIN WISE SONS!

Founded in San Francisco's Mission District, Wise Sons is California-inspired Jewish deli food with roots in tradition and an eye on the future, for Jews who like food and food lovers who like Jews.

With five locations across San Francisco and Oakland, and a presence at multiple farmer's markets and grocery stores, we are a growing, nationally-recognized brand. We work hard to keep evolving, commit to quality, prioritize people and most importantly, be a mensch in every sense of the word.

SUMMARY:

WISE SONS DELI is seeking an experienced, thoughtful, and strategic Director of People to lead the overall people strategy across our restaurants and support teams. This role partners closely with executive leadership to shape and execute HR initiatives that support operational excellence, employee engagement, and long-term growth.

This is a hands-on leadership role for someone who understands the realities of restaurant operations, values mentorship and collaboration, and can balance strategic planning with day-to-day execution. Responsibilities include employee relations, labor compliance, talent acquisition, and compensation across multiple locations. You will lead people strategy, focusing on reducing turnover and building culture.

This is a full-time salaried position, with great benefits, joining our corporate team and reporting to our CEO. Applicants should be based in the San Francisco Bay Area; travel to each Wise Sons location is necessary, including to locations outside of the Bay Area, when applicable.

THE DETAILS:

People Strategy & Leadership

• Lead and execute the company’s overall people strategy, aligning HR initiatives with business goals, guest experience, and organizational growth
• Serve as a role model for our Core Values, fostering a culture grounded in integrity, quality, and teamwork
• Coach managers on performance management and improving employee retention
• Manage recruitment, including maintaining job descriptions, job posts, reference checks, and offer letters; standardizing onboarding
• Assist in Org Chart and succession planning in collaboration with the COO and senior leadership

Culture, Engagement & Development

• Shape and sustain a people-first culture that promotes inclusion, engagement, and growth
• Coordinate employee engagement initiatives including internal communications and company events
• Lead employee retention strategies focused on career development, recognition, and well-being

Compliance, Employee Relations & Infrastructure

• Ensure compliance with all federal, state, and local labor laws and regulations
• Ensuring wage/hour compliance, and safety/sexual harassment training
• Lead employee relations efforts, promoting respectful, solution-oriented approaches to workplace challenges
• Establish and scale HR systems, processes, and infrastructure to support growth and operational efficiency
• Oversee HRIS systems, workforce analytics, and reporting to support data-driven decision-making

Compensation and Benefits

• Managing bi-weekly companywide payroll
• Partner with Finance to oversee compensation, benefits, and rewards programs
• Manage relationships with third-party administrators, including workers’ compensation, health benefits, and retirement plans
• Oversee safety programs and regulatory compliance in collaboration with Finance and Accounting

PERKS WE OFFER YOU:

• 100% paid Employee Medical Care
• Access to Dental, Vision, Commuter Benefits, and 401k (with employer match)
• PTO + Wellness Days; respect for work-life balance
• Cell Phone reimbursement; Professional development reimbursement program
• Shifts Meals and discounts at all Delis

QUALITIES WE ARE SEEKING:

• 4+ years of Senior HR leadership experience, ideally within hospitality and/or service-driven environments.
• Strong working knowledge of labor compliance, employee relations, and organizational development.
• Proven ability to build trust and credibility with leaders, managers, and hourly teams; Spanish language skills a plus
• Strategic, collaborative leadership style with strong execution skills; Ability to align HR initiatives with operational goals
• Professional and motivational leadership skills with the ability to develop people and support excellence in a diverse and fast-paced environment
• Familiarity with HRIS and payroll systems; experience with Paylocity, 7Shifts, and Bswift preferred
• Solutions focused; self-motivated; positive and humble attitude; disciplined approach to priority setting; easily adapt to change

Jewish cuisine represents the culmination of one people’s journey across different countries, cultures and time periods. Wise Sons honors that tradition through a dedication to hiring a diverse workforce to help usher in the latest chapter of that story here in California. 

Wise Sons is an equal opportunity employer. Our zero-tolerance policy means that no form of unlawful discriminatory or harassing conduct towards any employee, client, customer, or vendor in our workplace will be tolerated.

We provide competitive compensation packages, inclusive of base pay, incentives, and benefits. The base salary range for this role is $110,000-$140,000. Actual compensation is influenced by a wide array of factors including but not limited to performance, level of experience, skills, professional certifications, and specific location.

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