Sr. Manager, Human Resources

GIA Overview:

Established in 1931, GIA is the world’s foremost authority on diamonds, colored stones, and pearls. A public benefit, nonprofit institute, GIA is the leading source of knowledge, standards, and education in gems and jewelry. The mission of GIA is to ensure the public trust in gems and jewelry through education, research, laboratory services, and instrument development. This is an exciting time for GIA as the industry and market continue to evolve. As the industry leader, GIA is well positioned to leverage these market dynamics for continued future success. GIA seeks dynamic candidates who have a passion for the gem and jewelry industry and who aspire to work in an agile, fast-paced organization.

The Location:

This position is located in Carlsbad, California at our corporate headquarters. We offer a hybrid schedule with 4 days in the office (subject to change), provided if metrics such as productivity and the quality of the deliverables are achieved.

The Environment:

• On-site cafe - affordable custom breakfast and lunch meals and Starbucks drinks!

• Economic friendly services - electric vehicle charging stations on-site

• Ergonomic assessments offered on-site and virtually

The Culture:

We foster an environment of autonomy, performance, and passion. Our team members collaborate extensively across various departments, providing high-quality service to internal staff, stakeholders, and the organization as a whole. We value initiative, cross-functional cooperation, and a commitment to excellence in all our endeavors.

What to expect:

• We offer competitive medical, dental, vision and matching 401-K plans (no vesting required)

• Paid vacation, sick and holidays, tuition assistance, commuter benefits

Job Overview:

The Senior Manager, HR (HRBP) is a strategic advisor and trusted partner to operations leadership, responsible for shaping and executing people strategies that enable GIA’s business success. This role aligns organizational priorities with workforce strategies, drives cultural and organizational change, and strengthens leadership capability. The Senior Manager influences across functions and regions, and serves as a connector between business needs and enterprise HR programs. This position plays a key role in shaping the experience of our people, specifically in our operations teams.

With a focus on strategic talent planning, change enablement, employee experience, and risk mitigation, this role plays a critical part in advancing GIA’s mission by building organizational capability and fostering an inclusive, high-performance culture.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Responsibility Area

Key Activities

% of Time

Strategic Talent & Organizational Alignment- 25%

• Partner with senior leaders to translate business goals into actionable people strategies.
• Lead workforce planning, succession planning, and organizational design initiatives.
• Anticipate business shifts and proactively recommend workforce solutions.

Employee Relations & Risk Mitigation-25%

• Oversee resolution of complex and sensitive employee relations issues.
• Proactively identify and mitigate risk through coaching, early intervention, and policy guidance.
• Provide counsel to leaders on workplace issues and cultural alignment.

Change Enablement & Leadership Capability-20%

• Serve as a change leader for organizational initiatives.
• Develop and implement change strategies and coach leaders to lead effectively.
• Strengthen people leadership skills across the organization.

Workforce Analytics & Insight Generation-10%

• Use people data and analytics to identify trends and inform strategy.
• Translate insights into narratives that influence leadership decisions.

Employee Experience & Culture-10%

• Champion GIA’s values and foster a culture of inclusion, engagement, and well-being.
• Influence design and delivery of enterprise HR programs.

Project Work & Other Duties-10%

• Lead or support projects focused on continuous improvement of HR practices and policies.
• Perform other responsibilities as assigned to advance organizational and HR goals.

Technical Competencies (Knowledge, Skills & Abilities):

• Strategic HR Leadership: Expertise in aligning people strategies with organizational objectives, workforce planning, and organizational design.
• Employee Relations Expertise: Skilled in resolving complex employee relations matters and mitigating risk through proactive measures.
• Change Leadership: Demonstrated ability to lead change initiatives and build leadership capability to sustain transformation.
• Data-Driven Decision-Making: Ability to interpret people analytics and influence senior leaders through insights.
• Communication & Influence: Exceptional interpersonal and presentation skills with executive presence.
• Enterprise Thinking: Capable of balancing local needs with global priorities in a matrixed organization.
• Technology Proficiency: Experience with HCM systems (Workday preferred), analytics dashboards, and virtual collaboration tools.

Education & Experience Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant subject, e.g., human resources, business, or equivalent experience demonstrating familiarity of multiple HR disciplines, including compensation, organizational diagnosis, employee relations, diversity, performance management, and local employment laws.
• Human resources business partner experience (at least 8 years) gained in a mid-sized organization with a distributed, global employee base and ideally a high production/manufacturing environment.
• Previous experience working with a US-based or multinational company with US operations desired
• Professional Human Resources (PHR or PHR-CA), Senior Professional Human Resources (SPHR or SPHR-CA) or equivalent preferred
• Proven experience leading organizational change and managing complex employee relations.
• Demonstrated ability to coach senior leaders and influence across multiple levels.

Preferred:

• Master’s degree or HR certification (SPHR, SHRM-SCP).
• Experience in workforce planning, succession planning, and organizational design.
• Exposure to global HR environments and cross-functional initiatives.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• Directly manages HR Generalist. Carry out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the Institute’s policies and applicable laws. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, interviewing, hiring, and training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding and disciplining employees; addressing complaints and resolving problems.

Work Environment & Travel:

• Onsite role in Carlsbad, CA.
• Occasional travel to other GIA locations (e.g., New York, New Jersey, and global sites as required).

Why This Role Matters:

The Senior Manager, HR ensures the alignment of people strategy with GIA’s mission, enabling organizational agility, workforce capability, and a culture that reflects our values. Success in this role is measured by strengthened leadership capability, effective change adoption, reduced risk exposure, and improved employee engagement across the organization.

Physical Requirements/Work Environment:

• Work is performed in a designated professional office workstation and environment.
• Extensive use of office equipment to include computer, calculator, copier, fax, and other business related machines and software.

Pay Range: $120-$160K

An Equal Opportunity Employer
All employment decisions are made without regard to unlawful considerations of race, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability, or any other legally protected status. Reasonable accommodations are available upon request.

Disclaimer: This job description indicates in general terms, the type and level of work performed as well as the typical responsibilities of employees in this classification and it may be changed by management at any time. Other duties may also apply. Nothing in this job description changes the at-will employment relationship existing between the Company and its employees.