What are the responsibilities and job description for the HR Manager position at Proficient Auto Logistics?
About Proficient Auto Logistics
Proficient Auto Logistics (PAL) is a leading specialized freight company focused on providing auto transportation and logistics services. Formed via IPO in May 2024, PAL combined five industry-leading operating companies, and has since acquired two additional operating companies. As a combined entity, we operate one of the largest auto transportation fleets in North America with 55 terminal locations and nearly 750 employees, a majority of whom are drivers.
We offer a broad range of auto transportation and logistics services, primarily focused on transporting finished vehicles from automotive production facilities, marine ports of entry, or regional rail yards to auto dealerships around the country. We have developed a differentiated business model due to our scale, breadth of geographic coverage, and embedded customer relationships with leading auto original equipment manufacturing companies (OEMs).
Job Summary
The HR Manager supports operations across the West region, serving as a key partner to field leadership in a distributed, driver-heavy workforce. This role combines hands-on execution with business partnership, with a strong focus on employee relations, multi-state compliance, and consistent implementation of HR processes. This role requires excellent working knowledge of California employment laws with concentration of many employees in the state, as well as supporting organizational and employee needs across the Western United States.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
· Partner with regional operations leadership to support day-to-day HR needs, workforce planning, and organizational changes
· Lead employee relations matters, including coaching, investigations, and corrective actions, driving fair and consistent outcomes while ensuring consistent documentation and risk management
· Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws, with particular focus on California requirements (wage and hour, meal and rest breaks, leave laws, etc.)
· Execute rollout of company policies and programs, adapting for state-specific requirements where applicable
· Support consistent application of policies across employee populations, including drivers, non-drivers, and corporate teams
Serve as the primary HR partner on pay, PTO, and benefits administration, including policy interpretation, issue resolution, coordination with Payroll, Benefits, and the third-party payroll processor, and validation of related data for accuracy and consistency
· Partner with HRIS and Payroll to implement and maintain processes within Paycor, including organizational changes and workflow execution
· Reinforce performance management processes, including goal setting, feedback, and year-end evaluation execution
· Strengthen manager effectiveness through coaching and guidance on employee management, performance, and day-to-day leadership practices
· Support integration of acquisitions and alignment of HR practices across operating entities
· Partner cross-functionally to improve communication, visibility, and control across HR-related processes and data
· Identify and implement process improvements to enhance scalability and consistency across the organization
· Light travel required to support field locations and operational leaders
Qualifications
· 5–8 years in HR roles with increasing responsibility, including HRBP or HR Manager experience
· Bachelor’s degree required
· Strong working knowledge of multi-state employment practices, with expertise in California employment law
· Experience supporting distributed, operational, or hourly workforces; transportation or logistics environment preferred
· Experience working with HRIS platforms; Paycor strongly preferred
· Demonstrated ability to manage complex employee relations matters with sound judgment and practical solutions
· Strong attention to detail with the ability to manage and validate high volumes of employee data
· Proficiency in Excel, including ability to analyze, reconcile, and interpret HR and payroll-related data
· Ability to operate effectively in both strategic and hands-on capacities
· Strong communication skills and ability to influence across levels of the organization
EEO Statement
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin.