Director of Client HR Services

Location: Remote / Hybrid (U.S.)
Schedule: Full-Time
Reports To: Executive Leadership

About Us

Shift Fractional is a modern fractional HR managed service firm that partners with growing organizations to provide outsourced HR leadership and day-to-day people operations. Our clients rely on us to become an extension of their team, delivering practical, responsive HR support without the overhead of a full internal HR department.

Unlike traditional HR roles, you'll be backed by an experienced bench of HR professionals specializing in employee relations, compliance, recruiting, investigations, leadership coaching, compensation, benefits, organizational development, and multi-state employment law. Our collaborative model allows our team to leverage one another's expertise while delivering an exceptional client experience.

Position Overview

We are seeking an experienced, strategic Director of Client HR Services to oversee a portfolio of client organizations while leading and developing a team of HR Operators. This role is responsible for ensuring exceptional service delivery, strengthening client relationships, developing team members, and maintaining operational excellence across all assigned engagements.

As the primary relationship owner for your client portfolio, you will partner directly with executive leadership to understand business objectives, proactively identify HR opportunities, and deliver practical, high-impact solutions. Internally, you will coach, mentor, and develop HR Operators, ensuring consistent service quality, accountability, and professional growth.

This position combines strategic HR consulting, people leadership, client success, and operational oversight. You'll have the ownership of a senior in-house HR executive while enjoying the variety and impact of supporting multiple organizations.

What You'll Do

Client Portfolio Leadership

• Own a portfolio of client organizations across multiple industries.
• Serve as the executive HR advisor and primary relationship owner for assigned clients.
• Build trusted partnerships with executives and leadership teams.
• Lead recurring business reviews and strategic planning discussions with clients.
• Ensure exceptional client service, responsiveness, and overall satisfaction.
• Identify opportunities to improve HR operations, compliance, employee experience, and organizational effectiveness.
• Partner with clients to develop long-term people strategies aligned with business goals.
• Oversee successful delivery of all HR services across your client portfolio.

Team Leadership & Development

• Lead, coach, mentor, and develop a team of HR Operators.
• Conduct regular one-on-one meetings focused on development, performance, and support.
• Assign client work and balance workloads across the team.
• Review work product to ensure quality, consistency, and compliance.
• Serve as the escalation point for complex employee relations, compliance, and client matters.
• Foster a culture of accountability, ownership, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Support recruiting, onboarding, training, and development of new HR team members.
• Develop future leaders within the organization.

Strategic Managed Service HR

• Advise executive leadership on organizational strategy, workforce planning, talent management, leadership development, and employee experience.
• Build HR departments, policies, procedures, employee handbooks, and scalable HR infrastructure from the ground up.
• Guide clients through organizational change and business transformation initiatives.
• Provide strategic guidance on employee relations, investigations, performance management, corrective action, and organizational design.
• Partner with clients to develop practical HR solutions that balance compliance with business objectives.
• Identify risks and provide proactive recommendations to minimize organizational exposure.

Operations & Compliance

• Ensure client organizations remain compliant with federal, state, and local employment laws.
• Provide advanced guidance on California employment law and multi-state compliance.
• Oversee HR audits, documentation, operational workflows, and best practices.
• Support payroll, benefits administration, leave management, HRIS implementation, and HR operations as needed.
• Develop standardized processes that improve efficiency and consistency across the organization.
• Monitor project timelines, service quality, and client deliverables.

Business Leadership

• Partner with Executive Leadership to continuously improve Shift Fractional's service delivery model.
• Assist with resource planning and client assignments across the consulting team.
• Identify opportunities to improve internal operations, technology, and efficiencies.
• Support business development by participating in discovery calls, proposals, client transitions, and strategic planning meetings.
• Contribute to the ongoing growth and evolution of Shift Fractional's HR service offerings.

Qualifications

• 10 years of progressive Human Resources experience, including experience leading HR professionals and advising executive leadership.
• Demonstrated success managing multiple client relationships, business units, or complex HR functions simultaneously.
• Proven experience leading, coaching, mentoring, and developing HR professionals.
• Extensive experience building HR departments, policies, procedures, employee handbooks, and people operations from the ground up.
• Strong knowledge of federal and multi-state employment law.
• Experience managing complex employee relations, workplace investigations, performance management, organizational development, and change management initiatives.
• Ability to balance strategic consulting with hands-on HR execution.
• Exceptional communication, relationship-building, leadership, and coaching skills.
• Strong organizational, project management, and problem-solving abilities.
• Experience with HRIS platforms, payroll systems, Microsoft Office, and Google Workspace.

What We're Looking For

We're looking for someone who is:

• A trusted advisor to executives and business leaders.
• An inspiring leader who develops and empowers others.
• Comfortable owning both client relationships and team performance.
• Strategic, while remaining willing to roll up their sleeves when needed.
• Highly organized and capable of managing multiple clients, projects, and priorities.
• Skilled at building HR infrastructure from the ground up.
• Confident navigating complex employment law while balancing practical business solutions.
• A collaborative problem solver with excellent business judgment.
• Service-oriented with a strong sense of ownership and accountability.
• Passionate about delivering an exceptional client and employee experience.

What Success Looks Like

Within your first 90 days, you will:

• Build trusted relationships with your assigned client organizations.
• Establish credibility as the executive HR advisor for your client portfolio.
• Develop strong working relationships with your team of HR Operators.
• Successfully oversee client delivery, ensuring quality, consistency, and responsiveness.
• Identify opportunities to improve internal operations and client outcomes.
• Coach and support your team while maintaining accountability for performance and client satisfaction.
• Become a trusted leader for both clients and internal team members.

Schedule & Work Environment

• Remote / Hybrid (U.S.).
• Flexible schedule based on client and business needs.
• Occasional travel to client sites, leadership meetings, conferences, and company events may be required.
• Collaborative leadership environment with ongoing opportunities for professional growth and advancement.

Why Join Us?

At Shift Fractional, we believe HR should be practical, strategic, and deeply people-centered. Our leaders don't simply oversee HR-they build trusted partnerships, develop exceptional HR professionals, and help organizations grow through thoughtful people strategies.

As the Director of Client HR Services, you'll play a pivotal role in shaping both our client experience and our internal consulting team. You'll have the opportunity to influence organizational strategy, mentor future HR leaders, strengthen client partnerships, and contribute directly to the continued growth of Shift Fractional.

This role offers the opportunity to lead at a high level while remaining connected to meaningful client work. If you're passionate about developing people, solving complex business challenges, and building exceptional HR functions, we'd love to meet you.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Shift Fractional is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to fostering an inclusive workplace where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity. We make employment decisions based on qualifications, merit, and business needs without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Shift Fractional is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified applicants and employees with disabilities throughout the hiring process and during employment. If you require a reasonable accommodation, please let us know.