Bilingual Human Resources Specialist

Local Bounti is a leading controlled environment agriculture (CEA) company. Our mission is to bring our farm to your kitchen and deliver the freshest, locally grown produce in the fewest food miles possible.
By growing local and minimizing the distance between farm and plate, Local Bounti helps eliminate food waste and provides fresh, high-quality produce to areas of the country over 1,000 miles from their current source. Our sustainable greenhouse technology delivers ideal growing conditions for each of our diverse selection of crops, resulting in 90% less water consumption and 95% less land use than conventional agriculture, no need for herbicides or pesticides, and the lowest carbon footprint in the industry. Local Bounti is committed to fully integrating environmental, social, and governance (ESG) objectives in all our business activities.
Our mission is rooted in sustainability and in turn human welfare. Therefore, we are committed to the growth and cultivation of our employee's well-being, so that our employees feel that they are in a career environment that enables them to thrive personally and professionally. We provide an interactive, educational, and safe work environment and are dedicated to helping our employees grow within the company. We are proud to offer a comprehensive Total Rewards package to employees working over 30 hours a week.

• Competitive Pay
• Indoor Agriculture Environment
• A culture focused on Work/Life Balance
• Health, Dental, and Vision and very competitive contribution rates
• Health Care Flexible Spending Account or Health Savings Account
• Generous Vacation Time and 5 Sick days each year
• 10 Company Paid Holidays
• Immediate access to participate in the 401(k) plan with up to 5% company match
• Stock Options
• Basic and Voluntary Life / AD&D
• Voluntary Accident and Critical Illness coverage
• Voluntary STD/LTD
• Caregiver Support
• Training and Development
• Adoption Assistance Program
• Commuter Benefits (includes part-time and seasonal staff)
• MarketPlace Perks at Work
• Free Employee Assistance Program services that focus on health physically, emotionally, socially, and financially.

Local Bounti employees are empowered, valued, and respected. They have a passion for their work and for Local Bounti's success. This shared passion for achievement is the lifeblood of our company.
We currently have an opening for a Human Resources Specialist at our Carpinteria facility. Starting pay for this position will be $25 - $28 dollars per hour depending on experience.
The HR Specialist will support the Human Resources Department and act as the first point of contact for HR-related queries from employees. This position will ensure our HR department supports our employees while conforming to labor laws. The duties of this role include employee relations, recruitment, onboarding, payroll, audits, drives performance reviews and training. Additionally, this role will be responsible for maintaining personnel records, managing HR documents (e.g., employment records and onboarding guides) and updating internal databases. TheIncumbent must be fluent in both Spanish and English
Duties/Responsibilities:
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The duties listed below are representative of the essential functions, qualifications, physical demands, and the work environment encountered in this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to work and perform the essential functions in this work environment.

• Under the supervision of HR Management, handles the entire employee life cycle including handling any employee issues, termination of employees and disciplinary procedures.
• Supports employees by answering questions (in Spanish or English as needed) accurately and thoroughly while conforming to labor laws.
• Responsible for the payroll to include transmitting payroll, handing out payroll checks, answering any questions about payroll, and communicating any issues, etc.
• Responsible for answering employee questions regarding pay and distributing checks to the facility.
• Recruits hourly staff for the facility. Updates facility, HR, and upper-level management on the status of new hires, applicants, and recruitment efforts.
• Issue offer letters and company agreements to new hires.
• Input background requests and monitor for completion.
• Conduct New Employee Orientation.
• Update the ADP system for new hires and all employee changes. (HRIS System)
• Drives the 30/60/90-day reviews and works with the team lead to ensure completion.
• Update recruitment tracker and Time-to-fill spreadsheets.
• Provides current and prospective employees with information about policies, job duties, working conditions, wages, promotional opportunities, and employee benefits.
• Assists in training, development, and support of employees in order to ensure employees can excel at their role.
• Maintain general office files.
• Organize and maintain employee records accurately.
• Maintains the integrity and confidentiality of Human Resources files and records.
• Performs periodic audits of HR files and records to ensure that all required documents are collected and filed appropriately.
• Acts as a liaison between employees and external benefit providers and vendors.
• Assists with planning and execution of special events.
• On a timely basis, will report any issues, or important information to HR management.
• Performs clerical duties such as answering phone calls, responding to emails, and preparing documents, including office correspondence, memos, resumes, and presentations.
• Assist in welcoming visitors and directing them to the relevant office/employees.
• Each employee at Local Bounti must uphold and support all food safety rules, regulations, and requirements. Local Bounti considers food safety a core value that ensures a safe and wholesome food product.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Required Skills/Abilities:

• Embrace and exhibit Local Bounti's Core Values.
• Embraces and supports the safety culture at the facility.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Fluency in reading, writing and speaking English and Spanish.
• Knowledgeable in both federal and California Dept. of Labor rules.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to manage sensitive and confidential situations with tact, professionalism, and diplomacy.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite or related software.
• Proficient with or the ability to quickly learn payroll management, human resource information system (HRIS), and similar computer applications.

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in HR, Business, or closely related field and at least 2 years of experience with compliance/audits, employee relations, recruiting, and payroll.
• Fluently bilingual in Spanish and English is a must.
• Prior related office experience preferred.

Physical Demands:
(Physical demands are a general guide and specific positions will vary based on working conditions, locations and facility/department needs)

• The working environment is subject to pressure for multiple calls, inquiries, and interruptions.
• Hearing: perceiving the nature of sound by ear.
• Lifting: raising or lowering objects weighing no more than 10 pounds, from one level to another.
• Mental Demands: mathematical reasoning, memorization, oral comprehension, spatial orientation, and written comprehension.
• Sitting: remaining in the normal seated position.
• Stooping: bending the body by bending the spine at the waist.
• Talking: expressing or exchanging ideas by means of spoken words.
• Vision Near acuity: ability to see clearly at 20 inches or less