HR Compliance Lead in Calabasas, California at Wella Company

Position: HR Compliance Lead

Location: Calabasas (Hybrid- 3 days onsite)

Direct Reports: None

Scope: North America

ABOUT THE WELLA COMPANY

WE enable individuals to look, feel, and be their true selves.

Wella Company is one of the world’s leading beauty companies, comprised of a family of iconic brands such as Wella Professionals, Clairol, OPI, Nioxin and ghd. With 6,000 employees globally, presence in over 100 countries, Wella Company and its brands enable consumers to look, feel, and be their true selves. As innovators in the hair and nail industry, Wella Company empowers its people to delight consumers, inspire beauty professionals, engage communities, and deliver sustainable growth to its stakeholders.

Position Summary:

The HR Compliance Lead, is the senior North America owner of HR compliance, governance, statutory reporting, and workplace investigations. The role sits within the global Employee & Labor Relations function, with hands-on knowledge of California and New York regulatory requirements and autonomous operational authority over US and Canadian compliance matters.

This is a senior individual contributor role with end-to-end operational ownership. The role partners closely with Employment Counsel, Global Employee & Labour Relations, People Business Partners, Total Rewards, Talent & DEI, Risk Control & Audit, and Global Facilities / EHS.

Key Responsibilities:

• Drive, own and maintain the NA HR policy library, including the US and Canadian employee handbooks, state-specific addenda, and all regional policies, including but not limited to those covering conduct, leave, accommodation, and separation.
• Lead the annual policy review cycle in coordination with Employment Counsel and relevant Centers of Excellence. Translate federal, state, provincial, and local regulatory developments into clear policy and process updates.
• Maintain version control, audit trail, and effective-date management. Document policy decisions and underlying compliance rationale in an audit-defensible manner.
• Own the HR record retention schedule and oversee periodic audits of personnel files, investigation records, and I-9 documentation in coordination with Legal.
• Monitor multi-state remote work compliance across all US states where employees are located, including jurisdictional triggers (tax registration, unemployment insurance, compliance obligations), new-hire reporting, state-specific leave laws, posting requirements, and wage and hour rules. Coordinate with Payroll and Legal.
• Serve as the NA subject matter expert on California and New York HR compliance requirements, including wage and hour, leave administration, pay transparency, workplace safety, and applicable HR data privacy frameworks.

• Operate the NA HR compliance calendar covering federal, state, and provincial filing deadlines, mandatory training cycles, and posting requirements.
• Lead annual statutory reporting cycles (EEO-1, VETS, California Pay Data, OFCCP / Affirmative Action Plan submissions, and applicable state and provincial equivalents). Be accountable for data accuracy and timely submission.
• Design and run periodic HR audits covering wage & hour, classification, leave administration, I-9 documentation, contingent workforce, and onboarding / offboarding compliance.
• Maintain Cal/OSHA workplace safety plans (WVPP, IIPP) in partnership with Global Facilities / EHS. Perform compliance controls for North America in coordination with Risk, Control & Audit.
• Own NA vendor relationships for HR compliance services (harassment prevention training, AAP preparation, I-9 management). Budget ownership, performance management, escalation handling.
• Support agency-facing matters in coordination with Employment Counsel, including EEOC, DOL, California CRD, OFCCP, OSHA, and state and provincial regulator inquiries.

• Conduct workplace investigations end-to-end across the NA workforce into allegations of misconduct, harassment, discrimination, retaliation, and policy violations, applying the Global Investigation Guidelines.
• Scope, plan, and execute investigations, including witness interviews, evidence handling, written reports with factual findings, recommended remediation, and interim protective measures. Develop and own regional investigation SLA.
• Track patterns and themes across investigations. Report aggregate trends to HR leadership and Employment Counsel. Coordinate with external investigators or counsel where independence is required.

• Ensure timely launch and completion of statutory training cycles across all NA jurisdictions.
• Develop and deliver proactive manager training on documentation standards, anti-retaliation, leave and accommodation obligations, wage & hour basics, and performance management.
• Translate policy into operational guidance for People Business Partners and line managers, and coordinate with Global Compliance on cross-regional rollouts and completion reporting.
• Ability to simplify trainings and communications – consider automations wherever possible and think with an OpEx friendly view, enabling the business to deliver with speed and simplicity at a cost savings where possible.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required. Advanced degree in HR, or senior HR certification (SPHR, SHRM-SCP) preferred.
• Minimum 8 years of progressive experience in HR compliance, HR audit, or HR governance within a US corporate environment, including multi-state experience.
• Deep, hands-on expertise in California and New York compliance requirements, including wage and hour, leave administration, pay transparency, and workplace safety.
• Demonstrated end-to-end experience conducting workplace investigations.
• Demonstrated experience with US statutory reporting cycles and OFCCP / Affirmative Action Plan preparation.
• Working knowledge of federal and state employment laws and regulations, with US wage & hour depth.
• Proficiency in SAP SuccessFactors and HR case management systems. Ability to partner with HRIS on compliance and audit workflows.
• Ability to operate with high independence, manage multiple concurrent sensitive matters under regulatory deadlines, and deliver executive-level reporting.

Preferred Qualifications

• J.D. degree
• Canadian HR compliance experience (federal and provincial).
• Experience operating within a global matrix organization.
• Experience with ethics hotline and case management platforms (e.g., Navex, EthicsPoint, or equivalent).

Essential Job Expectations

• Effectively communicate, verbally and in writing, with HR leadership, business leaders, employees, external auditors, and regulatory bodies.
• Handle confidential and sensitive information with sound judgment. Meet statutory reporting deadlines without exception.
• Work under pressure across multiple concurrent matters and time zones, collaborating with global stakeholders.
• Embrace and uphold company values, with a strong commitment to compliance and ethical conduct.

We disclose the compensation range for positions in compliance with local law. Actual salaries will vary and may be above or below the range based on various factors including but not limited to location, experience, skills and in comparison to internal incumbents currently in similar roles—pay Range: $150,000-$165,000 salary per year plus bonus. The range listed is just one component of Wella Company's total rewards package for employees. Other rewards may include annual bonus plan or variable pay, depending on the role. In addition, Wella Company provides a rich variety of benefits to employees, including health insurance, life and disability insurance, 401(k) retirement plan, paid holidays and paid time off (PTO).

NOTICES

• All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, or other legally protected status.
• If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application process, please email NA.Recruiting@wella.com. This email account will not respond to inquiries regarding the status of a candidate’s application.
• Qualified Applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act.
• Wella participates in the E-Verify Program to confirm eligibility to work in the United States. Information regarding your rights: Know your rights and Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination Provision.