Director of People & Talent at Rincon Consultants, Inc – Ventura, California

About Us
We are an award-winning California-based environmental consulting firm with 550+ professionals and more than 30 years of diverse experience serving clients in transportation, energy, water, infrastructure, private development, and government sectors. Our mission is to deliver practical, science-based environmental and planning solutions that support communities, infrastructure, and natural systems.

As a people-centric organization, we value collaboration, fairness, and transparency, and are committed to fostering a workplace that supports both personal and professional growth while offering robust career opportunities. We are especially proud of our recent Great Place to Work® certification, which reflects an independent assessment of our culture and our team member experiences.

About The Role
Rincon Consultants is seeking an experienced and strategic Director of People & Talent to lead and integrate our full-talent lifecycle across a growing, science-based environmental consulting firm.
This role is responsible for enterprise leadership of talent acquisition, HR business partnership, culture and engagement, learning and leadership development, career architecture, and succession planning. The Director will ensure our people systems are aligned, scalable, and designed to support performance across multiple offices, service lines and market sectors.

This is a hands-on strategic leadership role, well suited for a systems-oriented leader who brings operational discipline and the ability to convert workforce data into clear, actionable outcomes.

How We Collaborate
This role may offer a hybrid work setup, blending time in the office with remote work as business needs evolve. We enjoy coming together in person to collaborate, connect with teammates, and partner with clients, and may prioritize candidates who live within 50 miles of a Rincon office. Eligible office locations for this role include Carlsbad, Fresno, Los Angeles, Monterey, Oakland, Palm Springs, Riverside, Sacramento, San Luis Obispo, San Diego, San Jose, Santa Barbara, and Ventura. (Please note: While this role's location is listed as Ventura, we encourage you to apply if you reside in or near any of the CA locations listed above.)

Key Responsibilities
Enterprise Talent

• Develop and execute a multi-year talent strategy aligned with firm growth and workforce planning.
• Identify capability gaps and succession risks while integrating recruiting, development, and career pathways.

Talent Acquisition

• Establish recruiting standards and leadership hiring practices.
• Monitor quality-of-hire, pipeline health, time-to-fill, and candidate experience metrics.

HR Business Partnership & Engagement

• Define and oversee the HRBP operating model across service lines.
• Lead engagement strategy, listening systems, and equitable application of career progression frameworks.

Learning, Leadership & Career Architecture

• Guide firmwide learning and leadership development strategy.
• Govern competency frameworks and ensure alignment with hiring, performance, and advancement standards.

Succession & Workforce Analytics

• Lead talent reviews and succession planning processes.
• Establish and track KPIs related to retention, internal mobility, leadership readiness, and program ROI.

Team Leadership

• Lead and develop managers across Talent Acquisition, HRBP/Culture & Engagement, and Learning & Development.
• Drive accountability, integration, and performance across the People & Talent function.

What We’re Looking For

• 10+ years of progressive HR leadership experience
• Experience leading managers and multi-layered teams
• Demonstrated success building integrated talent systems in a professional services or consulting environment
• Strong analytical capability with the ability to convert workforce data into strategic decisions
• Executive presence and the ability to influence senior leaders
• Experience supporting multi-state operations and workforces of 500-1,500
• Demonstrated success operating in a technology-enabled environment that actively embraces and adapts to emerging tools and systems, including artificial intelligence (AI) to advance operational excellence and client service.

Leadership Competencies

• Enterprise thinking and systems integration
• Strategic workforce planning
• Organizational design and change leadership
• Talent assessment and succession planning expertise
• Cross-functional collaboration
• Data-informed decision-making
• Coaching and development of leaders

Investing in You
The base salary range for this full-time position is $160,000–$180,000, plus a generous benefits program. Salary ranges are based on the market median of similar jobs, according to third-party salary benchmark surveys. Base pay is determined based on internal equity and a candidate’s job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.

We offer a comprehensive Total Rewards Package designed to support employee well-being, growth, and financial security. Our benefits are designed to offer flexibility and choice, including health coverage options, employer-sponsored insurance, retirement benefits, generous time off, and programs that support learning, growth, and community engagement. Explore more about our culture, benefits, and life at Rincon on our Culture and Benefits page.

Additional Employment Information
Individuals offered employment must successfully complete a pre-employment drug screening as a condition of employment. Additionally, those hired who may be assigned to federal projects will be subject to further drug testing, including screening for cannabinoids (THC/marijuana), in compliance with the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988 and other applicable federal regulations, which take precedence over California state and local laws.

Rincon Consultants, Inc does not accept unsolicited applicant/candidate resumes from search firm recruiters and/or temporary agencies that do not have a signed contract and specified work order with Rincon Consultants. Further, such resumes received will be deemed the sole property of Rincon Consultants and no fees will be paid in the event Rincon Consultants subsequently hires such individual. Rincon Consultants is an equal opportunity employer. All aspects of employment will be based on merit, competence, performance, and business needs. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, marital status, age, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy, genetic information, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any other status protected under federal, state, or local law.