People & Culture Specialist

ABOUT ALBERT USTER IMPORTS

Albert Uster Imports, Inc. (“AUI”) is a privately held gourmet food company headquartered in the Washington, DC area (Gaithersburg, MD) with warehouse locations in Kansas City, Las Vegas, Miami, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Gurnee and Gaithersburg. AUI falls under the Vestar Capital Partners portfolio with affiliate organization, Roland Foods, LLC.

Founded in 1968, the company offers over 1,400 products from around the world. We serve leading hotels, restaurants, casinos, cruise lines, airlines, and manufacturers with innovative, high quality products and solutions to their most demanding culinary challenges. We operate a network of distribution centers across the U.S. and serve select international markets as well. AUI has a national direct selling organization of over 60 sales professionals and a staff of culinary experts (chefs and food scientists) adept at custom product solutions.

ABOUT THE ROLE

The People & Culture Specialist is responsible for supporting core operations such as employee relations and performance management processes, leave and accommodation management, and day-to-day people processes for all employees. This role will also serve as a trusted advisor to the Distribution Center network, providing guidance on policies, performance, and compliance requirements, including our safety programs. This is an exciting opportunity to join an innovative, food-focused organization passionate about the diversity of cuisines and the power of food to bring people together. The ideal candidate is thoughtful, detail-and-solutions-oriented, and reliable.

As a response to the pandemic, Albert Uster Imports Inc. office employees have transitioned to a hybrid working schedule, requiring employees to report in-person Monday through Wednesday, with the option to telework on Thursday and Friday each week. Due to the collaborative, cross-functional nature of the organization, employees at the Gaithersburg office are required to work in-person for the abovementioned days, outside of any People & Culture-approved disability accommodation request.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Work with the P&C team to provide administrative and functional support to all areas including employee relations, performance management, leave and accommodation management, offboarding, compliance, training, etc. for employees in all locations


• Own onboarding experience for employees, independent contractors, and temporary staff by completing all administrative tasks, conducting all P&C training and check-ins, and partnering with managers to develop their role-specific onboarding process


• Maintain and update all data in our HR Platform. This includes entering new hire information, pulling employee reports, and resolving issues and discrepancies


• Champion various P&C projects over the course of the year including the implementation of safety programs, training, compliance programs, and employee policies. Think critically of ways to improve processes and creatively brainstorm initiatives to continue to enhance the AUI culture


• Serve as a trusted business partner to the Distribution Center network, advising leaders on employee relations matters, performance management processes, policy interpretation, compliance requirements, and safety programs


• Administer leave of absence, accommodation, and return-to-work processes for all employees ensuring a consistent and well-documented approach


• Generate and analyze standard HR reports (headcount, turnover, compliance tracking) to support business and P&C decision‑making


• Serve as a contact for employee questions, address requests, and escalate concerns to Senior Manager as appropriate


• Additional ad-hoc requests and projects as needed

QUALIFICATIONS AND SKILLS

• 3-5 years of experience in HR, compliance, or employee relations support


• Strong communication, interpersonal, and project management skills, with the ability to organize multiple priorities and maintain a high level of attention to detail


• Ability to partner effectively with cross-functional leaders, providing practical guidance and sound judgement in a fast-paced, fluid environment


• A self-starter who is willing to “roll up their sleeves” and perform multiple tasks independently as a resource for employees and the business


• Strong sense of follow-through and commitment to timely and accurate completion of tasks


• A passion for food and people!

Preferred:

• Strong preference for bi-lingual with English and Spanish


• Experience handling confidential and sensitive information


• Experience supporting distribution, warehouse, logistics or manufacturing environments


• Working knowledge of employee relations, leave management, and performance management best practices, knowledge of federal and state compliance standards


• Bachelor’s degree in human resource management or business is a plus

SALARY RANGE

We hire exceptional people to perform a wide variety of important functions that contribute to the success of the Company. One of the ways we do that is through a competitive compensation package. The base salary for this role will be $60,000 - $65,000.

This role will be bonus eligible.

Based on your qualifications, previous experience, and transferrable skills, the Company will determine at its sole discretion, the salary offered.

Founded by immigrants, AUI & Roland Foods knows that diversity is the spice of life. We believe in the power of food to open minds, spark adventure, and bring diverse people together.  All are welcome at our table! We know the transformative value of food in individual lives and communities. Because of this, we insist on obtaining the highest-quality ingredients and talent!

AUI is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate in hiring or any employment decision based on race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), marital status, ancestry, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, or other applicable legally protected characteristic. AUI considers qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state and local law. AUI is also committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in our job application procedures. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, you may contact us at [email protected].

Please read Albert Uster Import’s California Job Applicant Privacy Policy here.