Director, People and Culture

BJ's Restaurants•Huntington Beach, CA

6d•$150,000 - $185,000•Hybrid

About The Position

At BJ’s Restaurants, we’ve been bringing people together to celebrate life’s moments since 1978. We’re more than a restaurant, we’re a team of passionate people who take pride in creating great food, memorable experiences, and a workplace where everyone feels valued. If you’re energized by teamwork, motivated to keep learning, and passionate about creating great experiences for others, you’ll feel right at home here. BJ’s success is powered by our people. We’re seeking a strategic, collaborative Director, People & Culture to lead our Field and Support Center HR Business Partner team and help shape BJ’s culture and engagement strategy alongside our Chief People Officer. In this highly visible role, you’ll serve as a trusted advisor to Operations and senior leaders, ensuring our people practices strengthen performance, elevate the team member experience, and support restaurant success. This role is ideal for a leader who thrives in a multi-site environment, partners closely with Operations, and is passionate about building a culture where teams feel supported, engaged, and empowered to succeed.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree or HR certification (PHR/SPHR, SHRM-SCP) preferred.
12+ years of progressive HR experience, including at least 5 years in a multi-site or field-based leadership role.
Experience supporting large, multi-site organizations (10,000+ team members preferred), ideally in restaurant, retail, or hospitality environments.
Proven success leading distributed HR teams and partnering closely with Operations leadership.
Strong experience in culture and engagement, employee relations, and leadership development.
Demonstrated ability to balance strategic thinking with hands-on execution.
Deep knowledge of employment law, compliance, and HR operational excellence.
Experience using people analytics and workforce insights to inform decisions and drive outcomes.

Responsibilities

Bring BJ’s values to life through initiatives that foster belonging, recognition, and team member pride.
Elevate the voice of the field by translating team member insights into company-wide people priorities.
Partner with regional and restaurant leaders to align workforce planning, staffing, and engagement with business goals.
Advise Operations leaders to strengthen leadership capability and the team member experience.
Analyze engagement and workforce data to identify trends and implement proactive solutions.
Turn people analytics into action that improves performance and retention.
Lead change management for people, culture, and performance initiatives across regions.
Coach HR Business Partners and Operations leaders to ensure strong adoption and lasting impact.
Ensure compliance with employment law, safety standards, and ethical practices.