Job Title: HR Manager / Director (Solo Builder Role)

Location: Memphis, TN

Employment Type: Full-Time Perm

We are seeking a hands-on Human Resources leader to build and lead the HR function for a growing, multi-brand retail and consumer business. This role will operate as a standalone HR leader initially and will be responsible for both day-to-day execution and long-term people strategy across corporate and retail environments.

This is an opportunity for someone who thrives in founder-led, fast-moving organizations, enjoys building from the ground up, and is comfortable operating without a large support structure.

What You’ll Do:

Build the HR Foundation

·     Design and implement core HR infrastructure from the ground up, including:

o Employee handbook and policies

o Compliance frameworks (federal, state, EEO, retail labor regulations)

o Performance management approach

o Onboarding and offboarding processes

·     Serve as the primary HR point of contact for all employees across brands and locations

Partner Closely with Leadership

·     Act as a trusted advisor to senior leadership on people, structure, and organizational decisions

·     Help clarify roles, reporting lines, and responsibilities as the organization grows

·     Bring a clear, direct point of view — willing to challenge ideas constructively when needed

·     Translate leadership intent into scalable people practices

Support Retail & Frontline Teams

·     Build HR processes that work in real retail environments, not just corporate offices

·     Support hiring, onboarding, training, and retention for part-time retail staff and seasonal employees

·     Address store-level issues quickly and practically while maintaining consistency and fairness

Recruiting & Workforce Planning

·     Establish recruiting strategies for both corporate and retail roles

·     Partner with hiring managers to define roles, assess candidates, and improve hiring decisions

·     Prepare the organization for growth, including new store openings and expanded teams

Training & Development

·     Create foundational training programs for managers and frontline employees

·     Identify skill gaps and help leaders develop their teams

·     Bring structure to employee growth without over-engineering the process

·     Work with sales on identifying training opportunities and building out solutions for the sales and marketing groups – whether identifying vendors who can help with this or building it yourself

Compliance & Employee Relations

·     Own employee relations matters with professionalism, discretion, and empathy

·     Ensure compliance with employment laws and best practices

·     Serve as the EEO lead and ensure policies are applied consistently

Who You Are

·     You are comfortable being the only HR person in the room

·     You balance practical execution with strategic thinking

·     You are direct, grounded, and confident — not corporate or overly theoretical

·     You understand how people actually behave in retail and consumer businesses

·     You have reported directly to a CEO or Founder in the past or are comfortable doing so

·     You can switch seamlessly between:

o Writing a handbook

o Coaching a leader

o Handling a store-level issue

o Planning for future growth

Experience & Background

·     7–12+ years of progressive HR experience (manager-level or above)

·     Prior experience supporting: Retail organizations, Consumer brands, and Multi-location or multi-brand environments

·     Proven experience building HR processes from scratch

·     Strong knowledge of employment law and compliance (especially retail labor considerations)

·     Experience working directly with founders or executive leadership teams

Why This Role Is Different

·     You won’t inherit a rigid HR structure — you’ll build it

·     You’ll have real influence on how the organization grows

·     Your work will be visible, valued, and impactful from day one

·     This role offers a clear path to expanding the HR function over time

To find more great tech-centric jobs, please visit www.phoenixstaff.com.