Job Profile: Sr. People & Culture Partner

Job Overview

The Sr. People & Culture (P&C) Partner serves as the primary human resources strategist for the corporate functions of a cannabis enterprise, including Finance, Insurance, and Administration. This role moves beyond traditional HR administration to become an embedded advisor to leadership, shaping an organization that can withstand the pressures of hyper-growth, regulatory ambiguity, and intense market competition. The partner is responsible for translating business objectives into tangible talent outcomes. This includes designing compensation philosophies constrained by IRC 280E, building career paths for roles that did not exist five years ago, and fostering a resilient culture across a workforce that blends seasoned corporate professionals with passionate industry pioneers. This position directly influences the organization’s ability to attract, retain, and develop the specialized administrative talent required to professionalize operations and prepare the company for future milestones like public offerings or major acquisitions.

A Day in the Life

The day begins by analyzing key people data within the company’s Human Resources Information System (HRIS). The Sr. P&C Partner reviews quarterly turnover and employee engagement survey results, identifying a concerning trend in the accounting department. This data prompts a meeting with the Chief Financial Officer to diagnose the root cause, which may involve workload issues during month-end close or compensation misalignments with the broader financial services market. The goal is to develop a proactive retention plan before key talent is lost.

Next, the focus shifts to talent acquisition and management. The Partner logs into the Applicant Tracking System (ATS), specifically Greenhouse, to assess the candidate pipeline for a critical Corporate Controller position. They collaborate with the talent acquisition team to refine the job description, ensuring it attracts candidates with public company readiness and experience in complex inventory accounting. Following this, the Partner provides direct HR guidance to the Director of Administration on structuring a progressive disciplinary action for an employee with performance issues, ensuring the process is documented thoroughly to mitigate legal risk.

The afternoon is dedicated to more complex and strategic initiatives. The Partner begins planning a sensitive HR investigation into an allegation of data misuse within the IT department. This involves outlining an interview plan, ensuring confidentiality, and working with legal counsel to preserve digital evidence. A significant portion of time is then spent researching and drafting a new HR policy on remote work. This policy must balance the need for flexibility with the security requirements of a highly regulated business, addressing issues like secure data access for remote finance professionals.

The day concludes with a forward-looking strategic project. The Partner analyzes HR metrics to build a business case for investing in new HR technology, such as an improved performance management module for the HRIS. They also review recent unionization activities in the cannabis retail sector and proactively schedule training for corporate managers on the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). This training will equip leaders to understand employee rights and lawful employer responses, strengthening the organization’s overall HR strategy and mitigating labor-related risks before they materialize.

Core Responsibilities & Operational Impact

The Sr. People & Culture Partner drives value across three core domains:

1. Strategic Business Partnership & Talent Management

• HR Strategy Development: Collaborating with C-suite leaders to align people initiatives with business goals, such as designing a talent plan to support a multi-state expansion or an IPO readiness project.
• Organizational Design: Advising on department structure, role definition, and career-pathing to create scalable corporate functions that can evolve with the business.
• Performance Management: Implementing and managing performance review cycles, providing coaching to managers on delivering effective feedback, and linking performance outcomes to compensation and development.

2. Employee Relations & Regulatory Compliance

• Complex HR Investigations: Leading objective and thorough investigations into sensitive issues like harassment, discrimination, or financial misconduct, ensuring fair process and definitive resolution.
• HR Policy & Guidance: Crafting, implementing, and interpreting HR policy that navigates the patchwork of state cannabis regulations and federal labor laws, providing clear HR guidance to managers and employees.
• Labor Relations Acumen: Maintaining a deep understanding of the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) to guide leadership, train managers on protected concerted activity, and support a positive employee relations environment.

3. People Analytics & Systems Optimization

• HR Metrics & Reporting: Leveraging the HRIS to track, analyze, and report on key HR metrics such as time-to-fill, cost-per-hire, turnover rates, and diversity statistics to inform business decisions.
• HR Technology Management: Ensuring the effective use and optimization of the HR technology stack, including the ATS (Greenhouse) and HRIS, to streamline processes and improve the employee experience.
• Data-Driven Decision Making: Translating raw people data into compelling narratives and actionable insights for leadership, using analytics to predict talent gaps and recommend strategic interventions.

Strategic Impact Analysis

The Sr. People & Culture Partner creates measurable business value through the following activities:

Chain of Command & Key Stakeholders

Reports To: This position typically reports to the Director of People & Culture or the Vice President of Human Resources.

Similar Roles: In other industries, this role is often titled HR Business Partner (HRBP), Principal HR Generalist, or People Operations Manager. However, the Sr. People & Culture Partner in cannabis requires a higher degree of regulatory agility and comfort with ambiguity than typical HRBP roles. They must be adept at building foundational HR infrastructure from the ground up, whereas counterparts in mature industries often work within established frameworks. This position is less about administering existing programs and more about creating them in real-time to solve novel business challenges.

Works Closely With: This position partners directly with the Chief Financial Officer, General Counsel, and other corporate department heads.

Technology, Tools & Systems

Mastery of modern HR technology is essential for efficiency and data-driven insights:

• Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS): Deep expertise in platforms like Greenhouse or Lever is critical for managing high-volume recruitment, ensuring a positive candidate experience, and tracking hiring metrics.
• Human Resources Information Systems (HRIS): Proficiency with systems such as BambooHR, Workday, or ADP is required for managing employee data, payroll, benefits, and generating analytical reports.
• Performance Management Platforms: Experience using tools like Lattice or 15Five to facilitate goal setting, performance reviews, and continuous feedback loops.
• Data Analytics & Visualization Tools: Familiarity with using features within an HRIS or external tools like Tableau to translate raw HR metrics into clear, actionable dashboards for leadership.

The Ideal Candidate Profile

Transferable Skills

Professionals from several industries are well-equipped for this challenge:

• Tech Startups / High-Growth Companies: Experience building HR processes from scratch, managing ambiguity, and adapting quickly to shifting business priorities is directly applicable.
• Retail or Hospitality: Expertise in managing dispersed, multi-site workforces and dealing with complex employee relations issues at scale provides a strong foundation.
• Manufacturing or CPG: A background in highly regulated production environments, including a focus on compliance and process documentation, translates well to the cannabis sector.
• Professional Services or Consulting: Skills in stakeholder management, influencing senior leaders, and using data to build a business case are critical for success as a strategic partner.

Critical Competencies

The role demands a unique blend of professional attributes:

• Business Acumen: The ability to understand financial statements, operational challenges, and strategic goals, and then connect them to people-related solutions.
• Unwavering Judgment & Discretion: The capacity to handle extremely sensitive information and conduct complex HR investigations with impartiality and integrity.
• Resilience & Adaptability: The mental toughness to thrive in a constantly changing environment where regulatory landscapes can shift overnight and business priorities pivot quickly.

Top 3 Influential Entities for the Role

These organizations create the legal and operational frameworks that govern this position:

• State Cannabis Regulatory Agencies: (e.g., California's Department of Cannabis Control). These bodies set the rules for employee background checks, badging requirements, and workplace conduct. Compliance with their mandates is non-negotiable and a primary focus of HR risk management.
• National Labor Relations Board (NLRB): As the cannabis workforce becomes more organized, the NLRB's enforcement of the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) is highly influential. The P&C Partner must understand its rulings on protected activities, union elections, and collective bargaining.
• U.S. Department of Labor (DOL): The DOL enforces federal laws like the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). The P&C Partner must ensure company policies on wages, overtime, and leave are fully compliant, a challenge in an industry with unique job roles and work schedules.

Acronyms & Terminology