People Director, Store Operations

Job Summary

The People Director is a strategic field People leader responsible for translating NAPA’s People strategy into consistent execution across Distribution Centers or Stores. This role leads and develops Market People Partners, partners with field and functional leaders, and uses people insights, workforce data, and business priorities to strengthen organizational capability, improve talent outcomes, and support operational performance. Core responsibilities include talent planning, succession planning, performance management, employee relations consultation, policy interpretation, workforce planning, compensation partnership, and change leadership. The People Director may also support organizational design, payroll, employee development initiatives, and training based on business needs.

This role is expected to balance strategic partnership with field execution. Success requires regular connection with Market People Partners, operational leaders, and People COE partners to ensure enterprise programs are applied consistently while addressing the distinct needs of Distribution Centers or Retail Stores.

Responsibilities

• Analyzes people trends, workforce data, and talent insights in partnership with People peers to inform data-backed decisions and develop solutions, programs, and policies that improve critical business outcomes.

• Collaborates with business and People leaders to develop, implement, and evaluate HR and talent strategies that support NAPA’s vision, mission, goals, and stakeholder value.

• Builds collaborative relationships with business leaders to anticipate and resolve people-related needs, align HR practices to business priorities, and implement strategic solutions.

• Builds a high-performing team of Market People Partners through all phases of talent management

• Conducts frequent field visits to coach, guide, develop and support bothMarket People Partners (direct reports) and field operations leaders, and to build a keen understanding of how the business operates and their unique and evolving People needs through direct connection in DCs or Stores

• Serves as a change leader by designing and supporting processes, practices, and approaches that enable transformation, improve consistency, and advance best-practice ways of working.

• Oversees talent planning, pipeline development, strategic workforce planning, performance management, and succession planning, using available tools and assessments to support capability building, organizational design consultation, and talent development.

• Ensures full utilization of the NAPA Academy to include completion of training, engagement in on-the-job application activities, and competency validation/certification

• Provides ongoing supply and demand analysis for business partners on current and future state staffing and skill needs and design of talent acquisition strategies to meet those needs; actively participates in annual budget planning/labor forecasting process with business partners

• Builds and maintains a network of internal and external contacts to support talent pipeline development and identify qualified candidates through online recruiting resources, employee referrals, and network referrals.

• Maintains current knowledge and application of all relevant laws and regulations at the local, state, and national level relating to employment, ensuring organizational compliance, including educating and advising managers and senior leaders on HR-related legal and regulatory matters and ensuring HR programs, practices, and policies are aligned

• Mitigates legal risk to the organization through proactive training and education, establishing systems and processes for managing conflicts with and between employees, and handling and investigating complaints of harassment/ discrimination and other unjust practice allegations

• Partners with Payroll, HRIS, Compensation and Benefits functions as needed to provide solutions for clients, to include completion of compensation reviews

• Collaborates with Sr. People Directors and appropriate leaders to grow the capacity of the organization’s key talent to include high potential identification (via Talent Management) and associated development programming, etc.

• Leads enterprise People initiatives and projects that require field adoption, cross-functional partnership, and consistent execution across assigned business areas.
• Actively participates in and provides leadership during business operations meetings and regular business reviews as an integrated partner within the full divisional support team, building firsthand knowledge of operational priorities, performance drivers, and business challenges and advising leaders on the people, talent, and organizational factors that influence business performance.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in Human Resources or related field

• A minimum of 7 years of HR generalist experience partnering directly with senior leadership to develop, align and implement HR and organizational development strategies

• Experience supervising and developing staff

• High degree of self-motivation and initiative in managing multiple projects, contributing to group goals, and driving results

• Experience implementing strategies and systems for talent management, compensation, benefits, and HR technology.

• Strong business acumen with a proven ability to collaborate with cross-functional teams.

• Working knowledge of employment laws and other compliance issues

• Ability to listen and probe to understand underlying needs and/or root cause of an issue

• Ability to provide thoughtful, progressive and strategic guidance

• Expertise in analysis, critical decision making, project management, and process improvement

• Strong interpersonal, verbal and written communications skills, including proficiency in developing and delivering presentations

• Demonstrated ability to anticipate and solve practical problems

• Ability to identify, influence, and collaborate with key stakeholders to achieve desired organizational outcomes.

• Outstanding judgement, sensitivity and high discretion

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and HR system applications

Preferred Qualifications

• HRCI and/or SHRM certification preferred.

• Experience with Supply Chain, Distribution Center, or Retail Store operations.

• Business acumen and strategic partnership: Understands operational and financial drivers, aligns workforce strategy to business priorities, influences leaders through data and insights, and anticipates workforce risks and opportunities.

• Leadership coaching and influence: Builds credibility with leaders at all levels, coaches through complex people challenges, strengthens accountability and leadership capability, and navigates difficult conversations effectively.

• Talent and organizational effectiveness: Leads succession and talent planning, identifies capability gaps, supports high-performing and inclusive teams, and advances organizational change initiatives.

• Employee relations, risk management, and execution: Balances employee advocacy with business needs, resolves complex employee issues, applies policies consistently, mitigates organizational and legal risk, leads through ambiguity, and drives consistent adoption of enterprise programs across field teams.

Physical Demands / Working Environment

• Must be able to travel regularly to assigned field locations approximately 40%-50% of the time, including Distribution Centers, markets, and stores, based on business needs.

• Directors supporting Supply Chain are expected to visit all assigned DCs no less than once per year. Travel frequency and location should be prioritized based on business need, focus-DC support, timing, and responsible expense management.

• Directors supporting Store Operations are expected to maintain regular field presence, with a goal of being in the field at a minimum of monthly. Travel should be prioritized based on business need, with increased focus on challenged and priority markets/stores, significant talent or employee relations needs, leadership transitions, and key business initiatives.

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GPC conducts its business without regard to sex, race, creed, color, religion, marital status, national origin, citizenship status, age, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, disability, military status, status as a veteran, or any other protected characteristic. GPC's policy is to recruit, hire, train, promote, assign, transfer and terminate employees based on their own ability, achievement, experience and conduct and other legitimate business reasons.