Contractor Compliance Analyst

Employment: Full-Time Regular Status

FLSA Status: Salaried Exempt

Company: Sun Pacific Farming Cooperative, Inc.

Location: Richgrove, Exeter 

Enterprise: Human Resources

Department: Contractor Compliance

SUMMARY.  The Contractor Compliance Analyst administers and supports Sun Pacific’s contractor compliance and risk-management program under the general direction of the Vice President of Human Resources & Compliance. The position evaluates prospective and existing contractors; interprets and applies contractual, regulatory, insurance, bonding, wage-and-hour, and Company requirements; develops risk-based auditing and monitoring strategies; investigates significant compliance concerns; oversees contractor corrective actions; and advises management regarding contractor approval, continued eligibility, suspension, payment holds, and termination.

The Contractor Compliance Analyst exercises discretion and independent judgment on matters of significance affecting the Company’s legal, financial, operational, and reputational interests. The position works collaboratively with Human Resources, Compliance, Time and Attendance, Safety, Food Safety, Operations, Payroll, Accounting, Risk Management, Legal, and other departments to maintain an effective contractor compliance program.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

‍Contractor Compliance Program Administration

• Independently administer the Company’s contractor qualification, onboarding, monitoring, auditing, and corrective-action processes under general management direction.
• Evaluate and recommend improvements to contractor compliance policies, procedures, internal controls, agreements, onboarding requirements, audit protocols, and training programs.
• Interpret and apply Services Agreements, work authorizations, Company policies, management directives, and applicable regulatory requirements to varied and complex contractor circumstances.
• Identify contractor-related legal, financial, operational, labor, and reputational risks and recommend appropriate preventive or corrective measures.
• Serve as a subject-matter resource to contractors and Company management regarding contractor compliance requirements.
• Develop compliance tools, risk-assessment criteria, audit methodologies, performance measures, and management reports.

‍Contractor Vetting and Qualification

• Conduct substantive risk assessments of prospective and existing contractors, including review of ownership and business structure; licensing and regulatory status; insurance coverage and required endorsements; labor and supplemental bond coverage; payroll and wage-and-hour practices; safety and training programs; transportation authorizations and vehicle documentation; regulatory, litigation, and performance history; operational capacity and internal controls; labor relations and workforce compliance history.
• Evaluate contractor applications and supporting records to determine whether the contractor satisfies Company, contractual, insurance, licensing, bonding, and regulatory requirements.
• Independently verify licenses, permits, registrations, bonds, insurance coverage, and other records through issuing agencies, insurance representatives, public databases, or other reliable sources.
• Identify inconsistencies, deficiencies, elevated risks, or potentially altered or invalid documents and determine the appropriate level of additional review.
• Establish reasonable conditions that must be satisfied before a contractor may be approved or permitted to continue providing services.
• Approve routine contractor onboarding within delegated authority or recommend approval, conditional approval, rejection, suspension, or other action to management.
• Determine when specialized review by Legal, Risk Management, Safety, Payroll, Accounting, or executive management is warranted.

‍Agreements, Insurance, Licensing, and Bonds

• Interpret contractor Services Agreements, work authorizations, exhibits, acknowledgments, and related documents when evaluating contractor obligations and compliance.
• Evaluate whether certificates of insurance and endorsements satisfy the Company’s coverage, entity-naming, additional-insured, waiver-of-subrogation, alternate-employer, and other risk-transfer requirements.
• Coordinate the resolution of substantive insurance or coverage questions with the Company’s insurance broker, Risk Management, or Legal.
• Evaluate contractor licensing, permit, registration, and bonding requirements based on the nature, location, and scope of services.
• Determine whether expired, incomplete, inconsistent, or deficient documentation presents a material risk requiring work restrictions, enhanced monitoring, escalation, or another interim measure.
• Oversee agreement execution and contractor recordkeeping processes to ensure contractual and regulatory requirements are appropriately documented.

‍Compliance Monitoring and Risk Management

• Develop and administer a risk-based monitoring program for licenses, permits, insurance policies, endorsements, bonds, registrations, certifications, and other time-sensitive requirements.
• Determine appropriate monitoring frequency and enhanced documentation requirements based on contractor risk, performance, and compliance history.
• Analyze expiration, exception, and compliance reports to identify significant or recurring risks.
• Evaluate whether replacement documents remain consistent with contractual requirements and the contractor’s scope of work.
• Recommend or initiate authorized work restrictions or administrative holds when a contractor fails to maintain required qualifications.
• Develop and maintain contractor compliance scorecards, risk classifications, or similar analytical tools.
• Regularly report material risks, trends, exceptions, and recommended actions to management.

‍Payroll, Invoice, and Wage-and-Hour Auditing

• Develop annual, periodic, and targeted contractor audit plans based on risk, workforce size, compensation structure, prior findings, complaints, and operational circumstances.
• Independently determine audit scope, sampling methodology, testing procedures, supporting records required, and follow-up measures.
• Analyze contractor payroll, timekeeping, production, invoice, personnel, and other records to evaluate compliance with contractual and applicable wage-and-hour requirements.
• Evaluate potential issues involving minimum wage and overtime; meal-period and rest-period requirements and premiums; piece-rate and nonproductive-time compensation; paid rest and recovery periods; wage statement requirements; payroll deductions; sick leave requirements; job classifications and authorized rates; hours worked compared with hours paid and invoiced; production quantities and incentive compensation; timeliness and completeness of wage payments; payroll taxes and employer contributions; required personnel and payroll records.
• Exercise independent judgment in distinguishing isolated errors from systemic control deficiencies, contractual violations, or potential legal violations.
• Expand audit scope or initiate additional review when initial findings indicate heightened risk.
• Evaluate contractor explanations and supporting evidence and determine whether findings have been adequately resolved.
• Prepare analytical audit reports identifying findings, root causes, risk exposure, and recommended corrective or contractual action.
• Advise management regarding payroll corrections, invoice reconciliation, chargebacks, enhanced monitoring, payment holds, or other appropriate remedies.

‍Corrective-Action Oversight

• Communicate significant findings and require contractors to provide appropriate responses and corrective-action plans.
• Determine the appropriate scope, timing, and documentation of corrective action based on the seriousness and recurrence of the issue.
• Evaluate whether proposed corrective actions adequately address identified deficiencies and reduce future risk.
• Establish follow-up monitoring and testing requirements to verify sustained compliance.
• Resolve routine contractor disputes concerning audit findings, documentation requirements, and contractual obligations.
• Escalate material, repeated, intentional, or potentially unlawful conduct to appropriate management or Legal.
• Recommend conditional continuation, enhanced oversight, work restrictions, suspension, payment holds, or termination when warranted.

‍Labor Relations and Investigations

• Evaluate and respond to contractor workforce complaints and labor relations concerns involving wages, working conditions, workplace conduct, retaliation, discrimination, harassment, safety, or other compliance matters.
• Determine the appropriate scope and method of fact-finding based on the nature and seriousness of reported concerns.
• Conduct or coordinate investigations involving contractors and contractor employees, including review of records, interviews, findings, and corrective-action responses.
• Identify potential legal, contractual, financial, operational, and reputational risks arising from reported concerns.
• Advise management regarding appropriate interim protections, contractor corrective actions, monitoring, and escalation.
• Coordinate with Human Resources, Safety, Payroll, Legal, and Operations when matters involve overlapping areas of responsibility.
• Maintain the appropriate distinction between Company compliance oversight and the contractor’s responsibility for hiring, supervision, scheduling, compensation, discipline, and termination of its employees.

‍Management Consultation and Cross-Functional Coordination

• Advise management regarding contractor eligibility, risk exposure, compliance performance, and significant findings.
• Present complex contractor compliance matters, alternatives, and recommendations to management.
• Coordinate cross-functional responses to contractor compliance issues involving multiple departments or Company locations.
• Represent the Company in contractor compliance meetings and communicate management-approved expectations, findings, and resolutions.
• Assist with government inquiries, customer audits, litigation holds, subpoenas, internal investigations, and requests from counsel.
• Develop and deliver contractor and internal-management training concerning contractor compliance requirements.
• Monitor relevant legal and regulatory developments and recommend appropriate changes to Company practices.
• Perform special compliance assignments under general supervision.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in human resources, business administration, accounting, finance, labor relations, risk management, legal studies, or a related field.
• At least four (4) years of progressively responsible experience in contractor compliance, human resources compliance, payroll auditing, labor relations, risk management, contract administration, employment-law compliance, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience independently evaluating complex records, identifying risks, and recommending corrective actions.
• Working knowledge of California wage-and-hour and payroll recordkeeping requirements.
• Experience reviewing contracts, licenses, permits, insurance certificates, endorsements, bonds, payroll records, timekeeping records, and invoices.
• Ability to interpret and apply laws, regulations, contractual provisions, policies, and procedures to circumstances requiring independent judgment.
• Strong analytical, investigative, organizational, and written communication skills.
• Ability to manage complex assignments under general supervision and appropriately escalate matters presenting substantial risk.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and electronic document-management, payroll, auditing, or compliance-tracking systems.
• Valid driver’s license and ability to travel to Company and contractor locations.
• Bilingual English and Spanish proficiency.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Five or more years of progressively responsible contractor compliance, payroll auditing, human resources, labor relations, or risk-management experience.
• Experience in agriculture, food processing, packing, cold storage, staffing, construction, or another labor-intensive and highly regulated industry.
• Knowledge of California farm labor contractor licensing, bonding, transportation, payroll, and wage-and-hour requirements.
• Experience developing risk-based audit programs and evaluating contractor corrective-action plans.
• Familiarity with workers’ compensation, general liability, automobile liability, employment practices liability, additional-insured, waiver-of-subrogation, and alternate-employer requirements.
• Professional certification in compliance, human resources, payroll, auditing, risk management, or a related discipline.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Advanced analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Sound judgment concerning matters affecting legal, financial, operational, labor, and reputational risk.
• Ability to independently evaluate alternative courses of action and make well-supported recommendations.
• Ability to distinguish routine administrative deficiencies from material or systemic compliance concerns.
• Strong knowledge of auditing principles, sampling methods, internal controls, and corrective-action processes.
• Ability to reconcile payroll, timekeeping, production, personnel, and invoicing information.
• Ability to communicate complex requirements and adverse findings professionally and persuasively.
• Ability to remain objective and exercise discretion when handling sensitive complaints and investigations.
• Ability to manage competing priorities across contractors, locations, commodities, and operating departments.
• Ability to preserve the confidentiality of contractor, payroll, employee, investigation, and business information.

PHYSICAL AND WORK REQUIREMENTS

• Work is performed in an office environment, with regular and extensive visits to agricultural fields, packing facilities, cold-storage facilities, contractor offices, and other operating locations.
• Ability to sit, stand, walk, and use a computer for extended periods.
• Ability to work outdoors in varying temperatures, terrain, dust, noise, and other agricultural or industrial conditions during field visits.
• Ability to travel and occasionally work outside regular business hours based on operational, audit, or investigative needs.
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.