People Business Partner

About Torchy’s 

The Torchy’s legacy began in Austin, Texas in 2006 with an idea, a dedicated executive chef and a food trailer. Today, Torchy’s Tacos operates across the country, all with the determination to deliver on our “Damn Good” food promise. 

Here’s What We Need 

The People Business Partner serves as a trusted advisor to leaders and team members across Torchy’s — whether that’s in our restaurants or our Support Center. This role combines strategic partnership with hands-on HR support, helping leaders build strong teams, navigate complex situations, and create an environment where people genuinely want to show up and do great work. The People Business Partner brings sound judgment, a working knowledge of employment law, and the ability to handle difficult conversations with care and confidence. Success in this role means being proactive, staying connected to the business, and always keeping the team member experience front of mind. 

What You’ll Be Doing 

• Strategic Partnership — You will serve as a trusted advisor to leaders, partnering on talent strategy, team health, and people priorities that support Torchy’s growth and culture. 

• Employee Relations — You will identify, investigate, and resolve team member relations issues in a timely, thorough, and fair manner, keeping leadership informed of elevated or complex situations. 

• Performance Management — You will coach and advise leaders on performance management, helping them deliver clear feedback and execute improvement plans. 

• Policy Guidance — You will maintain a strong working knowledge of company policies and procedures and communicate them clearly to help leaders and team members resolve issues effectively. 

• Retention & Engagement — You will monitor team member trends, flag potential risks, and partner with leaders on actions that support retention and a positive work environment. 

• People Data & Insights — You will use HR data to identify patterns — such as turnover trends or recurring ER issues — and bring forward recommendations to improve team member outcomes. 

• Compliance & Recordkeeping — You will ensure documentation is accurate and current, support regulatory reporting requirements, and stay current on employment law changes affecting the business. 

• Unemployment Claims — You will manage the full cycle of unemployment claims, including reviewing determinations, recommending appeals when appropriate, and representing the company at hearings as needed. 

• Change Support — You will support people-related needs tied to Torchy’s growth, including new restaurant openings, team transitions, and scaling of HR processes. 

• Cross-Functional Support — You will partner with People team members across benefits, recruiting, and learning & development to deliver a connected team member experience. 

• Additional Responsibilities — You will perform other duties as assigned. 

How You’ll Do It 

• Judgment — This role requires navigating ambiguous, sensitive, and sometimes high-stakes situations — you make thoughtful calls and know when to escalate. 

• Communication — Whether coaching a leader, explaining a policy, or delivering difficult news, you communicate with honesty, clarity, and empathy. 

• Business Acumen — You understand how the business works and connect HR priorities to what leaders actually care about — keeping great people and running strong teams. 

• Adaptability — Torchy’s moves fast, and priorities shift. You manage competing demands without losing sight of what matters most. 

• Relationship Building — Trust is earned over time. You show up consistently, follow through, and build credibility with the people you support. 

QUE-SO… Here’s What You’ll Need 

Minimum Qualifications 

• 3–5 years of progressive HR generalist or HR business partner experience, or an equivalent combination of education and work experience 

• Working knowledge of federal and state employment laws 

• Demonstrated experience conducting workplace investigations and managing employee relations issues 

Preferred Qualifications 

• Experience supporting both hourly and salaried populations, ideally in a multi-unit, high-growth, or hospitality/restaurant environment 

• Bilingual (English/Spanish) strongly preferred 

• Familiarity with UKG Pro, Lattice, or similar HRIS platforms 

• HR certification (PHR, SPHR, SHRM-CP, or SHRM-SCP) 

 Location

• Austin, TX
• Hybrid (3 days in office)

We are unable to provide visa sponsorship or employment authorization support for this role. All applicants must be authorized to work in the United States at the time of application and throughout their employment.

Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.