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People & Culture Director Job Description

Position: People & Culture Director

Department: Administration

Reports to: Executive Director

FLSA Classification: Exempt 

Summary

At New Life Center, we fully embrace the call of Jesus Christ to live and lead with compassion by providing care, stabilization, and Christian transformation to individuals experiencing homelessness and addiction. Since 1907, our employees and volunteers have faithfully served this mission in the Fargo community. As our ministry continues to grow, we are seeking a high-capacity, Christ-centered leader to serve as our People and Culture Director.

The People and Culture Director provides leadership for the full scope of Human Resources by connecting organizational strategy with day-to-day HR operations, including employee relations, recruitment, compensation, performance management, training and development, policy and compliance, and culture-building initiatives. Reporting to the Executive Director and serving on the Senior Leadership Team, this role helps shape organizational culture, strengthen leadership development, support staff growth and accountability, and advance initiatives that align with our Mission, Values, and Statement of Faith.

The People and Culture Director combines solid HR expertise with humility, wisdom, emotional intelligence, spiritual maturity, and a genuine love for people. The right candidate will thrive in this fast-paced, mission-driven environment while bringing both strategic leadership and hands-on operational support.

At New Life Center, our work is grounded in our Christian mission and values. Each role contributes to the ministry and operations of the organization. We seek staff who are committed followers of Jesus Christ, aligned with our Statement of Faith, and who model our REAL values — Respectful, Encouraging, Accountable, and Loving — in their work and interactions. 

Essential Functions

Essential Function 1:  People Strategy, Workforce Planning, and Organizational Alignment

• Develop and execute HR and people strategies aligned with organizational priorities, growth plans, and ministry effectiveness.
• Analyze current and future staffing needs to ensure organizational readiness, effective workforce planning, and adequate staffing levels.
• Advise the Executive Director and leadership team on organization structure, talent development, succession planning, and staffing and retention strategy.
• Ensure recruiting, staffing, onboarding, and retention systems effectively support operational and mission needs.

Essential Function 2:  HR Operations, Employee Lifecycle, and Professional Development

• Oversee HR operations, including recruitment, onboarding, performance management, employee relations, discipline, and separation processes.
• Lead the organization-wide performance review and development process, ensuring timely completion, consistent documentation, and effective coaching conversations that drive accountability, growth, and alignment with organizational priorities.
• Equip frontline leaders through consistent HR practices, employee relations training, proper documentation, accountability systems, and HR-related leadership coaching.
• Oversee new employee onboarding, HR compliance training, employee relations education, and professional development systems that strengthen employee effectiveness, workplace consistency, and role-specific leadership capacity.
• Collaborate closely with senior leadership to support broader organization-wide leadership development initiatives, ensuring HR expertise informs management development, workplace accountability, and employee relations while maintaining primary ownership of HR-specific training functions.
• Ensure a high-quality, consistent employee experience across all stages of the employee lifecycle.

Essential Function 3:  Legal, Regulatory, and Policy Compliance

• Ensure compliance with all federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations.
• Maintain and strengthen HR policies, procedures, and the Employee Handbook.
• Lead investigations, manage HR-related risk, and provide guidance on complex employee matters.
• Monitor employment trends and legal developments to proactively strengthen compliance and organizational readiness.

Essential Function 4: Culture, Engagement, Spiritual Leadership, and Employee Relations

• Cultivate and strengthen a healthy, Christ-centered workplace culture aligned with New Life Center’s mission, Statement of Faith, and REAL values.
• Lead employee engagement, communication, recognition, and workplace culture initiatives.
• Oversee employee relations, conflict resolution, and performance concerns with wisdom, compassion, and accountability.
• Model spiritual leadership and reinforce professional excellence, discipleship, and Christ-centered service throughout the organization.

Essential Function 5: HR Infrastructure, Systems, Budget, and Department Leadership

• Oversee HR systems (Paycom), data integrity, reporting, and process improvement.
• Manage compensation, benefits, leave administration, and HR operational systems in collaboration with Finance.
• Develop and manage the HR department budget while ensuring strong stewardship of resources.
• Supervise and develop HR team members while ensuring HR systems and infrastructure remain efficient, scalable, and aligned with future organizational growth.

ADA & Reasonable Accommodation

New Life Center complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Qualified individuals are considered for positions based on their ability to perform the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation. Reasonable accommodations will be provided in accordance with applicable law unless doing so would cause undue hardship or pose a direct threat to safety.  

Reports to Rob Swiers, Executive Director

This Job Description identifies the major responsibilities of this job.  It does not include all aspects of the position such as the potential additional duties assigned by the Executive Director, the requirement for flexibility in helping others, or the highly valued team-oriented approach used for the overall benefit and success of New Life Center. 

Personal: 

• Must be engaged in a local church and exhibit a personal, evident, growing relationship with Jesus Christ.
• Compassionate heart for those in need.
• Willingness to serve others.
• Desire to see the lost come to Christ.
• Personal commitment to Christ-centered living and alignment with our Ministry’s Statement of Faith.
• Strong cultural fit for a Christian, mission-driven organization serving individuals experiencing homelessness and addiction.

Required/Preferred Education and Experience:

• 5-8+ years of progressive HR leadership experience with strengths in both strategic leadership and day-to-day HR operations required.
• Experience in employee relations, performance management, corrective action, compensation, training, employee engagement, policy development, and compliance required.
• Bachelor’s degree in HR, Business, Organizational Leadership, or related field preferred; HR certification preferred but not required.

Additional Eligibility Requirements: 

• Ability to pass a pre-employment drug test and background check.
• Must possess a valid driver’s license, maintain an acceptable driving record in accordance with the organization’s insurance carrier requirements, and provide proof of insurance, as required for the performance of job duties.

Skills:

• Ability to coach and develop leaders, assess conflict with wisdom and accountability, and foster a healthy organizational culture.
• Strong emotional intelligence, judgment, communication, and relationship building skills.
• Comfortable leading prayer, engaging in spiritual conversations, and integrating biblical principles into leadership and workplace culture.
• Strong interpersonal, relationship-building, and negotiation skills, fostering trust, collaboration, and positive outcomes.
• Advanced analytical and problem-solving skills with sound judgment and strategic thinking.
• Effective supervisory and leadership capabilities with a commitment to coaching, developing, and empowering staff.
• Demonstrated adaptability and resilience in a dynamic environment, aligning HR practices to the evolving needs of the organization and employees.
• Comprehensive knowledge of federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations, and commitment to maintaining full compliance.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) and related software tools.
• Skilled in or able to quickly master the organization’s HRIS systems (e.g., Paycom).

Work Environment: 

• Primarily operates in a professional office setting.
• Regularly uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, copiers, scanners, and filing cabinets.
• May travel between program sites and attend off-site meetings, training sessions, or community events.
• Occasionally visits program and shelter areas to support employee relations, training, and compliance activities.
• Work involves extended periods of sitting, computer use, and document handling.
• May occasionally lift or move office materials such as files or supplies weighing up to 20 pounds.
• Performed in a fast-paced, mission-driven nonprofit environment with evolving priorities and multiple concurrent demands.
• May require flexibility to attend meetings or respond to urgent HR matters outside regular business hours.
• Requires the ability to maintain strict confidentiality and handle sensitive employee information with discretion and professionalism.
• Must be able to perform the essential functions of this position, with or without reasonable accommodation.
• This position works in a recovery-adjacent environment and requires adherence to professional boundaries, respectful workplace conduct, and organizational policies.

Religious Bona Fide Occupational Qualification (BFOQ)

New Life Center is a faith-based Christian ministry. Consistent with Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, alignment with New Life Center’s Statement of Faith and values may be considered a bona fide occupational qualification (BFOQ) for this position. Employees are expected to conduct themselves in a manner consistent with the organization’s Christian mission, beliefs, and code of conduct.