Director, Human Resources

American Humane is seeking an experienced Director, Human Resources to oversee and execute day-to-day operations of the Human Resources department. This position is will be a hybrid of office/telework with the based out of Washington, DC. American Humane is committed to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace. As we seek to fill this position, we highly encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply.

For more than 100 years American Humane has been first in promoting the welfare and safety of animals and strengthening the bond between animals and people. We are first to serve, wherever animals are in need of rescue, shelter, protection or security. Through our innovative leadership initiatives - from our "No Animals Were Harmed®" program in Hollywood to broad-based farm and conservation animal welfare certifications, to rapid response rescue and care across the country - American Humane sets the gold standard as the most visionary and effective animal welfare organization in the nation.

Position summary:

The Director, Human Resources will oversee and execute the day-to-day operations of the Human Resources (HR) department. Reporting to and working collaboratively with the Chief Talent Officer, the Director is responsible for fostering an HR function and team that executes on strategic organizational priorities and supports the development of a high performing, engaged and productive workforce.

Responsibilities:

General Management

• Work in partnership and collaboration with the Chief Talent Officer to foster a culture of high performance and adherence to organizational core values and strategic priorities.
• In collaboration with the Chief Talent Officer, provide leadership and supportive supervision to the HR team; establishing, monitoring and evaluating performance and development goals, holding staff accountable for their work, ensuring growth opportunities and promoting a high performing culture.
• Leveraging the organization's existing work and roadmap for fostering greater diversity, equity, inclusion and sense of belonging, seek ways to ensure our policies, practices and culture are supporting an environment where staff and constituents can be their true selves.
• Develop, implement, document and maintain HR systems, processes and procedures.
• Partner with management to ensure strategic HR goals are aligned with business initiatives.
• Develop ways to create and support an engaged workforce.
• Keep Chief Talent Officer informed of sensitive or special situations affecting the organization.
• Lead or participate in special projects and initiatives as needed.

Recruitment, Orientation & Onboarding

• Work with the Chief Talent Officer to ensure best practices are adhered to and strategies and tactics are in place to attract and retain top talent.
• Manage and, as needed, conduct recruitment for employment, contract, volunteer and internship positions.
• Serve as a trusted partner to managers, assisting them in drafting or revising job descriptions, preparing and routing new hire requisitions for approval, and working through the recruitment process.
• Work with the HR Coordinator to manage and maintain the organization's Applicant Tracking System (JazzHR).
• Oversee job posting, application and interview processes, ensuring a high-quality applicant experience and timely communication with applicants and managers.
• In coordination with the Chief Talent Officer, prepare and make offers of employment to final candidates.
• Oversee and, as needed, conduct new employee orientation, keeping orientation materials, checklists and SOPs up to date and ensuring continuity across onboarding experiences.
• Track and analyze recruitment data; make recommendations for ways to improve the recruitment and onboarding experience.

Employee Relations & Performance Management

• Serve as a trusted partner to managers in addressing employee relations or performance matters, flagging matters that may impact the organization for the Chief Talent Officer, or other leadership as appropriate.
• Assist managers in properly documenting and addressing performance and employee relations issues; working through AH's progressive corrective action process to address specific issues or needs for change.
• Responsible to plan and direct AH's annual employee performance appraisal process, including updating appraisal forms, timelines and instructions; conducting employee and manager appraisal trainings; and conducting the HR review of each appraisal to ensure timely completion and best practices are met.

Offboarding

• Assist in and/or take the lead in termination planning.
• Oversee the preparation of transition materials for terminated employees.
• Conduct termination meetings as needed.
• Coordinate and conduct exit interviews when appropriate to determine reasons for separation or areas for success/improvement.
• Oversee all aspects of a transition, coordinating with other departments or vendors to ensure relevant account accesses are disabled or transitioned and there is timely notification related to benefits/Cobra changes, account transitions, or other relevant needs.
• In collaboration with the HR team, take the lead to ensure employee termination checklists and SOPs remain up to date and all steps in the termination process are being followed and accounted for.

Compensation, Payroll, HRIS & Recordkeeping

• Oversee the effective and efficient management and maintenance of all employee and HR-related data and files in critical systems including the organization's payroll/HRIS system (Paylocity) and shared drive (Box), so that all relevant data is cleanly and easily accessible to the HR team on a consistent basis.
• Have or develop by cross training with the HR Coordinator, expertise in managing the Paylocity HRIS/payroll system; serve as a main point of contact for troubleshooting and working with Paylocity on system improvements.
• In collaboration with HR Coordinator and Controller, prepare for, process and run bi-weekly payroll for the organization.
• Maintain ongoing list of all payroll changes.
• Responsible for ensuring the overall integrity of data within the HRIS and payroll system.
• Ensure data and records integrity by creating and utilizing SOPs related to naming functions and storage practices, conducting periodic file audits, and training and supervising HR or other relevant staff on SOPs.
• Review and work collaboratively with the HR and legal teams to keep up to date and follow the organization's document retention policy.

Total Rewards & Leave

• Responsible for managing the organization's benefits program.
• Analyze trends in compensation and benefits, making recommendations for change as appropriate.
• Oversee critical vendor relationships, including with benefits brokers, insurance and other providers, retirement administrators including AH's advisor, record keeper and TPA/316 Fiduciary.
• Initiate benefits renewal process annually with brokers, keeping the renewal process on time.
• Work collaboratively with brokers and HR team to plan for and coordinate open enrollment materials, process and meetings.
• Ensure the benefits enrollment portal in Paylocity is updated on an annual basis in preparation for open enrollment.
• Administer and monitor all federal and state leave programs such as FMLA, STD, LTD, Pregnancy, etc. to ensure compliance. Perform related benefits administration to include providing relevant information and notifications to employees and vendors.
• Support employees as they plan/prepare for leave, while they are out on leave, and as they return from leave with things like claims applications, claims resolutions, understanding how various benefits or leave entitlements interplay with each other, and other needs.
• Oversee management of the organization's workers compensation program and claims.

Compliance

• Keep abreast of legislative or other regulatory changes to ensure American Humane's compliance with local, state and federal regulations; recommend changes to existing policies, practices and procedures as needed.
• Develop, recommend and implement personnel policies and procedures; work with Chief Talent Officer and legal team to create and update employee handbook and supplemental handbooks.

• Maintain and update the HR team's compliance calendar, advising leadership of upcoming deadlines, shifts in regulation or other needs that could potentially impact the organization.
• Manage all required compliance reporting with local, state and federal agencies, benefits providers, auditors, or other entities.
• Oversee delivery of requested HR documents for the organization's annual audit.

Essential experience, knowledge, skills and abilities:

• Bachelor's degree required, advanced degree in human resources or related field, preferred.
• 5+ years of experience effectively managing all aspects of the human resource function.
• PHR/SPHR or SHRM-CP/SHRM-SCP certification credentials preferred but not required.
• Experience working in nonprofit organizations preferred but not required.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to actively listen and effectively verbalize ideas.
• Strong interpersonal, negotiation and conflict resolution skills.
• Exhibits the ability to lead junior team members and motivate staff.
• Possesses extensive knowledge of multi-state HR compliance matters, with a particular focus on California and Washington, DC and the drive to ensure compliance in all matters.
• Ability to create or take HR initiatives and drive results from start to finish; demonstrating self-motivation and a strong work ethic to complete work in a timely and accurate manner.
• Demonstrates a leadership mentality, taking a pro-active, solutions-oriented, collaborative approach to work and decision making.
• Ability to manage through organizational change and quickly develop trusting relationships with staff at all levels of the organization.
• Shows a high level of maturity and ability to remain calm in stressful situations, including during times of conflict.
• Develops creative ideas for improving HR team workflows.
• Exhibits sound ethics and high level of judgment and discretion, in particular in dealing with sensitive or confidential information.
• Excellent organizational skills and strong attention to detail.
• Demonstrates flexibility and a willingness to embrace change in a growing organization.

Direct reports:

• Human Resource Coordinator

Physical demands and work environment:

• The position will be a hybrid of office/telework with the position based out of the Washington, DC headquarters office location (no exceptions); regular telework schedule based on organizational policy, need and manager discretion.
• Must be comfortable with animals in the office and at events.
• There may be times when travel to work from other office locations would be needed; travel will be minimal.
• Must be comfortable working and navigating scheduling across several different time zones- domestic and international.
• While performing the duties of this position, the employee will regularly be required to:
  • Sit for extended periods;
  • Look at and work off of a computer screen for extended periods;
  • Talk, hear, and exchange information over the telephone, virtually and in person.
• On occasion may be required to lift/move items of approximately 15-20lbs.

American Humane's core values define our workplace, and these values serve as the cornerstone for interactions in advancing our mission and institutional goals. Employees are expected to adhere to all organizational policies and to act as role models, demonstrating American Humane's core values:

• Compassion - Being kind and caring in our interactions with others.
• Accountability - Holding ourselves to the highest standards. Following through on commitments and owning our actions, behavior, and decisions.
• Respect for All - Being professional, listening to others and honoring diversity in all its forms.
• Loyalty to Mission - Staying focused on our purpose and our mission - our nation's most vulnerable depend on us.
  Sustainability - Contributing to being a great place to work and achieving our shared mission and goals to make a difference, now and in the future.
• Honesty, Integrity, Trust - Demonstrating transparency, as trusted stewards of donor resources, supporting our leadership and one another.

American Humane (AH) is an Equal Opportunity Employer with a commitment to fostering and growing diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace and the humane space.