Position Title: Director of People & CultureLocation: Hybrid in Brooklyn/Queens, New York CityEmployment Type: Full-time, ExemptSalary: $134,000 - $146,000Reports to: Executive Director Number of Direct Reports: 3

THE ORGANIZATION:

Make the Road States (MRstates) is the national home for the second-generation Make the Road family of organizations in Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Nevada, this in addition to New York, that serves to uplift the voices of working-class, immigrants, women, LGBTQIA people, and people of color across the Make the Roads umbrella. From an operational spectrum it serves as the Finance and Human Resources Compliance Officers for the umbrella at large. 

MRS is a multi-service organization. Our member-led organizing committees -- which work on the issues named above -- implement strategies to combat shared problems and develop leadership and the capacity for civic participation. We also provide an array of high-quality bilingual services: We offer English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), Spanish-language literacy, computer literacy, citizenship preparation, and in-school and after- school youth programs. We have a robust legal program that offers direct representation across a spectrum of practice areas, including employment law, immigration law, housing and benefits, and TGNCIQ civil rights; we also take on impact litigation as a strategy for achieving broad change. Our health program offers facilitated enrollment into health insurance programs and SNAP benefits, a community health worker home visit program, nutrition education and emergency food pantries, health care navigation, and more.

THE ROLE:

The HR Department is responsible for supporting over 400 staff members in various locations throughout the country. Their responsibilities include recruitment, onboarding, orientation, employee relations, performance management, benefits and compensation, professional development, workplace health and safety, and compliance. Approximately 30% of the organization's workforce is unionized. The HR Department's mission is to provide support to employees by helping them understand their rights and obligations, and by assisting staff, managers, and leaders in navigating the complexities of work life throughout the various stages of the employment cycle.

The Director of People and Culture leads, plans, directs, and develops policies, activities, and staff across the organization's multiple states. They supervise a team of HR Managers who are responsible for implementing the full range of HR practices. The DoPC ensures that their approach is aligned with the organization's values, mission, and vision in collaboration with the leadership.

The ideal candidate for this position must be independent, organized, and output-driven, with the ability to prioritize their duties and make sound decisions in the moment. They must be self-directed and self-assured, with a compassionate and firm approach to managing people and conflict resolution, finding solutions, and building relationships. Additionally, they must be a forward thinker who can anticipate the next steps for themselves and others and communicate their ideas effectively.

Key Responsibilities:

• Oversee the administration of the Human Resources Department, ensuring that the department is properly staffed to meet the needs of the organization at large.
• Develop a human resources function that is valued and trusted across Make the Road’s multi-state organization 
• Ensure HR policies are documented, updated, and applied consistently across Make the Road’s multi-state organization
• Maintain knowledge of existing and proposed federal and state laws/regulations affecting HR management
• Seek appropriate counsel to develop strategies and action plans to minimize risks as applicable
• Provide coaching, training and support to management and staff in recruitment, supervision, employee development, employee/labor relations, issues of separation, compensation, benefits, decision making, grievances, and policies and procedures.
• Develop and help implement staffing strategies and help manage staffing processes including hiring, exits/terminations, job offers, on-boarding, and the New Hire Orientation.
• Implement People strategies around talent acquisition, hiring, onboarding, compensation, benefits, talent management, professional development, performance management, employee engagement, succession planning, employee relations, and compliance
• Maintain a competitive and equitable compensation strategy, plan, and practices
• Leverage a consultative approach with Make the Road’s executive team, State Directors, and Strategic planning team by providing advice and counsel on Make the Road’s values
• Research and implement People tools that will scale with Make the Road’s multi-state organization
• Champion diversity and inclusion efforts including the facilitation of workshops and education, resources to ensure that Make the Road’s values are embedded into the organizational culture
• Additional responsibilities as required

Qualifications:

• 10 years of progressive leadership experience in HR or People Operations positions in a complex organization (matrix/C3/C4) developing and leading high-impact people programs.
• Successful past development or implementation of HR practices & policies including but not limited to recruitment strategies, performance management, professional development and benefits administration
• Strong experience with People Analytics including gathering, analyzing, and reporting data to provide guidance related to HR strategy and direction
• In-depth knowledge of labor law and best practices, as well as recent changes and trends in employment practices with a social movement approach
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in Human Resources or Organizational Development
• Spanish proficiency required
• Emotional intelligence: the ability to read the room and navigate sensitive matters with compassion and discernment
• Excellent interpersonal skills and organizational awareness; the ability to have difficult conversations, manage conflict, encourage dialogue, and facilitate productive discourse for positive outcomes
• Excellent relationship-builder; the ability to build genuine connections and instill trust across a diverse workforce; a demonstrated ability to engage, inspire, and influence at all levels of the organization
• Strong supervisory and people-management skills including the ability to coach, mentor and define goals and objectives
• Commitment to workforce diversity and fostering an environment of inclusion
• Highly organized, excellent project-management skills; the ability to prioritize tasks and organize workload to ensure deadlines are met for themselves and the team
• Strong verbal and written communication skills with the ability to explain HR concepts and practices in a way that can be easily understood across different constituents
• Highly adaptable to a changing environment with the ability to move fluidly between tasks
• Willingness and ability to work in-person, attend meetings and events at any of the organization’s worksites throughout the 6 locations in New York and some minimal travel required across states.

Don’t meet all of the qualifications above but still feel like you would be a good fit? We encourage you to still apply! 

SALARY & BENEFITS:

Starting salary is based on a scale set by a democratically-elected personnel committee and will depend on factors such as experience and education. MRStates offers an excellent benefit package including health insurance, 401K, and generous paid vacation, sick, and personal days. The salary range for this position is from $134,000 to $146,000.

Make the Road believes that social change is best achieved through grassroots community-based organizing that flows directly from and engages the community demanding the change. As a membership-based organization, we are committed to providing equal employment opportunities regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity, criminal history, or Veteran status. We strongly encourage those from historically excluded groups to apply.