Director of Human Resources

ABOUT THE WALTERS ART MUSEUM 

The Walters Art Museum is among America's most distinctive museums, forging connections between people and art from cultures around the world and spanning seven millennia. Located in Baltimore’s Mount Vernon neighborhood, the Walters is free for all. The museum’s campus includes five historic buildings and 36,000 art objects. 

Today, the Walters serves Baltimore and Maryland by embracing its role as educator and storyteller, using the collection as a vehicle of knowledge and cultural expression to support learning, dialogue, and community engagement. The museum is committed to public education, offering essential programs that help people to connect art to their lives. The Walters Visitor Promise aligns staff and volunteers across the museum to preserve and share the works in our care for future generations, partner with communities, and create welcoming, accessible experiences for visitors. The museum offers challenging and creative work opportunities by promoting collaboration and teamwork. 

OVERVIEW OF ROLE 

The Walters Art Museum is seeking a hands-on, mission-driven Director of Human Resources to lead the HR department. This is an ideal opportunity for an experienced HR professional with strong expertise in employee relations and the capabilities to manage the day-to-day needs of a dynamic, people-centered workplace. This role requires a hands-on leader who will play a key role in strengthening HR operations.  The museum has approximately 130 full- and part-time employees and volunteers.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead a high-performing 4-person HR team, and directly supervise the HR Generalist, Labor Relations Specialist, and Payroll & Benefits Administrator. 
• Responsible for the museum’s HR planning, HR policy development and regulatory compliance, union contract negotiations and administration, employee relations, performance management, employee onboarding/offboarding, total rewards and compensation, payroll and benefits, talent recruitment, and other functions and processes that impact the employee experience at the Walters.
• Develop HR plans and strategies to support the achievement of the museum’s Strategic Plan, diversity, equity, inclusion and access values, and Visitor Promise.
• Oversee day-to-day HR operations.
• Ensure adherence to the museum’s collective bargaining agreement and lead negotiations and communications with the union. Lead the museum’s Labor Management Committee, and participate in the Safety Working Committee. Lead or support grievance and arbitration processes, including investigations, responses, and resolution strategies.
• Manage and resolve employee relations issues with professionalism, discretion, and alignment with the organization's values and policies. 
• Conduct employee relations investigations and recommend appropriate, fair, and consistent outcomes.
• Coach and support managers on performance management, conflict resolution, employee conduct, and navigating workplace challenges.
• Create, interpret, and administer HR policies and ensure alignment with employment law and internal practices.
• Partner closely with leadership and staff to foster a respectful, inclusive, and mission-driven culture. Lead Staff Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion Committee. 
• Oversee recruitment workflows to ensure positions move efficiently from requisition to hire.
• Develop and implement consistent onboarding and offboarding processes and documents.  
• Lead organization-wide compliance with federal, state, and local labor and employment laws and regulations, and recommended best practices; review policies and practices to maintain compliance. 
• Provide guidance and counsel to the Leadership Team, supervisors, staff, and Board regarding HR best practices, policies, and employment law.
• Serve as a key partner in the implementation and oversight of the museum’s Health and Safety Plan, promoting a healthy and safe work environment for all employees, volunteers, and visitors. 
• Manage HR budget, vendor contracts, and 457B plan in collaboration with Finance.
• Liaise with outside legal counsel as needed. 
• Perform other related duties as required to support the mission and goals of the Museum.

QUALIFICATIONS 

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree in Human Resources, Labor & Industrial Relations, or related field preferred. 
• 8 years of progressive HR experience, with a strong background in employee relations.
• SHRM or HRCI certification is preferred.
• Prior experience in a nonprofit or mission-driven environment strongly preferred.
• Experience in a unionized environment is strongly preferred.
• 5 years of experience supervising HR staff and/or external consultants.
• Demonstrated ability  operating in a tactical, hands-on HR role.
• Outstanding written and verbal communications skills. 
• Experience with HRIS/payroll systems and standard business tools (Microsoft Office and Google Workspace).
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build trust and handle sensitive matters with discretion and clarity.
• A proactive, responsive, and grounded approach to HR—someone who leads with empathy, fairness, and sound judgment.

The Walters Art Museum provides a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental, prescription, vision, subsidized transportation and parking, short term disability, long-term disability, life insurance, FSA (flexible spending account), 457b retirement, and free professional financial management counseling. This position is eligible to work remotely up to 1 day a week.  

All employees must be legally authorized to work in the United States. The museum does not sponsor work visas.