Associate Director of Human Resources - Employee

Project Hope

67d•$90,000 - $120,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Associate Director of Human Resources provides strategic and operational HR leadership that advances organizational priorities while ensuring compliance with U.S. employment laws and best practices. This role partners closely with senior leaders, managers, and the global HR team to design and deliver effective HR programs across talent management, employee relations, compliance, compensation, benefits, and organizational development. The role has primary responsibility for the U.S. workforce and oversight of HR team members and service delivery for domestic operations. The Associate Director will play a critical role in shaping a positive employee experience and translating people strategy into effective, compliant execution across the U.S. workforce.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field; Master’s degree preferred.
8–10+ years of progressive HR experience, including leadership and management responsibility across core HR functions.
Experience in nonprofit, humanitarian, global health, or international development organizations preferred.
Strong knowledge of U.S. employment laws and HR best practices, including FLSA, FMLA, ADA, EEO, and multi-state compliance.
Demonstrated experience supporting a distributed or multi-state U.S. workforce.
Proven ability to lead HR functions in growth, transformation, or change environments.
Experience working with HRIS systems and leveraging HR data and analytics to inform decision-making.
Strong leadership, people management, and team development skills.
Excellent communication, influence, and stakeholder management capabilities.
High attention to detail with a commitment to operational excellence and compliance.
Ability to balance urgency with risk mitigation, quality, and sound judgment.
Strategic thinker with strong execution skills and the ability to translate strategy into action.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree preferred.
Experience in nonprofit, humanitarian, global health, or international development organizations preferred.

Responsibilities

Ensure a high‑quality onboarding experience that sets new hires up for success and compliance.
Lead and develop HR staff, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
Oversee HR operations including identifying opportunities to streamline processes and improve service delivery to managers and employees.
Oversee effective use and continuous improvement of HR systems (e.g., HRIS) to ensure data integrity, reporting accuracy, and operational efficiency.
Establish and monitor service standards to ensure timely, consistent, and high-quality HR support to managers and employees.
Translate people strategy into specific plans that reflect legal, cultural, and operational realities.
Contribute to enterprise‑wide HR initiatives, including performance management, workforce planning, and HR systems enhancements.
Champion Belonging and Impact practices across talent processes and employee experience initiatives.
Establish and monitor key HR metrics (e.g., turnover, engagement, performance) and use data insights to drive continuous improvement and inform leadership decisions.
Lead complex employee relations matters, including investigations, performance concerns, disciplinary actions, and conflict resolution, ensuring consistency and fairness.
Advise managers on performance management, coaching, and corrective action in alignment with organizational values and policies.
Support and oversee the annual performance review process and ongoing feedback culture.
Ensure consistent application of policies and equitable outcomes across employee relations matters to mitigate organizational risk.
Ensure full compliance with U.S. federal, and state employment laws (e.g., FLSA, FMLA, ADA, EEO, wage and hour).
Oversee leave programs (FMLA, state leave programs, ADA accommodations) and ensure audit‑ready documentation.
Partner with Legal counsel on sensitive personnel matters and employment‑related risk.
Maintain accurate, compliant HR documentation and records to support internal audits, reporting requirements, and legal defensibility.
Lead salary benchmarking, market analysis, and compensation planning processes, including merit, promotion, and equity adjustments.
Ensure consistent and compliant application of compensation and benefits programs.
Support executive compensation reviews and related documentation as needed.
Partner with leadership and Finance to ensure compensation decisions are aligned with organizational strategy, budget, and market competitiveness.