Director, Human Resources

Planit•Baltimore, MD

8d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Director of Human Resources leads Planit’s people strategy and Human Resources function in support of the agency’s culture, employees, leadership, business objectives, and long-term growth. As a member of Planit’s Senior Leadership Team, the Director serves as a strategic advisor to ownership and agency leadership while maintaining credibility and trusted relationships with employees at every level. The Director understands that taking care of our people and the health of the business go hand in hand, and brings that perspective to decisions affecting employees, culture, and the agency. The role requires strong leadership presence, emotional intelligence, discretion, confidence, and the ability to navigate complex situations while considering both the individual employee and the broader interests of Planit. The Director leads all major areas of Human Resources, including employee relations, performance management, manager development, workforce planning, recruiting, compensation, benefits, employee engagement, organizational development, compliance, HR operations, and workplace policies.

Requirements

Minimum of 8 years of progressive Human Resources experience with demonstrated leadership responsibility.
Previous experience as an HR Manager, HR Director, People Director, or comparable senior HR leader.
Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, business, management, organizational development, or related discipline preferred, or equivalent applicable experience.
Strong knowledge of employee relations, performance management, recruiting, compensation, benefits, organizational development, employee engagement, and employment compliance.
Demonstrated ability to coach and influence managers and senior leaders.
Experience handling complex employee relations matters and workplace investigations.
Experience developing and successfully implementing HR programs and organizational initiatives.
Strong verbal, written, presentation, and facilitation skills.
Ability to analyze compensation information, HR metrics, employee feedback, and organizational data and translate findings into recommendations.
Demonstrated emotional intelligence, confidentiality, discretion, sound judgment, and interpersonal effectiveness.
Ability to operate effectively in an environment involving change, ambiguity, competing priorities, and deadlines.
Proficiency with Google Workspace and spreadsheets.
Experience with HRIS, ATS, payroll, performance management, and benefits systems.

Nice To Haves

Experience in an advertising agency, professional services organization, entrepreneurial company, or similarly fast-paced environment preferred.
SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, or SPHR certification preferred.
Experience with Paylocity, 15Five, Paylocity ATS, or similar platforms is beneficial.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute Planit’s people strategy in alignment with agency objectives, business performance, culture, and long-term growth.
Serve as a trusted advisor to ownership, Senior Leadership, department leaders, managers, and employees.
Lead discussions regarding organizational structure, workforce planning, talent, compensation, employee performance, retention, succession, and organizational health.
Identify emerging organizational and people issues and provide proactive recommendations.
Assess complex employee and organizational situations, develop a clear point of view, recommend appropriate action, and communicate the reasoning behind recommendations.
Consider employee needs, agency culture, business health, fairness, consistency, and risk when making recommendations and decisions.
Serve as a steward and champion of Planit’s culture and values of Goodness, Collaboration, Remarkability, and Grit.
Ensure Planit’s values are reflected in recruiting, onboarding, management practices, performance expectations, professional development, recognition, promotions, policies, communications, and employee transitions.
Maintain regular visibility and accessibility to employees and managers throughout the agency.
Build and maintain trusted relationships while preserving appropriate confidentiality and objectivity.
Evaluate the employee experience and recommend opportunities for continued improvement.
Help create an environment that encourages creativity, innovation, accountability, and professional growth.
Lead Planit’s Culture Committee and associated employee engagement initiatives.
Develop initiatives/ programs that strengthen connection, engagement, collaboration, retention, and organizational health.
Coach managers and leaders on employee development, performance, accountability, feedback, recognition, conflict, team dynamics, and difficult conversations.
Establish and reinforce expectations for effective people management and leadership at Planit.
Identify manager development needs and create practical training, tools, and resources.
Facilitate manager training and employee professional development initiatives in collaboration with agency leadership.
Serve as a sounding board to managers while maintaining appropriate accountability for effective people leadership.
Assist leadership with succession planning and development of high-potential employees.
Lead employee relations activities across the agency.
Advise managers and employees on workplace concerns, conflicts, performance issues, complaints, and other sensitive matters.
Ensure employee issues are handled promptly, consistently, respectfully, and appropriately.
Lead Planit’s performance management philosophy, processes, tools, and review program.
Coach managers and leaders on employee relations, performance issues, documentation, and appropriate HR practices.
Make recommendations regarding performance improvement plans, corrective action, employee transitions, terminations, and other employment actions.
Conduct or oversee appropriate workplace investigations.
Maintain appropriate documentation and confidentiality related to employee relations matters.
Lead workforce planning in partnership with ownership, Senior Leadership, and department directors.
Partner with managers to define roles, responsibilities, job requirements, and organizational needs to drive effective recruitment strategies
Lead the full-cycle recruitment and hiring process, from workforce planning and job descriptions through sourcing, interviewing, selection, and onboarding.
Ensure recruiting practices effectively communicate Planit’s employer brand and culture.
Coach managers on effective interviewing and candidate selection.
Develop and maintain job descriptions and organizational role clarity.
Identify internal growth opportunities and support employee career development.
Lead Planit’s internship program with appropriate department directors and intern managers.
Lead Planit’s Compensation Committee and overall compensation philosophy and strategy.
Develop and maintain market-informed salary ranges, compensation practices, incentive programs, and promotion guidelines, using market data to make recommendations that support competitive pay and internal equity.
Lead Planit’s employee benefits strategy in partnership with brokers, advisors, Finance, and ownership.
Oversee benefits including health and welfare plans and the agency’s 401(k) program.
Continually assess benefit competitiveness, employee value, utilization, and cost-effectiveness.
Analyze employee engagement data and identify organizational priorities.
Work with Senior Leadership and managers to develop and implement meaningful action plans.
Monitor employee retention, turnover, engagement, and other people-related trends.
Maintain relationships with agency partners, HR peers, and professional organizations to identify relevant workplace and industry trends.
Bring new ideas, practices, benchmarks, and outside perspective into Planit when appropriate.
Maintain current knowledge of applicable federal, Maryland, and local employment laws and regulations.
Ensure Planit’s employment policies and practices remain compliant and appropriate.
Develop, maintain, and communicate employee policies and employee handbook updates in collaboration with ownership and Senior Leadership.
Provide guidance on appropriate interpretation and application of policies.
Help ensure consistency while allowing appropriate judgment based on individual circumstances.
Advise leadership regarding employment-related risk.
Coordinate HR-related insurance and risk management responsibilities as assigned.
Maintain appropriate employee records and documentation.
Lead the people strategy surrounding Planit’s office-first hybrid workplace.
Advise leadership regarding workplace expectations, employee concerns, exceptions, and evolving workplace practices.
Develop and communicate HR policies and employee-facing information clearly and effectively.
Ensure HR communications are understandable, human, appropriately transparent, and consistent with Planit’s culture.
Maintain overall accountability for effective Human Resources operations and administration.
Oversee payroll administration and related controls.
Oversee HRIS, recruiting systems, performance management systems, employee files, benefits systems, and other HR technologies.
Ensure HR data and employee information are accurate and appropriately maintained.
Evaluate HR processes and systems for efficiency and scalability to enhance the employee experience.
Coordinate with Finance and Operations as appropriate.
Supervise, coach, develop, and evaluate Planit’s HR Coordinator.
Delegate appropriate HR administrative and operational responsibilities while maintaining overall accountability for the function.
Establish clear priorities, expectations, and workflows for the HR team.
Provide opportunities for professional development and increasing responsibility.
Directly supervises Planit’s HR Coordinator and may oversee contractors, consultants, brokers, vendors, interns, or other HR-related resources as required.