Director, People Business Partner

National Multiple Sclerosis Society • Washington, DC

3d • $90,000 - $120,000 • Remote

About The Position

The Director, People Business Partner (People Business Partner Lead) is a key leader within the National MS Society (the Society) and, as such, must maintain a broad knowledge of our organization, exemplify our values, contribute positively to our mission, and collaborate in discussions and tactical project teams cross functionally. The People Business Partner Lead aligns business objectives with employees and management across designated business units. The role is grounded in a deep understanding of the business and in trusted, credible relationships with leaders and employees, partnering across the People & Culture function to deliver value-added services that reflect the strategic objectives of the organization. The People Business Partner Lead acts as a trusted advisor to business leaders, providing guidance on workforce planning, talent management, leadership development, employee relations, performance, organizational design, and culture while ensuring compliance with people policies and labor laws. It is essential that this individual serves as a knowledgeable and trusted business partner whose credibility is rooted in business acumen, fiscal stewardship, and alignment with our Mission, Vision, and Values - combined with deep HR expertise. Above all, this leader cares about people and acts as a strategic Business Partner Lead for assigned functions, providing thoughtful talent guidance and support with humility, humanity, and hospitality.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in HR, Business, Industrial Relations, Organizational Development, or related field
• Progressive leadership experience: 7+ years of experience in leadership roles, with a significant portion within Human Resources roles focused on Talent Management
• Minimum of 7 years of progressive HR business partner experience with deep experience within the employee relations and conflict resolution space
• Human resources or operations experience gained in the non-profit sector with peer to peer fundraising preferred
• Strong communication skills honed through experience in various formats – verbal, written, remote, in person, 1;1, groups of all sizes, formal and informal, et cetera
• Excellent EQ interpersonal skills, with the ability to partner effectively with people from all backgrounds and at various career stages and with a range of skills, education, and capabilities
• Strong collaboration skills demonstrated within remote and hybrid teams
• Capable as facilitator to engage, inspire, and communicate concepts and expectations
• Experience creating best practices that leverage automation and AI to improve outcomes
• Strong working knowledge and experience leveraging Workday HCM for HR business processes and workflows
• Microsoft office suite: Proficient in Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Teams
• Commitment to inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility (IDEA) principles
• Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion
• Analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to make data-driven decisions
• Strong leadership and team management skills, with the ability to develop and mentor others in a REMOTE first environment

Nice To Haves

• HR certification (e.g. CHRL, SHRP, PHR, SPHR) preferred

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary People Business Partner Lead supporting a function or group of functions throughout the entire employee lifecycle (EX: Development, Technology, or MarComms).
• Partner with our People & Culture Lead and function leaders to co-create talent strategies that leverage best practices and are aligned with business and organizational goals.
• Serve as an advisor and coach to our leaders (Talent Pipeline Portrait Levels: Leading Leaders, Leading Others, Knowledge Leaders and Knowledge Experts) enabling their leadership.
• Build trusted relationships in 1:1 and group settings gaining knowledge and understanding in order to appropriately influence leadership decisions and drive organizational effectiveness.
• Collaborate with our Recruiting team to proactively address current and future talent needs paying close attention to specialty skills and capabilities, budget constraints, title and pay parity, geographic needs, and longer-term succession planning.
• Collaborate with functional leaders and Recruiting team to conduct internal assessments and external scans identifying talent gaps and considering how to address through internal interventions or through external acquisitions.
• Use data and insights to build business cases for evolving talent strategies and practices.
• Work jointly with business leaders to shape organizational design, define job roles, and optimize talent processes for performance and scalability.
• Facilitate annual performance reviews, talent calibration, succession planning, and development conversations in partnership with leadership teams.
• Ensure follow-through on development actions and readiness plans.
• Collaborate with HR leadership to implement talent management initiatives (e.g., diversity and inclusion, succession planning) and deliver special projects on time and within scope.
• Partner with stakeholders to distribute training materials on key HR topics such as workplace accommodation, and performance management.
• Provide coaching, performance management, and development opportunities to direct reports within the Employee Relations and HR Admin function.
• Lead and support the resolution of employee relations issues and investigations through effective partnership with the Business Partners, Legal, and Compliance teams, while providing tactical guidance to managers on complex employee matters to ensure regulatory compliance, mitigate risk, and promote positive employee outcomes and engagement.
• Support execution of HR initiatives such as harassment training and ensure timely completion of administrative tasks including investigation documentation.
• Coordinate onboarding and offboarding logistics with cross-functional teams (e.g., IT, HR shared services) and support exit interviews to ensure a smooth employee experience.
• Contribute to ensuring employee records are accurately maintained in HR systems through coordinated efforts with HR operations teams.
• Collaborate with legal, compliance, and HR teams to design, review, and update HR policies and procedures in line with legislation and best practices.
• Partner with managers and employees to interpret and apply HR policies consistently, escalating complex issues as needed for resolution.
• Advocate for client group requirements during the design and rollout of enterprise-wide HR programs to ensure relevance and adoption.
• Lead change management efforts for talent-related initiatives, advising leaders on employee impact and deploying risk mitigation strategies to support successful transitions.

Benefits

• Considerable Paid Time Off Plan
• Paid Holidays with a Winter Break
• 401k Retirement Savings Plan with Society match
• Commuter Benefit Plan
• Comprehensive Health & Welfare benefits including: Medical, Dental, Vision
• Flex Spending Accounts
• Life Insurance
• Disability Coverage
• Spring Health Membership offering free therapy and professional coaching, as well as additional voluntary benefit offerings.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager