Director, People & Culture

Brookfield Zoo Chicago•Brookfield, IL

4d•$150,000 - $165,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Brookfield Zoo Chicago seeks a Director of People & Culture (P&C) to serve as a key leader within Brookfield Zoo Chicago’s People & Culture team, providing strategic and operational leadership across five critical areas: Labor Relations, Employee Development, Performance Management, Employee Relations, and HR Operations. Reporting directly to the Senior Vice President of People & Culture, the Director partners with executive leadership, managers, and union representatives to build a thriving, inclusive, and high-performing workplace aligned with the Zoo’s Next Century Plan and long-term mission. The Director ensures that People & Culture programs foster engagement, compliance, and continuous growth while advancing a culture grounded in respect, collaboration, and accountability. The Director of People & Culture is a full-time salaried position with a base salary range of $150,000 to $165,000 annually. Please see Compensation and Benefits Summary section below the job description information.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Organizational Development, Business Administration, or related field required.
Minimum of 8 years of progressive HR leadership experience, including at least 3 years in a management or director-level role.
Proven track record managing multiple HR functions (such as labor relations & compliance, training & development, performance management, employee relations & culture, compensation & benefits, HR systems & data, etc.) and leading organizational change initiatives.
Deep expertise in HR management, employee relations, and labor relations. Demonstrated ability to combine practical experience and critical judgement with specialized knowledge to achieve goals.
Strong understanding of federal and state employment laws and labor practices to navigate complex legal trends, ensure compliance and mitigate risk.
Exceptional interpersonal, conflict-resolution, and communication skills.
Strategic thinking and orientation. Excellent teambuilding, facilitation and influencing skills.
Demonstrated ability to coach and develop leaders while driving performance and accountability.
Proficiency in HRIS systems (Dayforce preferred), Power BI, and Microsoft Office Suite.
High degree of professionalism, discretion, and integrity in handling sensitive matters.
Cultural competency; experience and/or ability to work and interact effectively with a diverse, multicultural audience.
English fluency at a professional working proficiency.
Strong alignment with the mission, values, and community impact goals of Brookfield Zoo Chicago.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in Human Resources, Organizational Development, Business Administration, or related field preferred.
Experience working effectively within unionized environment strongly preferred with demonstrated ability to foster cooperative labor relations/labor-management practices.

Responsibilities

Lead day-to-day administration of collective bargaining agreements (CBAs), ensuring consistent interpretation and application of contract provisions.
Partner with the SVP of P&C and legal counsel in the development of labor strategy, contract negotiations, and implementation of new terms.
Manage grievance and arbitration processes, including Step 1 and Step 2 meetings, documentation, and settlement tracking.
Provide guidance and training to managers and supervisors on union-related practices, discipline, and communication with represented employees.
Maintain updated logs of grievances, Unfair Labor Practices (ULPs), and contractor use in accordance with established P&C compliance frameworks.
Collaborate with operational departments to balance workforce needs, union obligations, and Zoo objectives.
Lead the design, coordination, and evaluation of the Zoo’s Leadership and Employee Development programs, including the new Leadership Framework (Core, Elective, and Stretch modules).
Partner with leaders to identify learning priorities, career pathing strategies, and targeted development plans that prepare employees for future roles.
Oversee training systems (e.g., Cypherworx, BindBee, Collabornation) to ensure compliance-based learning and employee engagement.
Integrate leadership and onboarding experiences with organizational programs such as the CEO Roundtable – Behind the Vision to strengthen engagement and connection to mission.
Develop internal facilitation, mentorship, and coaching programs to foster growth and succession readiness at all levels.
Oversee implementation of the Zoo’s Casual Conversations model and formal review process, ensuring all leaders complete evaluations in alignment with established timelines (October 31 and March 31 cycles).
Partner with managers to ensure that performance discussions emphasize strengths, goals, development, and accountability.
Track organization-wide completion rates, identify patterns or skill gaps, and recommend development interventions.
Collaborate with P&C leadership to strengthen organizational effectiveness through coaching, calibration, and alignment between individual goals and the Zoo’s strategic plan.
Provide tools, templates, and training to managers to enhance the quality and consistency of performance feedback across departments.
Serve as a trusted advisor and escalation point for complex employee relations matters, including investigations, conflict resolution, disciplinary actions, and workplace accommodations.
Ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, and local employment laws, as well as internal Zoo policies and ethical standards.
Maintain confidentiality, consistency, and fairness in handling all employee concerns, grievances, and policy interpretations.
Partner with department heads and the P&C leadership team to promote a culture of accountability, respect, and open communication.
Provide coaching and policy guidance to managers to minimize risk and enhance leadership capability.
Monitor and evaluate workplace trends to recommend proactive strategies that strengthen engagement and retention.
Lead the operational efficiency of P&C systems, data integrity, and workflow processes across HR functions.
Oversee HR compliance documentation, policy implementation, and employee lifecycle management.
Partner with IT and Finance to maintain secure, accurate data governance (e.g., Safe Data & PHI “Never Together” matrix, remote work compliance).
Collaborate with the SVP and internal stakeholders on the design and rollout of new HR policies, procedures, and SOPs.
Support optimization of Dayforce and other HR technologies to automate reporting, analytics, and communication tools.
Contribute to development of HR dashboards and workforce analytics (turnover, demographics, tenure, and equity trends) using Power BI and other data tools.
Supervise assigned People & Culture team members, providing mentorship, direction, and professional development support.
Model Brookfield Zoo Chicago’s values of integrity, inclusion, and excellence through leadership and example.
Collaborate across departments to ensure P&C programs are aligned with operational needs, budget priorities, and organizational goals.
Serve as an ambassador for the People & Culture department, promoting transparency, partnership, and a service-oriented approach to all staff interactions.