Director, People Partnership

ASPCA • New York, NY

7d • $98,000 - $127,000 • Remote

About The Position

The Director, People Partnership guides organizational impact across the ASPCA through consistent processes, policies, and leadership that value staff, support the mission, and promote engagement. The role partners directly with Department Heads, People Managers, and individual contributors to support employee contributions, engagement, career development, learning, and growth. The Director advises staff at all levels, adapting their approach with sound judgment and discretion, and works cross-functionally with the People Team, Legal Department, and Internal Communications. The role applies practical management experience and a neutral perspective to organizational strategy, challenging conversations, and effective decision-making.

The Director manages a client portfolio and partners with leaders on team effectiveness, workforce planning, employee relations, performance management, organizational change, career development, and the employee lifecycle. The role also conducts confidential inquiries and investigations, advises on employment matters in partnership with Legal, facilitates conversations and trainings, and collaborates with People Team colleagues and Talent Acquisition. The position reports to the Senior Director, People Partnership and has no direct reports.

This is a remote-based role open to eligible candidates located in the United States. The employee must support work across multiple time zones, especially Eastern Time, take two planned weekend on-call shifts per quarter, and be willing to travel up to 20% annually as needed. Evening and weekend work may also be needed.

Requirements

• Ability to partner with, engage, and influence senior organizational leaders, including without formal management authority.
• Excellent oral and written communication and coaching skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills for handling sensitive and confidential situations.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and manage multiple competing tasks and demands.
• High resilience and a professional demeanor.
• Ability to work evenings and weekends as needed, including two pre-planned on-call weekends per quarter to answer pressing questions from teams.
• Comfort with legal involvement and the risks associated with this work.
• Ability to exemplify ASPCA Core Values and behavioral competencies.
• High school diploma or GED required; bachelor's degree preferred or equivalent experience. The posting also lists a bachelor's degree and high school diploma as required.
• At least 3 years of HR business partner, people partner, or equivalent experience directly advising leaders on employee relations, including investigations, performance management, and organizational effectiveness.
• At least 5 years of experience with demonstrated success managing a team or equivalent experience; another section specifies at least 5 years of related business partner experience.
• Knowledge of United States employment laws.
• Experience managing organizational change and restructures.
• English language proficiency required.

Nice To Haves

• Experience working with a remote workforce at varying levels.
• Experience planning and facilitating meetings, trainings, or workshops.
• Experience tracking and analyzing data to guide work.
• Proficiency with Airtable, Canva, Culture Amp, and Microsoft Office Suite.
• Experience advising and coaching leaders on complex employee performance, conduct, and team effectiveness matters.
• Experience engaging in discussions around Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

Responsibilities

• Maintain and manage a client portfolio across the ASPCA, building trusting and professional partnerships with staff at all levels.
• Partner with the direct manager to align support for shared teams and optimize outcomes for the ASPCA, teams, and employees.
• Synthesize team challenges with People Partnership colleagues and stakeholders to inform senior leaders and support strategic decisions.
• Partner with Department Heads and People Managers to leverage strengths, anticipate challenges, improve team effectiveness, and remove roadblocks.
• Advance priorities with the manager, take ownership of delegated work, and drive assignments through completion.
• Support employee experience priorities, including Core Values-aligned behavior, goal setting, feedback, manager capability, interpersonal guidance, and people decisions; reinforce policies and procedures that support engagement, retention, and offboarding.
• Lead inquiries, consultations, and formal investigations involving confidential grievances and complaints; recommend outcomes with the Legal Team and follow through as directed by the manager.
• Develop talking points and guide manager-employee conversations to ensure appropriate communication and compliance with employment policies.
• Consult with departments on workforce planning, headcount strategy, budget planning, restructures, and team changes.
• Manage conversations with employees on both sides of an issue while remaining neutral, direct, and focused on the ASPCA's best outcome.
• Mediate solution-focused conflict conversations grounded in direct communication, Behavioral Competencies, and Core Values.
• Facilitate organizational workshops and trainings in partnership with Learning and Development.
• Attend client team meetings to understand client work and present or facilitate meetings as requested.
• Build and maintain relationships across teams, locations, and levels, providing consistent communication and practical guidance while shaping culture and advancing organizational priorities.
• Guide Department Heads and People Managers through the employee lifecycle, including off-cycle promotions, job descriptions, and compensation processes; prepare leaders for conversations and draft supporting documentation.
• Advise managers on staff development and well-being, onboarding, training resources, performance improvement plans, progressive discipline, and terminations.
• Develop and coach managers, providing hands-on support and applying employment-law knowledge in partnership with Legal.
• Advise employees and managers on communication, conflict resolution, career development, and professional growth.
• Apply performance management practices through guidance on goal setting, feedback, performance reviews, and retention strategies.
• Participate in cross-team critical work, including key new-hire interviews and complex compensation conversations.
• Collaborate with the People Team to solve staff challenges and concerns, exercising sound judgment, discretion, and confidentiality.
• Improve the People Team's engagement and client experience by building relationships and strengthening organizational trust in the team.
• Share client feedback and context on complex issues with other parts of the People Team to improve support and collaboration.
• Educate managers on Leave and Compensation policies and connect them with appropriate resources and teams.
• Partner with Talent Acquisition on internal hiring to support a seamless, transparent, and equitable experience.

Benefits

• Affordable health coverage, including medical, employer-paid dental, and optional vision coverage.
• Flexible time off, including vacation, sick and bereavement time, paid parental leave, 10 company-paid holidays, and paid personal time off.
• 401(k) plan with dollar-for-dollar employer matching up to 4% and an additional 4% employer contribution.
• Professional development opportunities, including classes, on-the-job training, coaching and mentorship, internal mobility, and opportunities to support work in the field.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Education Level: High school or GED