People & Culture Director

Waters Meet•Spokane, WA

4d•$120,500 - $141,769•Hybrid

About The Position

Waters Meet, formerly known as Empire Health Foundation, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit foundation founded in 2008. The foundation's mission is to advance health equity in eastern Washington through a collaborative approach to philanthropy, centering community voice, knowledge, and experience. They prioritize deep relationships with communities, confronting systems of poverty and racism, and pursuing innovative solutions to improve health and quality of life. Their core values include community, integrity, trust, compassion, and unconditional love, guided by an Equity Healing Framework. With a staff of 19, they foster a collaborative team culture and are committed to learning, reflection, feedback, and exploring decision-making models. The People & Culture Director will guide culture-building, support learning and development, and establish practices for a collaborative and effective workplace. The ideal candidate will have deep knowledge of best practices and values-based approaches to talent management and culture development. This role will strengthen the Human Resources function, advise senior leaders, and steward talent acquisition, development, performance management, total rewards, employee engagement, benefits, and wellness. The Director will manage external relationships and possess skills in both strategic planning and day-to-day execution. The Director of People and Culture will serve as a trusted advisor to senior leaders, internal employees, and external clients, providing leadership for an environment where staff are engaged, valued, and developed. Working in partnership with the President and Executive Team, the Director will provide strategic leadership and direction, ensuring consistent and fair application of HR policies, philosophies, and organization-wide systems to contribute to the foundation's culture and mission. This role reports to the Vice President of Operations and is a full-time, exempt position.

Requirements

10 years of progressive human resources administration experience.
Experience in the key Human Resources Disciplines with a deep knowledge of developing and managing talent management, change management, organizational development, recruiting and staffing, benefits and compensation, employee relations, compliance and safety, and Human Resources Information (HRIS).
Demonstrated ability to integrate equity and inclusion practices in individual and group settings.
Proficient with technology platforms, including MS Office, and a willingness to learn new technology systems.
Strong written and oral communication skills.
A solid background in supporting all aspects of a project, from developing high-level, strategic initiatives to working directly on execution and day-to-day operations.
A strategic thinker who is able to influence the Human Resources and talent management agenda, including managing development issues.
Skill in coaching and consulting with executive level employees, including talent management and performance leadership coaching.
Deep understanding of current human resources regulations, laws and recommendations that impact Waters Meet.
Ability to communicate, motivate and strategize with different audience levels, including executives, legal professionals, partners, and internal staff of all levels.
Sound, seasoned judgment and ability to provide values-based leadership, with particular attention to the foundation’s core values.
Adept at work planning and providing analysis to facilitate decisions among staff and leadership.
Knowledge of principles, practices and trends in recruitment and employment; compensation and benefits; record-keeping systems; and performance development and evaluation systems.
Results-oriented; ability to quickly learn Waters Meet’s priorities and translate them into actionable Human Resources solutions in order to enhance organizational effectiveness.
High level of comfort working in an ambiguous environment requiring creativity, adaptivity, and flexibility.
Demonstrated high level of ethics, integrity, and discretion.
Humility, curiosity, and an understanding of how these qualities are connected to success in this role.
Commitment to our organizational mission and values.
Demonstrated ability to cultivate relationships and work effectively and respectfully with politically, ideologically, culturally, and geographically diverse people and communities.

Nice To Haves

Human Resource certification (S/PHR or SHRM) preferred.

Responsibilities

Serve as a trusted advisor and forward-thinking talent and culture strategist to senior management.
Support the organization’s efforts in promoting greater fluency in diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging throughout the foundation.
Identify, implement, participate in, and lead the development of an ongoing learning environment that supports use of effective diversity and equity concepts, behaviors, and tools.
Steward positive relationship development by elevating issues and trends to leadership and identifying learning and training opportunities to support a collaborative and effective work environment.
Support work environments that foster and reinforce individual and team health, mutual accountability, and sustainability.
Create trust with staff and focus on critical behaviors for job satisfaction to support organizational success.
Develop, plan and implement all HR programs while promoting a team-based approach. Areas of focus include: organizational planning and change management, talent acquisition (including recruiting), talent development (including organization-wide learning practices), talent management (including performance management and employee relations), and HR operations (including compensation and benefits).
Provide supervisor training, including expectations of supervisors and practices for effective supervision and performance accountability.
Proactively address issues, identify opportunities for greater efficiency/effectiveness, propose contingency plans, and mitigate risks.
Provide internal consulting to members of leadership.
Manage the total people and culture budget; identify a plan for operating expenses that meets or exceeds work expectations while staying within available annual resources.
Deploy program-specific initiatives as well as centralized processes such as performance reviews, annual salary planning, management training programs, etc.
Oversee investigation and resolution of employee relations issues.
Develop and execute compensation and benefit programs that are competitive in the marketplace and in alignment with organization strategy, values, and business philosophy.
Ensure HR and related policies and procedures are updated, as required, to comply with changes in the law, changing operating norms, and/or to reflect any new operating posture or philosophy of the foundation.
Lead in the planning and/or design of organizational structure(s) as required, to accommodate the needs of the organization to facilitate and promote a high performing culture.
Provide coaching, counseling, tools and methods for Waters Meet staff and supervisors to enhance performance and service delivery.
Shape Waters Meet’s workforce strategy including recruitment, onboarding, performance management and action plans, succession planning, training, coaching, and overall talent management.
Steward organizational development including leadership development and education, training, and stewardship of a positive, values-driven, team-based organizational culture.
Manage all human resources functions in alignment with executive leadership priorities and a focus on increased productivity and effectiveness, standardization across all organizational functions and teams, improved operational efficiencies, improved employee relations, and decreased turnover.