Vice President, Human Resources

We're protecting and enhancing America's National Park System for present and future generations.

National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) is the nation's oldest and largest national parks nonprofit advocacy organization. NPCA has an exciting opportunity for a Vice President, Human Resources to lead our Human Resources department.

Position Title: Vice President, Human Resources

Grade: R

Job Status: Full Time

FLSA: Exempt

Department: Human Resources

Location: Washington, DC (Hybrid)

Immediate Supervisor: Chief Operations Officer

Manager’s Supervisor: President & Chief Executive Officer

Incumbent / New Position: Incumbent

Salary: $175k – 190k (based on experience)

Benefits: We offer a comprehensive and competitive benefits package for this role including a 32-hour work week, paid vacation leave, paid sick leave, paid holidays, health insurance, flexible spending account, dental insurance, life insurance, vision insurance, retirement benefits, short- and long-term disability, and paid sabbaticals for staff after seven years of service. Learn more about our benefits at npca.org/jobs.

Primary Purpose of the Position:

Create and execute the strategic vision of the human resources department in alignment with and to further the execution of the organizational mission. Viewed and considered a strategic partner, advisor, consultant, and confidante not only among the executive leadership, but to the staff at large. Responsible for directing all the people functions of the organization in accordance with the policies and practices of National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA), the ethical and social consciences of business and society, and the laws, regulations and administrative rulings that might impact the organization. This position is responsible for maintaining current knowledge of industry policies, practices, and trends while ensuring compliance and operational excellence and fostering a healthy, connected organizational culture.

Essential Functions:

Strategic HR Leadership (30%)

• Leads the development and execution of NPCA’s human resources strategy, ensuring alignment with the organization’s mission, strategic priorities, and long-term goals.
• Serves as a strategic advisor to the CEO, Executive Team, and Board on workforce, organizational, culture, and people-related matters.
• Anticipates workforce trends, regulatory developments, and evolving employee needs, including those of a multigenerational workforce.
• Develop strategies to attract, engage, develop, and retain talent through initiatives that support career growth, feedback, flexibility, transparency, belonging, connection to mission, and overall employee experience.
• Continuously evaluates and strengthens HR programs, policies, practices, and processes to improve organizational effectiveness.

Talent & Organizational Development (15%)

• Leads talent-management strategies, including recruitment, retention, workforce planning, leadership development, succession planning, and employee development.
• Leads executive recruitment strategies and partners with the CEO and Executive Team on the recruitment and selection of senior leaders.
• Identifies current and future talent and competency needs and develop strategies to strengthen organizational capacity.
• Ensuring recruitment, development, and talent practices advance justice, equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging.

Compensation, Benefits & Employee Experience (15%)

• Leads NPCA’s compensation and total rewards strategy, ensuring competitive, equitable, and fiscally responsible practices.
• Partners with consultants and benefits brokers to evaluate and improve compensation, benefits, and health and welfare programs.
• Leads strategies to strengthen employee engagement, organizational culture, employee experience, and workplace effectiveness, including the biennial All-Employee Survey.

HR Policy, Compliance & Risk (20%)

• Oversee the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of HR policies, programs, systems, and practices.
• Ensures compliance with applicable employment laws and regulations and advises leadership on emerging HR risks and requirements.
• Establishes processes and controls that promote consistency, accountability, and effective HR operations.

HR Team & Operations (10%)

• Leads, mentors, and develops the HR team, ensuring the department has the structure, capabilities, and resources to meet organizational needs.
• Oversee HR operations, systems, reporting, metrics, and the effective delivery of HR services across the organization.
• Manages the HR department budget and directs external consultants and professional partners.
• Use HR data and organizational feedback to inform decision-making and continuously improve the employee experience and effectiveness of the HR function.

External Perspective & Continuous Improvement (10%)

• Monitors emerging HR trends, best practices, and labor-market developments and brings relevant insights and innovations to NPCA.
• Benchmarks NPCA’s HR programs and practices against relevant organizations and markets and recommends improvements that support the organization’s strategic priorities.
• Maintains professional expertise through ongoing development and participation in relevant professional organizations.

Competencies

HR Expertise, Leadership & Navigation, Cultural Awareness, Relationship Management, Communication, Consultation, Business Acumen, Critical Evaluation, Ethical Practice

Other: Respect employees regardless of their position or background. Participates in developing department goals, objectives, and systems. Participates in administrative staff meetings, organization-wide meetings, staff committee meetings, training programs, and attends other meetings and seminars as designated by the supervisor. Assists in evaluation of reports, decisions, and results of department in relation to established goals. This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee in this position.

Minimum Work Schedule: 32-hour workweek with occasional weekend and evening work. Some local and national travel is required.

Minimum Scope of Position: Interacts with internal and external customers/clients, board members and other volunteers, vendors, consultants.

Minimum Qualifications, Competencies, Skills, Education, and Traits:

• BS degree in HR, psychology, or other related discipline and/or equivalent experience. MS degree preferred.
• PHR/SHRM-CP certification desirable.
• 9-10 years of progressive HR experience to include at least 5 years at the management/leadership level.
• Demonstrated abilities in the nine competencies.
• Areas of expertise include Strategic Human Resources; Employment law/Employee Relations/Mediation; Health & Welfare Plan design; Organizational Dynamics/Culture; Workforce Planning.
• A solid understanding of compensation structure and design.

Core Values

Live, honor, and own the organization’s Core Values:

Commitment. We are passionate about NPCA and dedicated to achieving excellence through our work and mission. We seek to improve our performance by taking opportunities for professional and personal development and encouraging reasonable risk-taking and innovation.

Inclusion. We value diversity of thought, background, experience, and opinion. We create a culture of empowerment by welcoming and encouraging meaningful participation from all people and promoting an environment that embraces different perspectives.

Integrity. We hold ourselves accountable to each other, our members and partners, and our mission. We evaluate the impact of our work and strive for honesty and transparency across the organization. We operate ethically in the organization’s best interests.

Respect. We collaborate in results-oriented teams based on trust and consideration for each other. We promote harmony between our work and our personal lives. We foster a healthy and positive workplace culture and work collaboratively with external partners.

Physical Effort and Dexterity: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is typically required to stand, walk, sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; talk or hear. The employee may lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by the job may include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply.

Physical Environment: Home office; typical cubical setting when in office.

Employer’s Rights: NPCA reserves the right to revise this position description at any time. The duties listed above are intended only as illustrations of the several types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position. The job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the NPCA and employees and is subject to change by the NPCA as the needs of the NPCA and requirements of the job change. The above is not an exhaustive list of the position requirements.