Director of People & Culture

Director of People and Culture

Benefits: 403 (b) retirement, health insurance, paid time off, parental leave, relocation bonus, vision insurance, wellness resources, competitive salary, dental insurance

Position Title: Director of People and Culture

Reports To: President and Chief Executive Officer

Job Classification: Shift: Days, but evening and weekend work may be required. Status: Full-time

Organizational Overview: At Chimp Haven we believe we're not that different, humans and chimpanzees. Chimps have personalities, emotions and relationships, just like us, and we're on a mission to connect them to the happy healthy lives they deserve. That's why we're providing and promoting personalized care for nearly 300 chimpanzees (most of whom were retired from biomedical research) by helping them, for their remaining years, live a good life – the chimp life. Chimp Haven serves as The National Chimpanzee Sanctuary and is located on 200 forested acres in northwest Louisiana just outside of Shreveport. Chimp Haven has a well-designed facility to support the physical and emotional well-being of all animals, experienced staff and high standards for operational excellence. Chimp Haven offers a competitive salary, excellent benefits, extensive training and an opportunity for professional advancement. Equal Opportunity Employer.

The Opportunity: The Director of People and Culture develops and implements the human resources strategies, initiatives, systems and policies that are aligned with overall business goals. This position is a key member of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT).

Responsibilities and Scope:

Culture:

Develop and lead organizational culture initiatives including strategy, training, employee engagement events, etc.

Partner with senior leadership team in communicating and reinforcing the organization's core values.

Conduct employee culture survey to measure satisfaction across departments and gather recommendations for organizational improvement.

Analyze information and trends from exit interviews, engagement surveys, and open communication forums. Create action plan for addressing opportunities.

Develop and oversee a recruitment strategy to build a strong pipeline for candidates for animal care positions.

Direct organizational change management in partnership with senior leadership team. Help support leaders as needed with employee performance coaching.

Performance Management:

Implement online culture-centered performance management program across the organization which helps to underscore the importance of modeling the core values, setting performance and development goals, meeting/exceeding performance expectations and taking personal accountability.

Develop and deliver performance management training to supervisors and team leaders.

Facilitate employee relations conversations by navigating conflict, grievances or other issues between employees and their managers.

Compensation:

Partner with CEO and CFO to develop and implement a performance-based compensation program that is fair and equitable within the framework of Chimp Haven's federal contract.

Design communication and training plan for management and staff.

Maintain ongoing reviews of market data and trends.

Compliance and Occupational Health and Safety:

Partner with outside legal counsel and payroll system vendor to ensure compliance with state and federal employment regulations with compensation, payroll taxes, state compliance training, etc.

Develop and oversee Chimp Haven Occupational Health and Safety Program and ensure organization meets requirements as defined in National Institutes of Health (NIH) contract. Partner with Safety Officer, Attending Veterinarian, Finance and HR Manager, and other staff to ensure compliance.

Revise and maintain the employee manual. Ensure annual revisions are communicated to staff in clear and transparent manner.

Training and Development:

Design and deliver various modes of training that will help all levels of staff advance their skills and knowledge and become more effective leaders.

Implement organization-wide training programs to improve communication, manage conflict, encourage self-care, and define career pathways. Partner with third-party service providers to identify appropriate training partners as needed.

Partner with Finance and Administration Manager to periodically evaluate and enhance new hire training program.

Other:

Develop and manage departmental budget.

Serve as a highly positive and collaborative partner with colleagues throughout the organization. Collaborate with senior leadership to understand the organization's goals and strategies related to staffing, recruitment and retention.

Partner with CFO and Finance and Administration Manager to support payroll, benefits administration, and other HR related processes managed by the finance and administration team.

Attend training regarding chimpanzee safety, well-being, and species-typical behaviors; seek out other learning opportunities to advance knowledge.

Exhibit the highest ethical and moral values possible.

Represent Chimp Haven in a professional manner at all times.

Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business or related field and 10+ years' experience as a leader in the human resources field. Excellent written and oral communication skills. A passion for the mission and purpose of Chimp Haven.

Preferred Knowledge, Skills and Attributes:

SHRM or executive coaching certification desirable. Enthusiasm for engaging with people --including staff members, board members, consultants, and service providers. Excellent project management skills. Must be able to think, plan, lead, do, innovate, and pivot. Demonstrated experience using listening, diplomacy and tact to build strong relationships internally. Ability and willingness to work in a fast-paced environment, managing multiple projects, competing priorities and tight deadlines. Demonstrates flexibility and patience, and is able to support leadership decisions even if personally in disagreement. Working knowledge of payroll processes and systems. Strong technology skills; Proficiency in MS Office applications (Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint).

Location: Candidate may choose a hybrid working arrangement where they divide their time between the sanctuary and their local home office within the Shreveport/Bossier City area.