Director of People and Culture

MANAGER/DIRECTOR OF PEOPLE OPERATIONS Lead with Purpose. Build with Passion. Make an Impact. Brighter, Stronger Foundation (BSF) Location: Maryland | Corporate Office in Abingdon, MD Employment Type: Full-Time | Salaried, Exempt Department: Administration / People & Culture Reports To: Executive Leadership Salary: $80,000-$90,000 Annually (Proposed) Great Organizations Start with Great People. That's Where You Come In! At Brighter, Stronger Foundation (BSF), our mission is centered on empowering individuals and families through compassionate, high-quality behavioral health and community-based services. We believe that creating meaningful change for the people we serve begins with creating an exceptional workplace for the people who serve them. We're looking for a dynamic, forward-thinking Director of People & Culture who knows that great HR is about more than policies, paperwork, and processes. It's about people, accountability, leadership, and building an organization where employees can do their best work. This is not a sit-behind-the-desk leadership position. We need a leader who is equally comfortable developing organizational strategy, coaching managers through difficult conversations, solving day-to-day HR challenges, and implementing sustainable systems that support our continued growth. If you're a strategic thinker, a hands-on problem solver, and a leader who believes that culture and accountability go hand in hand, we want to meet you! The Opportunity: Where Leadership Meets Action As our Manager/Director, People Operations, you will serve as a trusted advisor to executive leadership while overseeing the organization's human resources strategy, operations, employee experience, and regulatory compliance. You will play a critical role in strengthening organizational infrastructure, developing leaders, establishing clear accountability, and ensuring that our people practices support BSF's mission and business objectives. What You'll Lead and Own People Strategy & Organizational Leadership Partner with executive leadership to develop and execute people strategies aligned with BSF's mission, growth, and operational priorities. Serve as a strategic advisor on workforce planning, organizational structure, talent development, employee engagement, and change management. Build scalable HR practices, policies, and systems that support organizational effectiveness. Translate business priorities into actionable people initiatives with measurable results. Lead, coach, and develop HR team members as the department evolves. Employee Relations & Workplace Culture Foster a workplace culture rooted in respect, professionalism, accountability, inclusion, and continuous improvement. Provide confident, balanced guidance to managers and employees on complex workplace matters. Lead employee relations investigations, conflict resolution, corrective action, and performance management initiatives. Equip supervisors with the knowledge and tools to manage teams effectively and consistently. Develop meaningful employee engagement, recognition, retention, and communication strategies. HR Operations & Employee Lifecycle Management Oversee the full employee lifecycle, including recruitment, onboarding, employee development, performance management, retention, and separation. Ensure efficient, accurate HR operations, documentation, personnel records, and HRIS administration. Strengthen processes involving leave administration, accommodations, benefits coordination, and workers' compensation. Identify operational gaps and implement practical improvements that increase efficiency, accountability, and consistency. Establish and monitor HR performance indicators, reporting, and workforce analytics. Employment Law, Compliance & Risk Management Maintain compliance with applicable federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations. Oversee HR compliance related to FMLA, ADA, FLSA, EEO, Maryland employment requirements, and other applicable workplace regulations. Partner with organizational leaders to support compliance with CARF accreditation standards, COMAR requirements, and other applicable behavioral health and human services regulations. Conduct HR audits, identify compliance gaps, implement corrective measures, and maintain appropriate documentation. Develop and update employee policies, procedures, and handbook materials to reflect legal requirements and organizational needs. Talent Development & Leadership Accountability Strengthen recruitment and retention strategies to attract and retain high-performing talent. Partner with training and operational leaders to identify workforce development needs and support mandatory training compliance. Design and improve performance evaluation, coaching, and leadership development processes. Support succession planning, employee growth, and internal career advancement. Promote a culture where expectations are clear, performance is measurable, and employees have opportunities to succeed. What You Bring to the Table We're looking for a leader who brings strong HR expertise, sound judgment, emotional intelligence, and the ability to execute. Required Qualifications Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Organizational Development, or a related field; equivalent combinations of relevant education and substantial experience may be considered. At least 8 years of progressive human resources experience, including 3 or more years in an HR management or leadership capacity. Demonstrated experience managing the full employee lifecycle and handling complex employee relations matters. Strong working knowledge of federal and Maryland employment laws and HR compliance requirements. Experience developing, implementing, and improving HR policies, programs, and operational processes. Strong technology proficiency, including HRIS platforms, applicant tracking systems, reporting tools, and Microsoft Office or Google Workspace. Exceptional organizational skills, discretion, professionalism, and the ability to manage competing priorities. Demonstrated ability to work independently, influence leaders, and follow initiatives through to completion. Preferred Qualifications HR leadership experience within behavioral health, healthcare, human services, nonprofit organizations, or other highly regulated environments. Familiarity with CARF standards, COMAR regulations, and healthcare-related workforce compliance. Experience with Paylocity or comparable HRIS platforms. Demonstrated success supporting organizational growth, process improvements, or change management initiatives. The Leader Who Will Thrive Here You're a strategist AND an executor. You can develop a long-term vision while managing the details required to make it happen. You lead with empathy AND accountability. You believe in supporting employees while maintaining clear expectations and organizational standards. You're proactive, not reactive. You anticipate challenges, identify solutions, and take ownership without waiting for direction. You build trust. Employees feel comfortable approaching you, managers respect your guidance, and executive leadership values your judgment. You embrace growth and change. You enjoy strengthening systems, improving processes, and helping organizations reach the next level. Most importantly, you genuinely care about people, but you also understand the business of HR. What Success Looks Like In this role, success means more than completing HR transactions. It means creating a People & Culture department that is responsive, organized, compliant, and trusted. It means developing leaders who confidently manage their teams, employees who understand expectations, and processes that support both accountability and compassion. It means building a sustainable HR foundation that helps BSF continue to grow while staying true to its mission. Why Join Brighter, Stronger Foundation? At BSF, your work will have a direct impact on the employees who make a difference in the lives of individuals and families throughout our communities. We value leaders who bring fresh ideas, take initiative, challenge outdated processes constructively, and make a meaningful contribution. Our benefits offerings include, subject to plan terms and eligibility: Competitive compensation Medical, dental, and vision insurance Retirement savings options, including a 401(k) with company match Paid time off and sick leave Company-paid life insurance Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Professional development and continuing education opportunities Ready to Lead, Build, and Make a Difference? Your leadership could help shape the next chapter of Brighter, Stronger Foundation. Let's build something stronger, together. Equal Employment Opportunity Brighter, Stronger Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing equal employment opportunities to qualified applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable law. Reasonable accommodations are available throughout the application and employment process in accordance with applicable law. #J-18808-Ljbffr