Director of Human Resources

Job Description

Job Description

Position Title: Director of Human Resources

Reports To: Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

Location:  Washington, D.C . / Eligible for one remote workday per week

Classification: Exempt, Full-Time

The Director of Human Resources (HR) provides strategic and operational leadership for the organization’s human resources function, ensuring alignment with La Clínica del Pueblo’s mission, values, strategic priorities, and Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) requirements.

The Director serves as a strategic advisor to executive leadership and managers and leads the development and implementation of human capital strategies that support a diverse, multilingual, inclusive, and mission-driven workforce. This position oversees the full spectrum of HR operations, including workforce planning, talent acquisition, employee relations, organizational culture, performance management, learning and development, compensation and benefits, HR policies and compliance, HRIS, and employee engagement.

The Director is expected to build strong partnerships across the organization, promote a culture of accountability and respect, and ensure that HR practices support high-quality patient care, employee well-being, organizational effectiveness, and regulatory compliance.

Key Responsibilities

1. Strategic HR Leadership

• Lead the development and implementation of the organization’s HR strategy in alignment with strategic goals, operational priorities, organizational values, and FQHC requirements.
• Serve as a trusted strategic advisor to the CEO, executive leadership team, and managers on workforce strategy, organizational development, employee relations, compensation, compliance, and emerging HR issues.
• Develop and implement HR policies, programs, and initiatives that promote organizational effectiveness, employee engagement, retention, and performance.
• Provide leadership and direction to the HR team, establishing clear priorities, performance expectations, and service standards.
• Use HR metrics and workforce data to identify trends, assess organizational needs, and inform leadership decision-making.
• Promote equitable, consistent, and legally compliant HR practices across the organization.

2. Talent Acquisition & Workforce Development

• Oversee recruitment, selection, hiring, onboarding, and orientation processes to ensure timely, equitable, transparent, and compliant staffing practices.
• Develop workforce planning strategies that address current and future staffing needs.
• Partner with leadership and managers to identify critical positions, staffing gaps, succession needs, and talent priorities.
• Lead initiatives designed to improve employee retention, career development, leadership development, and succession planning.
• Champion professional development, continuing education, and career growth opportunities for employees at all levels.
• Evaluate recruitment and retention trends and recommend strategies to strengthen the organization’s ability to attract and retain qualified talent.
• Ensure appropriate documentation and processes are maintained throughout the employee lifecycle.

3. Employee Relations & Performance Management

• Lead a proactive, respectful, consistent, and legally compliant employee relations function.
• Provide guidance and coaching to managers regarding employee performance, workplace concerns, corrective action, conflict resolution, and policy interpretation.
• Promote employee voice, open communication, accountability, and collaborative problem-solving.
• Ensure employee concerns, complaints, and workplace issues are addressed promptly, fairly, consistently, and confidentially.
• Oversee performance management processes and support managers in establishing clear expectations, providing feedback, and addressing performance concerns.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen manager capability and leadership effectiveness.
• Engage legal counsel on sensitive or complex HR matters, as needed.

4. Organizational Culture & Employee Engagement

• Lead and support initiatives that strengthen organizational culture and reinforce La Clínica del Pueblo’s mission, values, and commitment to an inclusive and respectful workplace.
• Coordinate employee engagement communications, initiatives, activities, recognition programs, and organizational events in collaboration with relevant departments.
• Develop and implement employee listening strategies, including surveys, focus groups, feedback mechanisms, stay interviews, and other methods for understanding employee experiences and organizational needs.
• Analyze employee feedback and engagement data and partner with leadership to develop and implement meaningful action plans.
• Promote a culture of inclusion, belonging, psychological safety, accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Develop strategies to recognize employee contributions and strengthen employee morale and connection to the organization’s mission.
• Monitor organizational culture and engagement trends and make recommendations to executive leadership.

5. HR Operations, Policies & Compliance

• Oversee the development, implementation, review, and maintenance of HR policies, procedures, and the employee handbook.
• Ensure HR practices comply with applicable federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations, including FMLA, ADA, FLSA, HIPAA, wage and hour requirements, and other applicable requirements.
• Establish and maintain appropriate HR documentation, records, controls, and processes.
• Oversee HRIS administration and ensure the accuracy, integrity, confidentiality, and accessibility of employee data.
• Leverage HR technology and workforce analytics to improve HR operations, reporting, and decision-making.
• Support credentialing and privileging processes in collaboration with appropriate organizational departments.
• Monitor changes in employment legislation, regulatory requirements, and HR best practices and recommend appropriate organizational updates.
• Develop and maintain internal controls and processes to support HR operational effectiveness and compliance.

6. FQHC, Regulatory & Grant Compliance

• Oversee and coordinate, in collaboration with other organizational departments, the preparation of HR-related information, documentation, records, reports, and supporting materials required for FQHC compliance audits and reviews.
• Coordinate HR preparation and participation in audits, reviews, monitoring visits, and information requests conducted by HRSA, DBH, grant-related agencies, and other applicable regulatory or funding entities.
• Partner with Finance, Quality, Compliance, Clinical Operations, Credentialing, and other relevant departments to ensure HR-related information provided for audits is accurate, complete, timely, and consistent with organizational records.
• Maintain readiness for regulatory and grant-related reviews by ensuring required HR policies, personnel documentation, training records, licenses, certifications, workforce data, and other supporting materials are appropriately maintained.
• Coordinate responses to HR-related audit findings, recommendations, corrective action plans, and follow-up requests.
• Identify potential compliance risks and recommend corrective or preventive actions to leadership.

7. Compensation, Benefits & Wellness

• Oversee the organization’s compensation philosophy, programs, and administration, including market benchmarking, salary analysis, job evaluation, internal equity, and compensation recommendations.
• Lead the administration and continuous improvement of employee benefits programs, including health, dental, vision, retirement, life insurance, disability, leave, wellness, and other employee programs.
• Coordinate the annual benefits open enrollment process, including planning, employee communications, educational activities, vendor coordination, system updates, and issue resolution.
• Manage relationships and negotiate with benefits vendors, brokers, consultants, and other service providers to ensure competitive, cost-effective, and high-quality benefits programs.
• Coordinate benefits-related audits and reviews with Finance, Payroll, Compliance, external auditors, vendors, and other relevant organizational areas.
• Ensure benefits administration is accurate, timely, compliant, and appropriately documented.
• Promote employee wellness, work-life balance, and psychological safety through appropriate programs and resources.
• Manage and monitor the HR and agency benefits budget.

8. HRIS & Workforce Analytics

• Oversee the effective administration and utilization of the HRIS and related HR technology platforms.
• Ensure accurate employee data, reporting, personnel records, organizational structures, and HR transactions.
• Develop and maintain HR reports and dashboards that support workforce planning, compliance, retention, turnover, recruitment, compensation, benefits, and employee engagement.
• Identify opportunities to automate and improve HR processes through technology.
• Ensure appropriate data privacy, confidentiality, access controls, and records management practices.

9. Leadership, Collaboration & Organizational Effectiveness

• Build effective working relationships with leaders and employees across all levels of the organization.
• Collaborate with other departments on cross-functional initiatives.
• Provide HR expertise and support for organizational change initiatives, restructurings, workforce planning, and other strategic priorities.
• Promote consistency and accountability in the application of HR policies and practices.
• Represent HR professionally and effectively with employees, leadership, vendors, auditors, regulators, and external partners.

Required Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Public Administration, Organizational Development, or a related field required.
• Master’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Public Administration, Organizational Development, or a related field preferred.

Required Experience

• Minimum of 7–10 years of progressively responsible HR experience, including significant experience in an HR leadership or management role.
• Demonstrated experience leading multiple HR functions, including employee relations, talent acquisition, compensation and benefits, compliance, performance management, and HR operations.
• Demonstrated knowledge of federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations.
• Experience developing, implementing, and maintaining HR policies, procedures, and systems.
• Experience using HR data, reporting, and analytics to support organizational decision-making.
• Demonstrated ability to manage confidential and sensitive employee information with a high degree of professionalism and discretion.
• Strong experience advising and coaching managers and senior leaders on complex HR matters.
• Demonstrated ability to lead organizational change, employee engagement, and culture initiatives.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, deadlines, and projects in a fast-paced work environment.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively under pressure, exercise sound judgment, and maintain professionalism during challenging or high-demand situations.
• Strong written, verbal, interpersonal, organizational, and problem-solving skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working in a nonprofit, healthcare, community health, or FQHC environment strongly preferred.
• Experience with ADP Workforce.
• Experience supporting HRSA, DBH, grant-related, FQHC, or other healthcare/regulatory audits and compliance reviews. 
• SHRM-SCP, SPHR, or comparable HR certification highly desirable.
• Bilingual English/Spanish strongly preferred.

Work Environment & Physical Demands

• Primarily works in a professional office and healthcare organizational environment.
• Requires prolonged periods of sitting, working at a computer, and using standard office technology.
• May require occasional travel between organizational locations or participation in external meetings, audits, training, or community activities.
• May require occasional evening or weekend hours for organizational events, community activities, employee engagement initiatives, or other business needs.
• The position requires the ability to manage competing priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment and to work effectively under pressure.

Compensation & Benefits

La Clínica del Pueblo offers a competitive compensation package commensurate with qualifications and experience, along with a comprehensive benefits program.

Benefits Include: