Senior HR Director For People & Engagement

SENIOR HR DIRECTOR FOR PEOPLE & ENGAGEMENT

Summary

The Senior HR Director for People & Engagement plays a critical role in bolstering and ACLUM’s employee-related practices and workplace culture to increase organizational capacity and support ACLUM’s mission and strategic priorities. The focus of this role includes recruitment, hiring, and onboarding; talent management, learning and development, and performance management; and employee and labor relations – to strengthen employee engagement, as well as organizational effectiveness and agility. This position reports to the Chief Operations and Talent Officer, serves as both a consultative partner and hands‑on practitioner, and collaborates with colleagues across departments to achieve people‑related objectives.

The ideal candidate for this position brings expertise across multiple HR functions, extensive experience in talent and performance management, and demonstrated ability to strengthen organizational culture, leadership capacity, and employee engagement. Strong candidates will have a proven strategic, systems, and creative mindset; experience refining foundational policies and processes while also delivering on existing programs; ability to translate high‑level goals into action; comfort navigating ambiguity; interest in all components of this job, including planning, execution, and administration; and ability to work both independently and collaboratively with colleagues across departments in a dynamic environment.

Essential Duties

Recruitment & Onboarding

• Oversee the HR Generalist in execution of ACLUM’s full‑cycle process for recruitment and onboarding of new employees, helping to ensure consistent and compliant hiring practices across the organization.
• Guide department heads and hiring managers in crafting position descriptions and defining requirements to align with business and organizational needs.
• Work with the HR Generalist and hiring managers in developing recruitment plans for individual posting, and curating interview questions and candidate assessments, to facilitate a smooth process and well‑informed hiring decisions.
• Work with the HR Generalist in developing strategies and employing tactics to attract highly qualified and diverse talent for open positions.
• Provide interviewers with guidance on appropriate interview protocols and inclusive practices.
• Manage the full onboarding process for new hires, and promote practices to support employee engagement and cultural integration.

Learning, Development & Performance Management

• Support hiring managers in facilitating successful transitions and early performance success for newly hired employees.
• Partner with the COTO to evolve the organizational approach to performance management to best align with and effect programmatic and operational goals.
• Implement and manage formal performance evaluation processes, tools, and feedback mechanisms to support employee growth and shared accountability.
• Aid managers in establishing performance expectations and development goals for their teams.
• Develop and implement learning and development strategies to address gaps in employee knowledge, skills, and effectiveness identified in staffing and capacity planning discussions and performance reviews.
• Plan, curate, lead and/or arrange professional development activities for employees at all levels of the organization, to help them grow within their roles and the organization.
• Support and coach managers in addressing performance challenges and development needs related to their teams and direct reports.
• Facilitate and/or arrange employee trainings on mandatory HR‑ and Operations‑related topics, including anti‑harassment, emergency preparedness, and data security.

Employee Engagement

• Work with the Operations Manager to plan and execute all‑staff events to foster community building and employee engagement, including social gatherings, summits, and team‑building activities. Guide people managers in facilitating the same for their teams.
• Monitor and assess employee engagement and retention, identify areas for potential improvement, and recommend new or adjusted practices to address identified areas.
• Partner with the COTO to design mechanisms for employee recognition in alignment with ACLUM’s performance management framework. Implement and manage those mechanisms as approved.

Employee & Labor Relations

• Field employment‑ and workplace‑related questions and concerns from employees across and at all levels of the organization.
• Support employees in understanding and adhering to employment‑ and personnel‑related policies.
• Facilitate and support employees in conflict resolution when needed.
• Oversee the HR Generalist in processing reasonable accommodations and employee leaves of absence.
• Partner with the COTO in administration of the collective bargaining agreement, including labor‑management meetings, bargaining and contract negotiations, and grievance procedures.
• Partner with the COTO and employment counsel on investigations and interventions.
• Work with the COTO on other confidential tasks related to sensitive employee matters.

People & Change Management

• Supervise the HR Generalist and support their professional development through work planning, coaching, and mentoring (i.e., work‑development plans and assignments, performance evaluations, performance improvement plans, regular check‑ins, real‑time actionable feedback, disciplinary actions if needed).
• Partner with the COTO to develop and implement human resources strategies and practices in alignment with, and to advance, organizational goals.
• Identify workforce trends and assess implications for ACLUM, to inform people‑related initiatives.
• Work with the COTO and department heads to assess organizational capacity and ways to manage current and anticipated demands on bandwidth.
• Work with department heads to identify capability gaps and adapt roles and responsibilities as business needs evolve, and determine staffing approaches to meet programmatic needs.
• Partner with the COTO and senior leadership on organizational change initiatives meant to advance strategic people objectives.
• Support planning and implementation of change management efforts across the organization. Manage and facilitate internal communications for change initiatives, as applicable.
• Work with the COTO and HR Generalist to ensure ACLUM is compliant with applicable federal and state employment laws and regulations.
• Assess HR infrastructure, systems, and practices, recommend improvements, and partner with the COTO on refinements to enhance the department’s effectiveness.

Other Responsibilities

Special projects and other tasks, as assigned by the Chief Operations and Talent Officer.

Qualifications, Experience and Attributes

• Minimum of seven years’ hands‑on and management‑level experience across core HR functions, including recruitment, talent management, learning and development, employee relations, and/or execution of people strategy, required. Experience working in non‑profit and unionized environments a plus.
• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in human resource management, organizational psychology, or closely related field required. SHRM‑SCP, PHR, or professional coaching certification preferred.
• Strong knowledge of workforce planning, talent and performance management, and change management methodologies.
• Strong working knowledge of federal and state employment and labor laws, compliance regulations, and Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) guidelines.
• Proven experience developing and implementing performance management models, learning and development programs and interventions, as well as inclusive and equitable workplace practices.
• Experience utilizing HR data and analytics to inform business strategy and decisions.
• Demonstrated success in facilitating and leading organizational change initiatives.
• Demonstrated success managing and motivating teams to achieve shared objectives and individual goals, particularly in a dynamic environment.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, as well as facilitation and presentation skills.
• Strong client service orientation with exceptional systems‑thinking and problem‑solving capabilities.
• Ability to navigate sensitive and confidential matters with diplomacy and discretion, and support others through conflict navigation and resolution.
• Strong track record of effectively managing multiple and simultaneous projects as well as competing interests and needs.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills, with proven effectiveness supporting and collaborating with colleagues at multiple levels of an organization and working with external business partners.
• Highly proficient with Microsoft Office suite applications, including Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint and SharePoint.
• Strong belief in the ACLU’s mission and work to defend and strengthen civil rights and civil liberties.
• Commitment to diversity and inclusion. Respect for differences in race, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, ability, and socio‑economic background.

Key Performance Indicators

• Effectiveness in guidance and facilitation provided during recruitment and onboarding.
• Effectiveness in fostering continuous learning and professional development for employees at all levels and across the organization.
• Effectiveness in managing performance management processes.
• Creativity and resourcefulness in developing, implementing, and orchestrating employee engagement mechanisms and activities.
• Flexibility and adaptability in modifying approach as organizational needs evolve.
• Proactivity and creativity in support of the varied employee segments within the organization.
• Proactivity, clarity, diplomacy, and sensitivity in communications.
• Effectiveness in collaboration with colleagues within the Operations team, across ACLUM departments, and with external stakeholders.

Other Requirements

• Frequent written and verbal communication.
• Extensive reading, preparing, and analyzing information, in hard‑copy and electronic format.
• Frequent and extended periods of being in a stationary position and in an office environment.
• Ability to occasionally and independently travel to various locations across Massachusetts.
• Periodic handling and transport of light packages and bundles of printed materials.
• Ability to set up and manipulate settings for small A/V equipment and software and configure standard office furniture in event spaces.
• Flexibility to accommodate work outside of regular business hours when needed, including early mornings, evenings, and weekends.

Compensation

Salary range for this position is $174,500 to $185,000, with consideration for and commensurate with direct experience. Benefits include 401(k) plan plus employer match, medical and dental insurance, and paid vacation and holidays. Reimbursement for mileage may be provided in accordance with ACLUM policies, when applicable.

About the ACLU of Massachusetts

Founded in 1920, the ACLU of Massachusetts (ACLUM) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, and was the first state affiliate of the national American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). ACLUM works to protect and expand civil rights and civil liberties throughout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and envisions a society where all people enjoy freedom, opportunity, and dignity, with equal protection under the law. To achieve its mission, ACLUM employs legal action, legislative and community advocacy, and public education and engagement in multiple issue areas, including freedom of speech and expression, freedom of religion and belief, immigrants’ rights, criminal justice, reproductive rights, LGBTQ+ rights, racial justice, voting rights, privacy, and government transparency.

ACLUM is an equal opportunity employer and encourages women, people of color, persons with disabilities, queer people, and formerly incarcerated people to apply. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

This position will be based in Boston, MA and eligible for a hybrid work schedule, being in‑person an average of three days per week, with the ability to be in the office on any given day as needed and assigned. ACLUM has a Covid‑19 vaccine mandate, and candidates receiving a job offer will be required to show proof of being fully vaccinated against COVID‑19 prior to commencing employment. Exemptions to this requirement will be considered on a case‑by‑case basis in accordance with applicable law. Applicants should be aware that fully remote work will not be deemed a reasonable accommodation.