Senior Director, Human Resources

Role Description

To advance the purpose of InterVarsity, this position will provide strategic, systems-level leadership for the Human Resources function, partnering closely with leadership in HR and across the organization to support the design, evolution, and execution of the organization's people strategy. The emphasis is on growing and stewarding HR as a proactive, trusted, and forward-looking partner to the Fellowship — cultivating a healthy and thriving organizational culture that advances ministry on campus.

Major Responsibilities

• Personal:
  • Be a maturing disciple of Jesus Christ: growing in love for God, God’s Word, God’s people of every ethnicity and culture, and God’s purposes in the world.
  • Be a lifelong learner who prizes the discipleship of the mind, particularly staying current on issues of business practices within ministry, human resources, and talent management.
• Leadership:
  • Ensure the goals of all reporting functions align with InterVarsity’s Purpose Statement, Vision Statement, Core Values, Doctrinal Basis, and Strategic Initiatives.
  • Serve as a strategic thought partner and builder, translating HR functions and processes into a coherent, executable people strategy in alignment with our mission and purpose.
  • Participate in the development and implementation of strategic plan objectives and HR department strategies, goals, technologies, policies, and procedures.
  • Develop long-range plans with measurable objectives for assigned HR functions.
  • Provide systems-level leadership: diagnose root causes, surface interdependencies across functions, and design coherent, scalable people systems.
  • Anticipate shifting workforce needs and position HR upstream, evolving the function toward proactive, strategic partnership that engages early and shapes strong outcomes.
  • Strengthen the HR team’s strategic partnership and employee relations capabilities—establishing consistent, collaborative, and well-documented practices that are data-driven and best-in-class.
  • Lead the design, administration, and continuous improvement of InterVarsity's compensation strategy, ensuring pay practices are internally equitable, externally competitive with nonprofits and ministries, and aligned with InterVarsity's mission, values, and stewardship commitments.
• Supervision:
  • Recruit, hire, train, develop, supervise and retain qualified HR staff.
  • Build an effective team by facilitating strong collaboration, and championing the understanding of organizational interdependencies.
  • Design and continually refine the HR operating model—establishing clear, focused roles and lanes of ownership, sound accountability structures, and dedicated capacity so the team can prioritize optimally in partnership with key stakeholders, with a high emphasis on supporting the mobilization of our campus ministries.
  • Ensure policies, procedures, and HR programs are consistently administered and aligned with our mission, organizational goals, and in compliance with industry standards and legal requirements.
  • Ensure that assigned HR team equips the movement as a center of excellence, stewards resources, provides strategic information, and delivers value-adding services to staff directors and staff.
  • Foster an environment of spiritual growth among the HR team.
• Collaboration:
  • Build trusted, high-credibility partnerships with senior leaders across all organizational lines—bringing high emotional intelligence and strong relationship-building skills to advance strategic projects and change initiatives across the Fellowship.
  • Provide HR Policy guidance and interpretation to Staff Directors and staff across InterVarsity. Advise leadership of new developments in HR policies, procedures and programs, and employment laws.
  • Partner with Staff Directors and Staff on HR and employment related projects and issues.
  • Identify training needs for Staff Directors and Staff; facilitate point-in-time coaching and training sessions on HR related topics.
  • Build strong working relationships with People Operations leaders to ensure an integrated approach to deliver value-added service and strategic counsel to the Fellowship.
  • Maintain an effective level of literacy of the various InterVarsity ministries, initiatives, and contexts.
  • Lead change in a way that honors people—translating organizational and structural change into clear, concrete implications that engage and support staff along the journey.
• Administration:
  • Assist in developing and managing annual HR budgets.
  • Assess and anticipate HR-related needs; recommend new or revised systems, programs, and procedures to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the HR department.
  • Ensure compliance with all applicable federal and state employment related legal requirements and InterVarsity policies and procedures; assist in mitigating legal risks, and partner with the Legal department as necessary.
  • Participate in professional development sessions, conferences and seminars.
  • Use people data—including staff survey results, HCM data, and workforce trends—to inform priorities, anticipate risks, and ground recommendations in evidence rather than assertion.
• Fund Development:
  • Develop a team of prayer and financial support.
  • Raise an agreed-upon amount of financial support.
  • Establish and nurture ministry partner relationships through visits, phone calls and regular prayer letters.
  • Communicate regularly with direct reports concerning their fund development responsibilities.
• Work Environment/Physical Requirements:
  • A designated workstation at the NSC or a remote office.
  • Required travel includes but is not limited to: People Operations and HR meetings, Ministry Partnership Development meetings, training sessions, and conferences.
  • Regularly required to communicate with others, and routinely use standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets, etc.

Qualifications

• Annually affirm InterVarsity’s Statement of Faith.
• Thorough knowledge of, or the ability to learn: the purpose, vision, ministries and policies of InterVarsity.
• Bachelor’s degree in HR, management, business or a relevant field, a minimum of 12 years of progressive HR experience, and 7 years of management experience is required.
• An advanced degree in a relevant field and an HR professional certification is strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience implementing and managing successful HR programs.
• Strong HR Business Partner experience across a variety of industries; experience in service-oriented or non-profit industries strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated strategic and systems thinking—the ability to diagnose root causes, see interdependencies, and design coherent people systems rather than one-off fixes.
• High emotional intelligence and exceptional relationship-building skills, with a proven ability to build trust and credibility across all levels of an organization.
• Proven ability to partner with and co-build alongside senior leadership and key stakeholders, translating high-level vision into executable strategy and operating reality.
• Demonstrated change-management capability, including the ability to translate organizational and structural change into clear implications for individual roles.
• Experience designing or redesigning HR operating models, employee relations functions, and HR Business Partner structures is strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated spiritual maturity; some level of ministry experience is preferred, including in a volunteer or lay-leadership capacity (e.g., serving as a lay leader in a local church).
• Strong working knowledge of applicable federal and state employment law requirements.
• Leadership skills, including negotiation, problem solving, decision making, and delegation.
• Excellent communicator, relationship builder, and team player who is able to collaborate effectively with all levels of staff, management, and members of the community.
• Ability to synthesize and deliver complex information to diverse audiences both verbally and in writing.
• Strong analytical skills with a high capacity for managing complexity.
• Strong cross-cultural abilities, and a demonstrated ability and commitment to work in a diverse team environment.
• Experience in conflict resolution and mediation.
• Ability to handle all matters in a confidential manner.
• A working knowledge of current Microsoft software applications.
• Ability to travel as required.

Benefits

• 403(b) Retirement Savings Plan.
• 403(b) matching contributions.
• Dental insurance.
• Employee assistance program.
• Employee discounts.
• Flexible work schedule.
• Flexible spending accounts.
• Health insurance.
• Health savings account.
• Life insurance.
• Paid time off.
• Parental leave.
• Professional development assistance.
• Vision insurance.