Human Resources Director

This role is with a direct client of Aprio Talent Advisory.

Role Title: Director, of Human Resources

Location: Washington D.C (Free parking) - Onsite 2-3 days per week

Employment Type: Full-time / Permanent

Client Industry: Nonprofit

Compensation: Target $160,000 - $170,000 , could potentially consider up to $175k.

Summary:

Our client is seeking a Director of Human Resources to lead the HR function for a nonprofit organization in Washington, DC that provides centralized administrative support to several affiliated institutions. Reporting directly to the President, this person owns the full employee lifecycle for the organization's internal staff while overseeing a small team that delivers payroll, benefits, and HRIS support across the broader network. This is a hybrid role, two to three days onsite per week. Strongest fits are HR leaders who are trusted advisors to executives, build credibility quickly across independent stakeholder groups, and communicate with clarity.

Why It's Worth Your Time

• Top HR seat in the organization, reporting directly to the President with no HR layer above you.
• Direct advisory relationship with executive leadership on employee relations, organizational effectiveness, and workforce planning.
• Lead a team of three across payroll, benefits, and HRIS.
• Blend of strategic leadership and operational ownership — you set HR direction and you own how it gets delivered.
• Newly structured shared services model with real room to shape practices, policies, and service delivery rather than maintain someone else's.
• Mission-driven environment with long institutional history and highly engaged leadership.

What You'll Own

• Lead all facets of the employee lifecycle for internal staff, including talent acquisition, employee relations, performance management, professional development, and culture.
• Serve as the primary HR advisor to the President, legal leadership, and senior stakeholders on sensitive personnel matters.
• Design and implement HR policies and programs aligned to organizational priorities.
• Oversee a Payroll Manager, HRIS & Benefits Administrator, and Benefits Specialist — coaching the team, setting standards, and holding accountability for accuracy and service quality.
• Direct benefits strategy and administration, including group health, retirement, wellness, and annual open enrollment across multiple employee populations.
• Oversee the shared HR information system, ensuring data integrity, compliance, and system optimization.
• Monitor and maintain compliance with federal, state, and local employment regulations across multiple entities.
• Build and maintain working relationships with HR leaders at affiliated institutions, standardizing workflows while allowing for institutional flexibility.
• Manage relationships with benefits brokers and carriers, retirement plan administrators, outside benefits counsel, HR technology vendors, and auditors.
• Support governance committees, including operations and retirement subcommittee reporting.

Must-Haves

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Organizational Development, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience, plus 10+ years of progressively responsible HR experience with leadership responsibility across multiple HR disciplines.
• 5+ years supervising and developing HR staff.
• Demonstrated experience advising senior leaders on employee relations, organizational effectiveness, and workforce planning.
• Oversight experience across compensation, benefits administration, leave management, HR operations, and HRIS.
• Strong working knowledge of federal and state employment law, including FMLA, ADA, PWFA, FLSA, COBRA, workers' compensation, unemployment, and leave regulations.
• Experience administering health and welfare benefits, retirement plans, and annual open enrollment, and partnering with payroll to ensure accurate and compliant processes.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills, with proven ability to establish trust and influence across diverse and independent stakeholder groups.

Nice to Have

• Master's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Organizational Development, or a related field.
• Nonprofit / Association industry experience
• SHRM-SCP, SPHR, or comparable senior HR certification.
• Paylocity HRIS and payroll experience.
• Experience supporting multiple organizations or business units in a shared services environment.
• HR technology implementation, process improvement, or change management experience.