Head of Employee Relations & HR Compliance

HR Director

A full-service global communications agency is hiring for an HR Director. The HR Director will be responsible for leading the company’s HR operations and talent projects and processes, including talent acquisition; performance management; employee training and development; compliance with federal, state and local employment laws; employee engagement and inclusion initiatives; and support of the culture.

150-200k base range + discretionary bonus + benefits, 401k + company contribution, PTO

Location: NYC, in office 4 days/week working generally 9:30am-6:30pm with flexibility as needed

Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field required

12+ years' of professional HR experience, ideally in professional services and/or agency environment preferred with a minimum of 5 years’ experience leading an HR department and/or managing a team

Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office and Google Suite

Experienced in recruiting strategy (they’ll be hiring and guiding an in-house recruiter) and skilled at building and maintaining a strong talent pipeline

Well-versed in employee relations (ER), ideally with heavy ER experience

A well-rounded HR generalist with exposure to all core areas: talent acquisition, compliance, employee relations, performance management, training and development, and culture

Lead and execute core HR functions including talent acquisition, training (learning) and development, employee relations, benefits and compliance, engagement, retention, and manager development initiatives.

Serve as a strategic advisor to senior leadership and C-suite executives on HR operations, organizational development, and talent-related opportunities and challenges.

Design and implement innovative, industry best practice initiatives, policies, and programs that enhance consistency, retention, equity, and operational excellence across the organization.

Manage the semi-annual performance review process, including scheduling, communication, system support, and training to ensure a smooth and effective experience.

Oversee compensation and benefits strategy to balance cost efficiency with competitiveness, maintaining internal pay structures and staying informed of market benchmarks.

Direct the full-cycle recruitment process in partnership with internal stakeholders and external recruiters—sourcing talent, managing pipelines, tracking progress, and ensuring alignment with departmental hiring needs.

Administer employee lifecycle processes including onboarding, offboarding, job and compensation changes, and leaves of absence, ensuring data accuracy and compliance.

Foster a culture of belonging, inclusion, and engagement through curated programs such as employee events, internal communications, learning sessions, and mentoring initiatives.

Manage employee relations activities including investigations, corrective actions, and terminations, ensuring fairness, legal compliance, and minimal organizational risk.

Ensure ongoing compliance with all federal, state, and local employment laws; oversee required training programs and conduct regular policy reviews and updates.

Develop and deliver learning and development programs that support skill-building, career advancement, and leadership pipeline growth.

You can use WorkGrades to collect and manage your references for free and share them with us or anyone else you choose by visiting workgrades.We suggest that you ensure you have updated your LinkedIn profile and that you start collecting your references early.

Employment type Employment type Full-time

Job function Job function Human Resources

Inferred from the description for this job Medical insurance

Get notified about new Human Resources Director jobs in New York, NY .

Director of Employee Relations & Compliance Manhattan, NY $130,000.00-$175,000.00 6 days ago

Senior Director Human Resources, Operating Company CHRO South Plainfield, NJ $175,000.00-$250,000.00 1 month ago

Director of People Operations & Community Engagement New York, NY $150,000.00-$165,000.00 3 weeks ago

We’re unlocking community knowledge in a new way. Experts add insights directly into each article, started with the help of AI.

#