Director of Human Resources – Lincoln, MA

Organization: Mass Audubon

Job Title: Director of Human Resources

Location: Lincoln, MA

Hours: Full-time

Compensation: Salary is commensurate with experience and competitive with comparable nonprofits.

Application Deadline: April 19, 2013

Posted On: March 1, 2013

Organization Overview:

Mass Audubon, the largest conservation organization in New England, seeks an experienced, energetic human resources professional to lead the human resources function on behalf of our 220 year-round and 800+ temporary and seasonal employees.

Together with our more than 100,000 members, we care for nearly 35,000 acres of conservation land; provide school, camp, and other educational programs for 225,000 children and adults each year; and advocate for sound environmental policies at the local, state, and federal levels. Nearly half a million people visit our statewide network of wildlife sanctuaries annually.

The Director of Human Resources will maintain Mass Audubon’s high level of professionalism in human resources: overseeing policies and procedures, ensuring an excellent and affordable benefits package and competitive salary structure, and navigating the challenges and opportunities inherent in a workforce of dedicated individuals working across the state in positions from seasoned scientists to eager first-year camp counselors to creative gift shop managers.

Description and Responsibilities:

As a human resources generalist, the Director will work with the Benefits and Compensation Manager across multiple functional responsibilities, while also contributing to the strategic initiatives that will ensure Mass Audubon remains an employer of choice and a critical leader in the conservation community. The Human Resources Director reports to the Vice President for Operations. This is a full-time position located in Lincoln. Functional responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Maintaining organizational personnel policies, procedures and employee handbook, while ensuring managers’ training about the policies and serving as a coach to them in working with their staff and in ensuring organization-wide compliance and consistency.
• Overseeing administration of all employee benefit plans, including negotiating, through a broker, with vendors for coverage on health, dental, life, long-term disability, employee assistance and 403(b) retirement plans. The Director will have lead responsibility for identifying creative opportunities to manage health insurance costs while maintaining Mass Audubon’s excellent benefits package.
• Managing professional development to both ensure managers are trained in all relevant subjects including hiring and terminations, sexual harassment, and safety, and that all employees have opportunities for growing skills and knowledge in their fields.
• Supporting, coaching, and facilitating the positive resolution of employee relations issues in a manner that contributes to Mass Audubon’s employee-centered workplace and high performance culture.
• Tracking legal requirements and government reporting regulations affecting human resources functions, and ensuring Mass Audubon’s policies, procedures, and reporting are in compliance.

Combining more than 115 years of history with the new leadership of President Henry Tepper, Mass Audubon is poised to examine several initiatives that could shape and define its workforce and its accomplishments for another 100 years. The Director of Human Resources’ strategic challenges will include the following:

• Examining the current compensation structure and contributing to efforts to make Mass Audubon competitive in the marketplace and fair for its multiple employees with many years of service.
• Responding to and contributing to Mass Audubon’s clear commitment to ensure its programs, members, volunteers, and workforce represent and respect the diversity among Massachusetts’ residents.
• Playing a leadership role in ensuring that Mass Audubon is addressing the needs of succession planning, knowledge transfer, and leadership development, given the current composition of the workforce.

Qualifications:

Mass Audubon’s workforce is composed of highly dedicated individuals who share not just an appreciation for nature, but also a commitment to helping others grow in understanding and concern for the environment and people’s relationship to it. Candidates who share this enthusiasm, and can also sustain a sense of humor while identifying, selecting, and ultimately managing key priorities will succeed in this position. Candidates will also demonstrate most if not all of the following:

• BA/BS degree with eight or more years of human resources experience, including leadership responsibility for policy development, employee relations, benefits and compensation, and legal compliance. PHR or SPHR certification is ideal.
• Experience both building and working in a diverse, multi-cultural workforce.
• The skills and abilities of a highly experienced human resource professional capable of addressing multiple, and sometimes, complex issues within short spans of time. For example, the Director of Human Resources might find him or herself resolving a challenging employee relations issue, reviewing new compliance measures for the Affordable Care Act, and thinking creatively about wellness programs during the course of a single day.
• A valid driver’s license and the willingness to routinely visit Mass Audubon’s sanctuaries throughout the state and serve the needs of both full-time and seasonal employees.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and oral, and demonstrated proficiency with digital-based technology from ADP, HRIS, to Microsoft Office.

How to Apply: