Director, People Partnership

Summary:

The Director of People Partnership (PP) guides organizational impact across the ASPCA with consistent processes, policies, and leadership that value our people, and support our mission, and keep staff engaged. With engaged and committed staff, we can move towards our overall vision that animals live good lives: where they are valued by society, protected by its laws, and free from cruelty, pain, and suffering.

Who We Are

Our People ARE the ASPCA. The People Team (HR) at the ASPCA enables the organization to thrive by empowering and valuing every team member and providing an exceptional workplace across our varied disciplines. To make the greatest impact on animals, we must support the people who do the work, so our staff feel investment from the organization and can effectively prioritize and engage with our mission, work together, and develop necessary skills and capabilities, so we can successfully serve the ASPCA’s guiding vision that the United States is a humane community in which all animals are treated with respect and kindness.

What You’ll Do

By partnering directly with Department Heads, People Managers, and Individual Contributors, the Director, People Partnership will create meaningful opportunities for all staff to learn and grow. The Director will partner with internal client teams to maximize the contributions of each employee through engagement and career development opportunities.

This person will advise all levels of staff and needs to understand how to shift their approach accordingly while exercising exceptional judgment and discretion. In addition, the Director will work with other parts of the People Team, Legal Department, and Internal Communications to provide a cross-functional experience for the teams they support. This person needs to bring a neutral mindset with practical management experience to help drive overall strategy and facilitate challenging conversations to enable staff to complete their work effectively and efficiently. This will enable the Director to make connections across the organization to drive the ASPCA’s long-term goals forward.

• Director, People Partnership, reports directly to the Senior Director, People Partnership and has no direct reports.

Where and When You’ll Work

• This remote-based position (which requires travel, as described below) is open to all eligible candidates based within the United States
• Must be willing to support work across multiple time zones, especially in the Eastern Time Zone
• Two weekend on-call shifts a quarter
• Ability and willingness to travel up to 20% annually, as needed

What You’ll Get

Compensation

The target hiring range is based on where the employee works, which for remote roles is the employee’s primary location of residence, and its respective cost of labor. You can view which zone applies to you based on your location (aspca.app.box.com/v/aspcazonetable). For questions regarding locations not on the list, please send an email to for more information.

Starting pay for the successful applicant will depend on a variety of factors, including but not limited to education, training, experience, location, business needs, internal equity, market demands or budgeted amount for the role. The target hiring range is for new hire offers only, and compensation may increase beyond the maximum hiring range based on performance over time. The maximum of the hiring range is reserved for candidates with the highest qualifications and relevant experience. The expected hiring salary ranges for this role are set forth below and may be modified in the future.

• Zone 1: $98,000 - $105,000
• Zone 2: $109,000 - $116,000
• Zone 3: $119,000 - $127,000

Benefits

At the ASPCA, you don’t have to choose between your passion and making a living. Our comprehensive benefits package helps ensure you can live a rewarding life at work and at home. Our benefits include, but are not limited to:

• Affordable health coverage, including medical, employer-paid dental, and optional vision coverage.
• Flexible time off that includes vacation time, sick and bereavement time, paid parental leave, 10 company paid holidays, and paid personal time off that allows you even more flexibility to observe the days that mean the most to you.
• Competitive financial incentives and retirement savings including a 401(k) plan with generous employer contributions — we match dollar for dollar up to 4% and provide an additional 4% contribution toward your future each year.
• Robust professional development opportunities including classes, on-the-job training, coaching and mentorship with industry-leading peers, internal mobility, opportunities to support in the field, and so much more.

Responsibilities:

What You’ll Do

People Partner Support to Client Teams

• Maintain and manage a client portfolio across the ASPCA by establishing and building trusting and professional partnerships among all levels of staff
• Partner with direct manager to align support for shared teams and optimize outcomes for the ASPCA, teams, and employees.
• Synthesize team challenges with People Partnership colleagues and other stakeholders across the People Team as appropriate to inform senior leaders and support strategic decision-making.
• Regularly partner with internal team leadership (Department Heads and People Managers) to leverage strengths, anticipate challenges, and proactively identify opportunities to improve team effectiveness and remove potential roadblocks to further our mission and effectively use our resources
• Partner with the manager to advance priorities, taking ownership of delegated work and driving assignments through completion.
• Focus on the highest‑impact drivers of the employee experience, including behavior aligned with our Core Values, goal‑setting, high-quality feedback, manager capability, interpersonal guidance, and people decision‑making, while also reinforcing organizational policies and procedures that strengthen engagement, retention and successful offboarding
• Lead inquiries, consultations, and formal investigations on grievances and complaints related to confidential matters, recommending an outcome with the Legal Team and following through on the outcome as determined by the manager
• Create talking points and guide critical conversations between manager and employee to ensure the right message is delivered and employment policies are followed
• Consult with departments on workforce planning, including headcount strategy, budget planning, and evaluation of proposed restructures and team changesManage conversations with employees on both sides of an issue, while remaining neutral but direct, keeping in mind the best outcome for the ASPCA
• Mediate solution-based conversations around conflicts based on direct communication and our Behavioral Competencies and Core Values
• Facilitate workshops and other trainings the ASPCA offers across the organization, in partnership with Learning and Development
• Attend client team meetings for an in-depth understanding of client work, and present and/or facilitate meetings as requested

Relationships, Culture & Organizational Expertise

• Build and maintain strong relationships across all levels, teams, and locations—providing consistent communication and timely, practical guidance; shaping culture, and driving organizational priorities
• Guide Department Heads and People Managers through all aspects of the employee lifecycle, advising on off-cycle promotions, job descriptions, and compensation-related processes; prepare leaders for conversations and draft supporting documentation
• Advise managers on staff development and well-being, including onboarding, training resources, performance improvement plans, progressive discipline, and terminations
• Develop and coach managers to lead effectively, providing hands-on support and applying a strong understanding of employment law in partnership with Legal
• Provide expert guidance to employees and managers on communication, conflict resolution, career development, and professional growth
• Apply performance management philosophy in practice—guiding goal setting, feedback, performance reviews, and retention strategies
• Participate in cross-team critical work such as key new hire interviews, , and complex compensation conversations
  

People Team Partnership

• Regularly engage with the rest of the People Team and collaborate as needed to partner in problem-solving for staff challenges or concerns; exercising sound judgment, discretion, and confidentiality
• Streamline People Team engagement and the client experience across the organization by building strong relationships, furthering the organization’s trust in the People Team
• Share client feedback with other parts of the People Team to enhance support and collaboration; provide context when complex issues arise to navigate the nuances of a challenging situation
• Educate managers on Leave and Compensation policies, connecting them to the appropriate resources and teams
• Partner closely with Talent Acquisition to support internal hiring, ensuring a seamless, transparent, and equitable experience while navigating complex situations

Qualifications:

• Ability to partner with, engage and influence senior organizational leaders
• Proven ability to influence others without being part of the management hierarchy
• Must possess excellent communication (both oral and written), and coaching skills
• Must have a high level of interpersonal skills to handle sensitive and confidential situations
• Must be able to work in a fast-paced environment with demonstrated ability to handle multiple competing tasks and demands
• Must possess a high level of resiliency and maintain a professional demeanor
• Ability to work evenings and weekends, as needed
• Ability to work two pre-planned on-call weekends a quarter to answer any pressing questions from all teams required
• Experience working with a remote workforce at varying levels preferred
• Must be comfortable with a certain level of legal involvement and risk associated with this work
• Ability to exemplify ASPCA’s core values, behavioral competencies

Education and Work Experience:

• B.A./B.S. degree preferred or equivalent experience
• High School degree or GED required
• At least 3 years of HR business partner, people partner, or experience in an equivalent role directly advising leaders on employee relations (including investigations), performance management, and organizational effectiveness required
• At least 5 years of experience with and demonstrated success managing a team or equivalent experience required
• Knowledge of employment laws in the United States required
• Experience planning and facilitating meetings, trainings or workshops strongly preferred
• Experience tracking and analyzing data to guide work is preferred
• Proficiency with Airtable, Canva, Culture Amp, and the Microsoft Office Suite is a plus
• Experience managing organizational change/restructures required
• Experience advising and coaching leaders on complex employee performance, conduct, and team effectiveness matters highly preferred

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Education and Work Experience:

Originally posted on Himalayas