People Operations Director

People Operations Director

About Us

Arts for Learning Maryland (formerly Young Audiences of Maryland) is devoted to enriching the lives and education of Maryland’s youth through educational and culturally diverse arts programs. Through Arts for Learning, professional teaching artists from all disciplines partner with educators, schools, and school districts to provide—on average—over 560,000 hours of learning in, through, and about the arts to more than 155,000 Maryland students annually.

Arts for Learning is a mission-driven organization that values community, innovation, and passion. The staff, board, and teaching artists have a shared commitment to advance equity in the field of education by working tirelessly to generate opportunities for students to imagine, create, and realize their full potential through the arts.

Job Description:

We are looking for a knowledgeable, trustworthy, and conscientious leader with excellent interpersonal, communication, and organization skills. The People Operations Director will plan, lead, direct, develop, and coordinate the policies, activities, and human resources staff, ensuring legal compliance and implementation of the organization's mission and talent strategy. Arts for Learning has roughly 60 core employees and 400 seasonal employees.

The POPs Director will be critical in supporting the organization as it becomes more intentional around its commitment to advance equitable outcomes, both for the children and communities we partner with and for our staff. This role will be instrumental in achieving higher levels of diversity in our staff, while focusing on refining and developing policies, procedures, and practices to ensure an inclusive and equitable work environment. The POPs Director is a full-time, exempt position and will report to the Vice President.

Responsibilities Include:

POPs Department Responsibilities

• Manages and oversees the daily workflow of the department which includes a POPs Manager, POPs Data Coordinator, and POPs Recruitment Coordinator.
• As needed, recruits, interviews, hires, and trains new staff in the department. Encourages and provides professional development opportunities for the POPs team.
• Conducts constructive and timely performance feedback and evaluations.

Organizational Strategy and Leadership

• Collaborates with senior leadership to understand the organization's goals and implements strategies related to staffing, recruiting, and retention.
• Serves on the operational leadership team of the organization and plays a critical role in supporting and advancing a healthy organizational culture, where goals of diversity, equity, and inclusion are attained and where employee satisfaction is central.

Human Resource Management

• Leads and administers human resource functions including compensation, benefits, leave, disciplinary matters, disputes and investigations, performance and talent management, productivity, recognition, morale, and training and development.
• Works in collaboration with department chiefs to anticipate and support annual hiring needs, and implements a plan of action to hire in a timely manner and within department budget goals, utilizing best practices for hiring and talent management.
• Works in collaboration with the Finance Department to ensure accurate and timely administration of payroll documentation including onboarding and offboarding, and benefits processing.
• Maintains knowledge of trends, best practices, regulatory changes, and new technologies in human resources, talent management, and employment law, and applies this knowledge to communicate changes in policy, practice, and resources to upper management.

Compliance and Policy Development

• Develops and implements policies, processes, training, initiatives, and surveys to support the organization’s human resource compliance and strategy needs.
• Ensures the organization's compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations; reviews and modifies policies and practices to maintain compliance.
• Maintains and updates the employee handbook.

Budgeting and Administration

• Develops and implements departmental budget including staffing allocations.
• Maintains employee personnel files, including hiring documents, performance evaluations, pay raise/promotion correspondences and any other relevant information.
• Facilitates professional development and training related to employees' scope of work.
• Performs other duties as necessary to oversee and manage the human resources function of the organization.

Qualifications:

While no one candidate will possess every quality outlined for this position, the successful candidate will hold many of the following professional qualifications and personal attributes. If you are excited about this role, and hold some of these attributes, we encourage you to apply!

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Excellent interpersonal and negotiation skills
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail
• Culturally competent and self-reflective leader who understands the effects of race, class, ethnicity, income, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, and other elements of diversity in society and is able to lead direct conversations about them
• Excellent time management skills with a proven ability to meet deadlines
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Strong supervisory and leadership skills
• Ability to approach assignments with integrity and honesty, with respect for complete confidentiality
• Ability to exercise sound judgment and work independently
• Ability to correctly prioritize and escalate issues or delegate as appropriate
• Ability to adapt to the needs of the organization and employees
• Thorough knowledge of employment-related laws and regulations

Preferred Qualifications:

• SHRM Certified preferred or Bachelor's degree in Human Resources or related field
• Nonprofit Management experience is desirable
• Experience working directly with people from diverse racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds
• Excellent computer skills with demonstrated skills in database management and record-keeping
• Proficient with Google Workspace

Compensation:

We offer a starting annual salary of $95,000 and an attractive benefits package that includes medical, dental, and vision healthcare coverage, retirement contributions, and a flexible paid time off policy.

To Apply:

For consideration, please apply on our website at artsforlearningmd.org. Please do not send applications that include headshots or photos of yourself. Applications may be accepted through November 25, 2024. No phone calls or recruiters, please. All employees will be subject to a federal and state background check in accordance with state and federal law.

Arts for Learning Maryland is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to cultivating a diverse workforce and equitable workplace. We encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, age, national origin, veteran status, and disability. All qualified applications will be given equal opportunity.