Manager, People & Culture

ABOUT THOUSAND CURRENTS

For almost four decades, Thousand Currents has been working to resource grassroots groups and social movements. We believe that frontline communities are most effective at solving the complex and systemic challenges the world faces. We support these groups in Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean by providing financial and other resources in ways that honor their leadership, right to self-determination, and transformative solutions. We also organize, educate, and influence other donors to practice solidarity-based philanthropy for systems change.

Our team includes close to 40 talented individuals, working in a fully remote environment across 15 different countries, with just over half our staff based in the US. The organization has been in a period of significant growth. Building up the systems and capacities related to People & Culture is an essential part of preparing for our next growth leap and navigating an uncertain context.

ABOUT THE JOB

The Manager, People & Culture is a full-time position responsible for the day-to-day management of all aspects of Human Resources including recruiting/retention, benefits, hiring/onboarding, performance management, compliance, training and development, and all other HR operations relevant for the growing team at Thousand Currents. This is a new role, reporting to the Director of People & Culture, that will be critical in supporting mission-aligned growth and development of our internal practices.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Recruitment, On- and Off-boarding (25%)

• Lead recruitment and hiring processes, in line with established strategy and in close collaboration with hiring managers, providing relevant expertise in the definition of job descriptions, interview questions and overall process
• Manage onboarding schedules aligned to established process, supporting hiring managers in understanding and fulfilling their role, oversee announcement of new staff
• Ensure new staff are signing/returning required handbook and conflict of interest acknowledgements
• Ensure that all job descriptions are up-to-date, reflective of role expectations and appropriately filed in the shared drive
• Suggest refinements to these processes building on feedback from staff
• Conduct exit interviews, support analysis of offboarding data to surface learnings and recommendations to the organization

HR Administration (50%)

• Serve as primary HR contact for all employees, escalating matters to the Director of People & Culture as necessary
• Day-to-day monitoring and administration of the human resources information systems (currently Bamboo HR), ensuring relevant documents (job descriptions, agreement letters, performance review documentation, etc.) are appropriately uploaded
• Manage benefits programs, coordinate annual Open Enrollment and address routine employee benefits questions
• Provide bi-weekly payroll updates to Finance team
• Ensure relevant HR dates and processes are reflected in the organizational calendar, regular updates and reminders are communicated in slack, so that there is regular information flow about key people & culture processes
• Track employment agreement expiration dates and ensure timely communication with impacted staff, include renewals as appropriate
• Support tracking and celebration of staff milestones

Staff growth and learning (15%)

• In coordination with the Director, People & Culture, proactively engage staff to improve working relationships, build morale, and increase retention
• Manage implementation of annual and mid-year performance reviews, orienting supervisors and staff as needed to the process
• Manage peer feedback processes, supporting staff in providing clear, constructive peer feedback

Organization-Wide Activities & Administrative Efficiency (10%)

• Show up fully for organizational activities, including staff meetings, retreats and trainings
• Enable appropriate information-sharing and work collaboratively with colleagues as necessary for cross program activities and functions
• Pitch in when needed for organization-wide activities, such as the Thousand Currents Academy, annual events, fundraising drives, etc.
• Manage regular personal administration, including timely submission of receipts, reimbursement requests, scheduling, travel planning, filing HR paperwork etc.

Note: Thousand Currents is committed to responding flexibly to changing circumstances and priorities which means that the expectations of every position are dynamic. This description reflects the assignment of essential functions, but does not proscribe or restrict the tasks that may be assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Demonstrated lived and professional alignment with Thousand Currents’ values and mission, including a strong commitment to racial, gender, class, social and/or environmental justice and equity.
• Five or more years of relevant, comparable professional experience including a track record of experience as an HR professional, familiar with US HR standards. SHRM certification is considered an asset.
• Experience supporting HR initiatives for staff working virtually and located in multiple timezones.
• Highly approachable, with demonstrated experience building respectful relationships across diverse identities and cultures.
• Skilled at using technology and other resources for remote/virtual work and culture strengthening.
• Able to travel internationally - approximately 2 weeks/year - and work occasional irregular hours to accommodate staff time zones.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: The physical demands of this position are light with the expectation that the staff person can exert up to 20 lbs. of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 lbs. of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects. Light work usually requires walking or standing to a significant degree. Physical demands are in excess of those of sedentary work. The position requires frequent computer use at a workstation. All staff must be able to travel to meetings at locations nationally and internationally and maintenance of a valid passport is required. Thousand Currents will make reasonable accommodations in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. This job description and its physical requirements will be reviewed periodically as duties and responsibilities change with business necessity. Essential and marginal job functions are subject to modification.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY: Thousand Currents is an equal opportunity employer. We strongly encourage and seek applications from women, people of color, and bilingual and bicultural individuals, as well as members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities. Applicants shall not be discriminated against because of race, religion, sex, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, color, marital status, or medical condition including acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and AIDS-related conditions.