Associate Director, HR Regional Operations

TITLE: Associate Director, Regional HR Operations

CLASSIFICATION: Associate Director II

DEPARTMENT: People and Culture

REPORTS TO: Senior Director, People and Culture

LOCATION: California Area

ABOUT AMERICAN RIVERS

American Rivers is championing a national effort to protect and restore all rivers, from remote

mountain streams to urban waterways. Healthy rivers provide people and nature with clean,

abundant water and natural habitat. For 50 years, American Rivers staff, supporters, and

partners have shared a common belief: Life Depends on Rivers℠.

The beauty of rivers is that they connect all people and communities – including within our

organization. The life experiences, knowledge, innovation, and talent that different people bring

to our work provides perspectives, experiences, and competencies which are critical to our

effectiveness in protecting wild rivers, restoring damaged rivers, and conserving clean water for

people and nature.

JOB SUMMARY:

The Associate Director, Regional HR Operations is key to cultivating a thriving, inclusive, and

mission-aligned workplace for our western regional teams. As a trusted advisor and partner to

regional leaders and the staff members they support, this role helps ensure our People &

Culture strategies reflect American Rivers’ core values: collaboration and trust, equity and

justice, delivering results, and helping staff and volunteers thrive.

This position supports people managers and team members by offering expertise in talent

acquisition, employee relations, performance management, and coaching. With deep

knowledge of employment law within the region and a strong commitment to equity, this

individual helps create a supportive environment where all team members feel valued and

empowered to grow.

PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

Strategic HR Partnership

• Serve as a collaborative partner to regional leadership to align People & Culture

practices with organizational and team goals.

• Foster an environment of trust, inclusion, and open communication by building

strong relationships across teams.

• Help lead regional implementation of HR initiatives such as onboarding,

engagement, recognition, and development.

Equity-Driven Policy & Compliance Support

• Provide clear, accessible guidance on organizational policies with an equity lens.
• Monitor and apply relevant federal and state employment laws within the

assigned region.

• Partner with General Counsel and Senior Director, People and Culture to

maintain compliance and adapt policies as needed.

Talent Acquisition & Onboarding

• Collaborate with hiring managers to build inclusive, values-aligned hiring

processes that attract diverse talent.

• Manage the full recruitment life cycle for regional roles, ensuring a welcoming

and mission-forward candidate experience.

• Support smooth onboarding and early engagement of new team members.

Coaching, Performance, & Manager Support

• Coach people managers to lead with empathy, clarity, and accountability.
• Provide tools and guidance for effective performance feedback, development

planning, and team growth.

• Assist in resolving employee relations matters in a way that builds trust and

reinforces organizational values.

HR Operations & Systems

• Leverage Smartsheet and other tools to support workforce planning, recruitment

tracking, and HR metrics reporting.

• Maintain accurate and confidential records in alignment with data privacy

practices.

• Analyze trends and provide insights that drive continuous improvement and

team well-being.

• Update and maintain AR’s organization chart and regionally assigned state

employment law policies.

• Responsible for employment correspondence and digital recordkeeping for

assigned region.

• Develop and launch training and development modules through AR’s

learning management system, completed by monthly roundtable

discussions tailored for staff-level employees.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Personal commitment to American Rivers’ mission and core values.
• Bachelor’s degree in human resources, business administration, or related field; master’s degree a plus.
• Current HR certification (SHRM-CP or PHR) required.
• At least 7 years of progressive HR experience, with 3+ years in a generalist or HR business partner role supporting multi-state teams.
• Strong working knowledge of employment law and HR practices in the western U.S. region.
• Demonstrated success in recruitment, employee coaching, policy interpretation, learning and performance management.
• Familiarity with Smartsheet or similar workflow/project management systems preferred.
• Demonstrates a high level of discernment, discretion, and maturity in managing sensitive and complex HR matters, ensuring confidentiality and sound judgment in all interactions.
• Proficiency with a HRIS and report writing.
• Commitment to equity, inclusion, and justice in all aspects of HR work.
• Experience in a nonprofit or values-driven organization preferred.
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and organizational skills.

WORK ENVIRONMENT & TRAVEL

• This remote role is based in California or nearby with occasional travel to local offices, headquarters (DC)and/ or staff gatherings.
• Requires comfort with virtual communication tools and the ability to build relationships in a distributed work environment.

LOCATION

Preference given to candidates based in California or those with extensive experience in California employment law and HR practices.

COMPENSATION

The salary range for this position is $84,012- $91,659 annually depending upon qualifications and experience. Full-time employee benefits include health, dental, and life insurance; a retirement plan, training budget, sick leave, 11 paid holidays, four weeks of paid vacation, paid sabbaticals every seven years, and a 3% retirement match.

COMMUNITY AND OPPORTUNITY

Our community’s core values motivate us to Lead with Collaboration, Equity and Trust, Deliver Results, and Ensure Staff and Volunteers Thrive. American Rivers offers staff professional development and training opportunities, engages in equitable hiring and retention practices, participates in transparency reports, provides “no meetings” weeks, and Summer Fridays.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Apply through BambooHR only. Please include a Cover Letter with your submission. Deadline to apply is July 3, 2025.