Manager, People & Culture

Helen Keller

JOB   ANNOUNCEMENT

Manager, People & Culture

(New York, NY)

Guided by the remarkable legacy of its co-founder, Helen Keller, Helen Keller Intl partners with 

communities that are striving to overcome longstanding cycles of poverty. By delivering the 

essential building blocks of good health, sound nutrition and clear vision, we help millions of 

people create lasting change in their own lives. Working in more than 20 countries – across Africa, 

Asia, Europe and the United States – and together with a global community of supporters, we are 

ensuring every person has the opportunity – as Helen did – to reach their true potential.

Helen Keller is seeking a Human Resources generalist to serve as the People & Culture Manager for 

its US Program. The Manager will partner with the US Program Management Team (PMT) to build and maintain a strong Human Resource foundation that cultivates a positive work environment in support of high-quality program implementation.

The position serves as a consultant, guide and active partner on recruitment, onboarding, HR 

administration, performance management, learning and development and employee relations matters. 

The role supports management to understand and comply with relevant internal and external policies, laws and regulations. To be an effective partner, the incumbent must seek to understand and support the program objectives.

The ideal candidate will share our view that how we work with and treat one another, and how we 

interact with our donors, partners and clients are essential to both a healthy workplace culture 

and to positive program outcomes.

Background

Recognizing a lack of accessible, adequate vision care among low-income adults and children in the 

US, Helen Keller established the US Vision Program. Since 1994, Helen Keller has provided free 

vision screenings for more than 2.2 million individuals in the United States and provided more than 

375,000 of them with prescription eyeglasses to solve common vision problems. The program currently operates in CA, MN, NJ & NY.

Functional Relationships

Reporting to the Director, Talent Management, the Manager will be a member of the People & Culture department and will serve as the department’s primary liaison to the US Program.

They will be co-managed by the US Program Director and work regularly with the US Program 

Management Team (PMT) and their staff, as well as with colleagues from other departments who 

support our programs, establishing professional connections across the organization.

Helen Keller has a matrixed reporting structure. Regular communication and a spirit of teamwork 

among colleagues, both hierarchically and laterally are essential to make this structure thrive.

Responsibilities

The Manager will be a client-focused resource for the US Program, providing end-to-end HR support 

to build and cultivate a high-performance, ethical team culture that reflects our organizational 

values of rigor, integrity, courage and compassion to better fulfill our mission.

As a member of the People & Culture team, the Manager will participate in a Community of Practice.  

They will provide input on HR systems, talent recruitment and management, policy development, 

compensation, etc. Like all members of the team, they will cross-train on and back-up the duties of 

colleagues, providing surge support where and when needed.

Required Knowledge and Skills

•    Strong knowledge of US HR practices and employment laws and regulations, and their day-to-day application.

•    Ability to develop and interpret policies and procedures.

•    Demonstrated ability to partner with managers to address HR needs, and to effectively coach 

and mentor staff.  Strong track record in solving complex employee issues.

•    Excellent interpersonal skills including active listening skills, the ability to build 

collaborative relationships with and communicate effectively across diverse groups of colleagues 

and to negotiate effectively.

•    Strong written and oral English language communication skills, including the ability to write 

and edit sensitive employee relations documents, and job descriptions and routine business 

correspondence.

•    Ability to handle confidential matters with a high level of integrity and discretion.

•    Working proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite or equivalent, including Excel and Application 

Tracking System.

•    Familiarity with data analytics and reporting tools for recruitment performance measurement, a 

plus.

•    Pro-active learning, keeping abreast of current and changing HR trends and practices.

•    Ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a team including ability to 

prioritize workload, assume responsibility for work, and follow through to completion.

•    Ability and willingness to maintain balance under stress. Collaborative, flexible and solution 

oriented.

•    Demonstrated commitment to:

o diversity, equity, and inclusion with a high comfort level working in a diverse environment; and

o high professional ethical standards.

•    Personal commitment to Helen Keller’s mission and the values embodied by our namesake and 

co-founder:  integrity, rigor, courage and compassion.

Education and Experience

•    Bachelor’s degree with a minimum of eight years directly relevant HR experience, or equivalent 

combination of education and experience.

•    Proven experience in HR planning and partnering with program leaders and talent acquisition or 

recruitment; experience in the nonprofit sector and/or a multi-location environment preferred.

•    Prior experience recruiting hourly, variable hour customer service and/or social services 

staff a strong plus.

•    Experience with employer branding, recruitment marketing, or talent pipelining strategies, a 

plus.

Notes

•    Helen Keller requires all staff to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, whether or not they 

have had COVID.

•    NY-based team members work a hybrid schedule with two days per week in the NYC office.

Compensation

The midpoint of the salary range for this position is $102,000 with a minimum of $81,600 and a 

maximum of $122,400. Actual salary will vary based upon, but not limited to, relevant experience, 

salary of internal peers, and business specialty.

Helen Keller offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes first-day eligibility for 

medical, dental, vision, short and long-term disability, and life insurance coverage, along with an 

Employee Assistance Program, a retirement savings plan with an employer match, paid vacation leave, sick & wellness leave, parental/adoption leave, and opportunities for learning and development.

To Apply

Qualified candidates should submit a cover letter and resume to hki.recruitment@hki.org. 

Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

In the spirit of our founder and namesake, Helen Keller is dedicated to building an inclusive 

workforce where diversity in all its forms is fully valued.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer where all qualified applicants will receive consideration for 

employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, 

gender identity, genetic information, disability, or protected veteran status.

We are committed to providing reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities. If you 

are a qualified individual with a disability and need to request an accommodation during the 

application or process, please contact us at the email above or call: +1 646-356-1789.