Director of Human Resources

Director of Human Resources

North Carolina Justice Center

The North Carolina Justice Center is a progressive research and advocacy organization dedicated to expanding opportunity and protecting the rights of individuals with low-income in North Carolina. For almost 30 years, the NC Justice Center has been on the front lines in the courts, at the legislature, in the media, and in communities advocating for positive changes for poor and working North Carolinians. The NC Justice Center has played a primary role in most of the state’s major policy debates and successfully litigated hundreds of individual cases and class actions.

The Director of Human Resources will play a critical role in supporting the NC Justice Center’s mission by ensuring our human resources policies and practices align with our organizational values and goals. This individual will oversee all aspects of Human Resources, including recruitment, onboarding, employee relations, compensation and benefits, performance management, and talent development. We are a unionized workplace, valuing the collective voice and contributions of our employees. The ideal candidate will be a passionate advocate for social and racial justice, with a strong understanding of labor relations and a commitment to fostering a positive and inclusive workplace culture.

The Role

The North Carolina Justice Center is seeking a full-time Human Resources Director that will direct the organization’s human resources initiatives. The individual will process payroll, manage employee benefit plans, lead recruitment efforts, assist staff with career development, and promote race equity efforts. They will serve as management’s primary point of contact when communicating with the union and manage personnel issues. Additionally, they will assist with employee engagement programs and equal opportunity affirmative action efforts.

• Leads the Human Resources department and oversees the direction of routine HR functions.
• Under the guidance of the Executive Director, designs and implements human resources goals and strategies to support the organization’s mission.
• Serves as management’s primary point of contact when communicating with the union on policy issues, bargaining, and grievance procedures. Maintains relationships with union representatives with respect to contract negotiations, employee disputes and grievances and ongoing relations.
• Works with managers and employees to resolve disputes.
• Manages employee benefit plans, including health, dental, disability, retirement, flexible spending, life insurance, and wellness benefits.
• Ensures accurate processing of semi-monthly payroll in coordination with the Director of Finance, including employee setup, payroll entry, and working with external payroll processor.
• Oversees and supports staff training, including the development of formal and informal in-house training and identifying external trainers.
• Ensures accurate tracking and record-keeping of employee hours and available leave.
• Manages the HR budget and resources efficiently.
• Maintains professional and technical knowledge for HR initiatives, including race equity.
• Ensures compliance with all relevant labor and employment laws and regulations.
• Facilitates effective communication and collaboration across the organization.
• Provide leadership in efforts to promote racial equity. Partners with the Race Equity Inclusion and Belonging committee to drive diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.
• Compiles and evaluates data to track DEI initiatives through metrics.
• Oversees file system for file retention, storage, and destruction.
• Manages the organization’s internship program.
• Manages hiring practices that ensure consistency and compliance with the organization’s EO/AA requirements and goals.
• Coordinates staff recruitment and new hire process, including advertising, applicant screening, interview participation, and reference checking.
• Develops administrative and operating policies and procedures and trains staff on those policies and procedures.
• Makes recommendations and develops systems to improve the operation of the organization.
• Manages new employee onboarding process, including orientation to organizational mission and essential practices and protocols.
• Coordinates annual staff evaluation process.
• Serves as the primary contact for staff regarding personnel and organizational issues.
• Executes the responsibilities of the Director of Human Resources according to lawful and ethical standards.
• Other tasks as assigned by the Executive Director.

Qualifications:

We are looking for someone with a bachelor’s degree in a related field or a minimum of ten years of demonstrated experience in the field of human resources. Six years of human resources management experience preferably working in a non-profit organization or other organization committed to social justice. The ideal candidate will have excellent time management and conflict resolution skills. Additionally, candidates should have strong communication and interpersonal skills, possessing excellent customer service orientation. Moreover, candidates should have in-depth knowledge of best HR practices, benefit options, and experience navigating complex employee relations issues. Candidates need to be experienced navigating complex payroll issues and have an ability to work autonomously. A successful candidate will have a demonstrated commitment to improving social justice and racial equality.