Senior Director of Human Resources

Organizational Profile: Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC ("AAJC") is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1991. Our mission is to advance the civil and human rights of Asian Americans and to build and promote a fair and equitable society for all. For 30 years, we have served as the leading Asian American voice on civil rights issues in our nation’s capital – fighting for the rights of our communities through policy advocacy, litigation, research, public education, and community engagement.

Based in Washington, DC, Advancing Justice | AAJC is a member of the Asian Americans Advancing Justice (Advancing Justice) affiliation. With our affiliates in Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, we work together as equal and independent partners, operate under one name, and strive to speak with one unified and powerful voice to promote justice, empower our communities, bring local and national constituents together, and strengthen our multiracial democracy.

Title: Senior Director of Human Resources

Reports to: Vice President (VP) of Human Resources and Administration

Supervises: 1 Direct Report

Term: Immediately

Status: Full-time, Exempt Employee

Salary: $90,000-$125,000 (based on 37.5 hours/week)

Location: Washington, D.C. area

This is a unionized organization, and this position is not in the collective bargaining unit.

Position Summary: The Senior Human Resources Director will serve as a trusted and strategic advisor, delivering proactive human resources support to the AAJC management team and to all employees. This role serves as second in command in the HR Department and will assume leadership responsibilities and acting authority in the absence of the Vice President of Human Resources and Administration (VP of HR). The selected candidate must demonstrate a proven track record of driving strategic initiatives and making critical decisions independently while maintaining full accountability for outcomes. The candidate must also have the ability to lead critical projects from conception to formation with autonomy.

The candidate must pass background and credit investigations. 

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Organizational Leadership and Strategic Planning

• Act as thought partner to the VP of HR on human resources issues, and employee and labor relations initiatives. Assist the VP of HR with setting long-term human resources goals while driving positive, organizational change.
• Work closely with the Executive Team, all AAJC staff, and the Board of Directors (upon request) to provide leadership and support in establishing budgets, program goals and strategies, and advance new ideas and innovations that align with AAJC’s mission and strategic plan. 
• Align HR initiatives directly with long-term business goals.
• Foster an inclusive, high-performance workplace environment.

Talent Acquisition and Retention 

• Develop sourcing and high-impact hiring strategies.
• Build continuous leadership pipeline programs.
• Mentor the AAJC Executive Team and other managers, providing strategic guidance on performance management, succession planning, and team effectiveness.
• Design talent programs that accelerate employee growth and leadership development.
• Conduct pre-onboarding for new hires, conduct new hire orientation, explain benefits and policies to new hires, coordinate IT setup as part of onboarding, and coordinate with managers for training and department orientation.
• Assess, draft, and post positions through targeted channels to secure qualified staff.
• Oversee staff and intern welcome and onboarding communications and schedules, in coordination with other HR team members.

Employee Relations

• Lead and manage complex employee relations and workplace matters with sound judgment, balancing business needs, employee experience, and organizational risk. 
• Serve as a trusted resource for employee relations issues, formal complaints, and conflict resolution.
• Partner with legal and the Executive Team on sensitive investigations, performance concerns, escalations, AAJC policy and contract interpretation, and organizational actions.
• Build leadership capability in handling feedback, accountability, performance rigor, and difficult conversations effectively.

Labor Relations

• Partner closely with the VP of HR to manage day-to-day labor relations matters, including grievances, disciplinary issues, and contract interpretation.
• Respond to labor inquiries from management and employees. Establish and maintain effective relationships with union leadership.
• Assist with the formal grievance process from initial filing through final resolution, including reviewing, evaluating, and tracking incoming grievances. 
• Interview staff, obtain necessary background documents and assess appropriate action.
• Provide advice and guidance on proper interpretation of the CBA and labor related issues, as well as research and prepare responses to union requests for information and managers on labor issues.
• Assist with preparing and conducting training sessions on various labor topics and/or emerging labor issues and assist with providing prompt and effective coaching and counseling, where applicable. 

Performance Management

• Collaborate with AAJC supervisors to develop performance indicators, complete reviews, and explain evaluation ratings to their team members, in compliance with CBA requirements.
• Periodically evaluate existing performance-management policies and framework(s) and make recommendations for future enhancements or other adaptations as necessary.
• Ensure evaluations are conducted in a timely manner and progress is tracked.

Professional Development and Training

• Promote a culture of continuous learning, accountability, and employee engagement.
• Assess organization and department/team staffing needs, analyze skills/training gaps, and identify educational workshops, seminars, and on-the-job opportunities to build skills and eliminate gaps, in coordination with HR team members and department/team leads.
• Oversee staff professional development, training, and mentoring initiatives, in coordination with HR team members and department/team leads.
• Lead, document, track and provide training for AAJC managers, including topics on FMLA, EEO, ADA and Reasonable Accommodations.
• Conduct in-person or online training sessions on company policies and HR best practices.
• Develop and deliver programs that enhance employee skills, foster a positive organizational culture, and ensure regulatory compliance. 

General Human Resources

• Serve as the back-up to the Payroll & Benefits Manager, to include acting as a primary liaison with third-party administrators, insurance brokers, and benefits vendors; and supporting the Manager during annual open enrollment, including testing systems, preparing educational materials, and analyzing plan utilization.
• Streamline, consolidate, centralize, and ensure maintenance of HR file-organization system.
• Keep appraised of HR best practices to improve workplace efficiency and morale. Research, recommend, update, and ensure implementation of changes to policies and procedures, including the Employee Handbook and Intern Handbook.
• Benchmark salary bands and compensation structure periodically, in coordination with the Payroll and Benefits Manager. Help respond to internal and external inquiries and requests of the HR team.
• Ensure cross-training of HR team members to provide timely responsiveness from HR team.
• Develop reports and communications on human resources activities as requested.
• Assist the Executive Team, as requested.
• Other duties as assigned.

Fundraising

• Support and participate in organizational fundraising activities and events, as requested.

General AAJC Roles

• Live and exhibit the values of AAJC, by contributing to an environment that promotes trust, teamwork, and transparency among staff, board, National Advisory Council, affiliates, and community partners.
• Contribute to, establish, and follow policies and procedures, including maintenance of confidentiality, to ensure that the principles of AAJC are implemented.
• Participate in and lead decision-making processes, understand outcomes, and be accountable for decisions made in or affecting their area.
• Participate in other activities and serve on ad hoc committees, as requested.
• Attend and contribute to AAJC and Board of Directors’ meetings, as requested.
• Be available to travel and work occasionally on evenings and weekends.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a closely related field required.
• Minimum of eight (8) years of progressive human resources experience as a manager/director/leader in an HR department, including supervising HR staff and setting departmental goals. Experience leading change management, organizational transformation, or functional modernization is required.
• SHRM or HRCI professional certification preferred.
• Deep knowledge of HR operations, employment laws, and best practices across the employee lifecycle.
• Experience with implementation and optimization of HRIS, such as ADP Run and ADP Workplace Now. 
• Five (5) years of experience working in a unionized environment, including working with collective bargaining agreements, responding to grievances, conducting investigations and adhering to the CBA.
• Five (5) years of experience in developing HR training modules and delivering them to employees and supervisors to enhance professional and leadership development. 
• Five (5) years of facilitating training in both virtual and in-person settings, catering to all employee levels. 
• Experience with proven ability to work collegially with management, Board, and other team members. Experience and knowledge in Asian American, civil, and/or human rights issues preferred.

Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Excellent interpersonal, negotiation, and conflict resolution skills.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Excellent time management skills with a proven ability to meet deadlines.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to prioritize tasks and to delegate them when appropriate.
• Ability to meet internal and external deadlines in a fast-paced, rapidly-changing environment is required. 
• Ability to act with integrity, professionalism, and confidentiality.
• Expertise in Microsoft Office Suite or related software.

Application Process

Send resume, a cover letter, 3 references, and a short writing sample to hiring@advancingjustice-aajc.org or 1620 L Street NW, Suite 1050, Washington, DC 20036. Applications with all four items will be considered.