Chief People Officer

~ Founded in 1970, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is the nation's most effective environmental action organization. Using a lens of justice and equity, NRDC uses law, science and the support of 3.1 million members and online activists to protect the planet's wildlife and wild places and to ensure a safe and healthy environment for all living things. ~

Today, NRDC’s staff of more than 700 lawyers, scientists, economists, policy and communications experts, and others, work across a wide range of environmental issues, including defending a clean environment, protecting the Earth’s remaining wild areas, and leading the way to innovative solutions on climate change and marine protection.

Position Overview

NRDC seeks a Chief People Officer to contribute creative, dynamic, and forward-thinking leadership, promoting the fulfillment of NRDC’s vision and mission by leading the human resources function and team, driving transformational change throughout the entire organization. This role will lead, develop, and execute all employment-related services and functions of the organization.

Responsibilities

Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer (COO), the Chief People Officer will contribute creative, dynamic, and forward-thinking leadership, promoting the fulfillment of NRDC’s vision and mission by leading the human resources function and team, driving transformational change throughout the entire organization.

This role will lead, develop, and execute all employment-related services and functions of the organization. The Chief People Officer will guide and support organizational planning and decision-making from the perspective of NRDC’s people needs, including talent and culture development, compensation and benefits, and recruiting and retention.

This position will also be responsible for coaching and advising on effective employee relations, engagement and experience, and establishing credibility throughout the organization as a “problem-seer” and a “problem-solver” and advocate for staff and management. The role will work closely with Corporate Counsel in ensuring legal compliance, and will also work in conjunction with the Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer to develop programs and strategies to ensure a strong equity-oriented culture, to recruit and retain talented people of all backgrounds, and to promote the full development, performance and satisfaction of all employees.

Specifically, the Chief People Officer will be responsible for:

• Functioning as a strategic business partner to the executive/senior management of each department and/or program regarding key organizational and management issues
• Establishing and implementing HR plans and strategies that effectively communicate and support the organization’s mission, strategic vision, and overall business operations objectives
• Working with the organization's executive management team to establish a sound plan of management succession that corresponds to the strategy and objectives of the organization
• Developing comprehensive strategic recruiting and retention plans to meet the human capital needs of strategic goals and align with the organization’s diversity, equity and inclusion philosophy, and managing recruitment processes simultaneously
• On an ongoing basis, developing and implementing comprehensive compensation and benefits programs (including retirement plans) that meet the needs of employees and their families, are cost-effective, align with the organization’s values, and help to attract and retain well-qualified professionals • In coordination with Corporate Counsel, ensure that HR operations are conducted in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations, and oversee the establishment of required compliance processes throughout the organization
• Working closely with the Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer on strategy, planning and executing a comprehensive DEI Strategic Plan; partnering on education/training and the building of accountability into organizational processes
• Providing overall leadership, guidance and structure to the HR function by overseeing talent acquisition, career development, succession planning, retention, training, leadership development, compensation and benefits, workplace strategy, regulatory compliance, and operations
• Providing consultation and advice to managers regarding a wide range of employee issues; resolving employment-related concerns and disputes
• Ensuring effective internal communications about human resource activities of NRDC
• Creating and administering all employee performance planning, performance feedback, and training and development systems
• Planning and developing effective employee and team development programs and strategies as well as management skills training
• Playing a leadership role in ensuring an inclusive work environment and work culture, and a staff that reflects the diversity of NRDC’s workforce, with a focus on equity and fair treatment
• Promoting a culture of high employee engagement and performance
• Developing strategies to advance, as well as routinely evaluating, employee engagement
• Overseeing the design and operation of human resources information systems that provide the data necessary for the organization to plan, evaluate, and monitor information related to staffing
• Participating in the planning, management and evaluation of NRDC’s overall performance as an organization
• Selecting and managing relationships with all external consultants, brokers and administrators for employee benefits and employment-related services

Profile of the Successful Candidate

The Chief People Officer will possess a deep commitment to talent development and retention, and a passion for the mission and work of NRDC. The successful candidate will be a professional with high standards who is skilled at working at both the strategic and tactical levels, is a problem-solver with strong execution skills, and is a good listener.

NRDC seeks a well-balanced professional who is ambitious and able to develop initiatives that will enhance human resource operations, yet who can also be patient and facilitate “bringing others along”. The strongest candidates will possess highly developed interpersonal skills, emotional intelligence, strategic insight, high personal and professional standards of transparency and accountability, an understanding of all that is required to be a successful HR practitioner, and the ability to support and advocate for staff at all levels within the organization -- again, with a focus on equity and inclusion.

This is a position that requires the ability to manage a full spectrum of responsibilities, from complex personnel issues to the human capital implications of growth plans. The successful candidate will be proactive and entrepreneurial in approach and mindset, particularly in creating a compelling experience across the entire all employees’ lifecycles. As a prominent national institution, NRDC is interested in candidates with experience in realizing and leveraging the deep value a diverse workforce can contribute to the work of a leading environmental organization.

More specifically, NRDC seeks a professional who has:

• Broad and deep experience in the field of human resources management, which includes employee relations, compensation, benefit programs, retirement plans, talent recruitment, professional development and conflict management
• Expert knowledge of federal and state employment laws and regulations, ERISA requirements, and wage and hour regulations
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively and sensitively with a broad range of diverse groups as evidenced by excellent listening and communication skills, balanced and reasoned approaches to problems, ability to inspire trust and confidence, and flexibility and openness to differing points of view • The ability to support and foster a high-performing, collaborative organizational culture, with a solid understanding of the central roles of employee engagement and employee experience
• Excellent judgment and negotiation skills, with an eye toward translating strategy into relationships and unparalleled results
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Excellent interpersonal and conflict resolution skills
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail
• Strong stakeholder engagement skills, including effective engagement with senior management and the Board of Trustees, as necessary and appropriate
• Strategic mindset and business acumen
• High degree of emotional intelligence
• Proven ability in change and transformation management
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Strong supervisory and leadership skills, including operational ability Knowledge of and experience with varied human resource information management systems
• An energetic, entrepreneurial nature that combines intellectual curiosity with analytical skills and political savvy
• Deep understanding of and appreciation for the mission and day-to-day work of NRDC as well as an understanding of the broader field in which it operates
• Exceptional management skills, with an understanding of the difference between leadership and management -- and the ability to exercise both
• Demonstrated ability to work as a collaborative partner within a senior management team
• High ethical standards, compassion, and the ability to make fair and credible conclusions and determine appropriate actions
• Genuine enthusiasm and passion for NRDC’s mission and work
• Bachelor’s Degree in a related field, or the equivalent combination of education and experience

In addition, the successful candidate will likely have:

• MBA or MA/MS in human resources or a related field
• A minimum of 10 years of HR experience, with at least five years of executive HR experience.
• SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) or SHRM Certified Professional (SHRM-CP) certification
• Management in a global context Start Timeframe We seek to have someone in place by Spring 2021

To Apply

• NRDC has exclusively retained The 360 Group of San Francisco to assist with this search.
• Please click "Apply on Company Website" below to review the complete position description, which includes detailed application instructions.
• Applications should be directed to the attention of Vincent Robinson, Managing Partner.
• Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis; earlier applicants may receive priority consideration.
• To be considered, The 360 Group encourages all interested candidates to submit their applications promptly.

At The 360 Group, we know that a richly diverse mix of professionals makes organizations more effective. Using that principle as our “North Star,” we make diversity a hallmark of our firm, and all of our search engagements. Learn more about The 360 Group at the360group.us.