Director, People and Operations

Job description

Who We Are:

American Oversight is a nonpartisan, nonprofit watchdog that advances truth, accountability, and democracy by enforcing the public’s right to government records. We use multiple tools, backed by aggressive litigation, to fight attacks on democratic institutions, threats to civil rights and liberties, abuses of power, and erosion of government transparency. We expose and disrupt these attacks, and the officials and networks behind them, by forcing the government to turn over records officials would rather keep secret.

Since our founding in 2017, American Oversight has:

• Shut down Trump’s bogus “voter fraud” commission.
• Revealed the Trump-sanctioned pressure campaign on the Ukrainian government by forcing the Trump administration to turn over records initially withheld from Congress.
• Uncovered rampant preventable deaths of immigrants in federal custody.
• Unmasked taxpayer-funded sham “audits” of the 2020 election.
• Obtained the fake electors’ forged certificates submitted by fake electors during the 2020 election.
• Exposed networks of election denialists and subverters around the country.
• Halted the impeachment of a newly elected state supreme court justice in Wisconsin.
• Blocked state election board members in Georgia and Wisconsin from taking anti-democratic actions in secret.

For more information, please visit our website:www.americanoversight.org

About the Role:

The Director of People and Operations will lead human resources (HR) strategy and operations to ensure organizational effectiveness, compliance, and a positive workplace culture. As the HR subject matter expert, this role will oversee the full employee lifecycle, including talent acquisition, learning and development, performance management, employee engagement, retention, succession planning, employee relations, HR operations (payroll, benefits, People systems), and total rewards.

In partnership with the Executive Director, the Director will develop and implement initiatives to attract, develop, and retain top talent while embedding diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) across all HR policies and practices.

Additionally, the Director will optimize operations, resource management, and process efficiency, ensuring seamless financial processes, infrastructure management, vendor relations, and compliance with relevant standards. Working closely with leadership and the Senior Operations Manager, the Director will drive initiatives that enhance efficiency, equity, and employee engagement, aligning HR and operational policies with American Oversight’s mission and values.

What You Will Do:

Strategic Planning & Thought Leadership

• Develop and implement short- and long-term HR strategies aligned with American Oversight’s mission and goals.
• Serve as the primary resource for employees on all HR-related matters.
• Provide thought partnership to the Executive Director using data-driven insights on HR strategies and practices and organizational design and development.
• Collaborate with leadership to shape and execute HR strategies, ensuring diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging principles are embedded across policies and programs.
• Collaborate with leadership to conceptualize, build, project manage staff retreats, and other activities or events.

Employee Relations & Engagement

• Cultivate a supportive, inclusive, and equitable workplace culture.
• Act as a liaison between leadership, management, and employees, addressing concerns and grievances.
• Oversee the planning and implementation of employee engagement initiatives.

Performance Management & Development

• Lead performance management programs, ensuring continual alignment with organizational goals.
• Provide training and support to managers and staff on performance management processes.
• Use performance data to lead and drive learning and development programs, including the professional development stipend program.
• Identify learning and development opportunities that support employees’ learning desires and needs.

Talent Acquisition

• Manage full-cycle recruitment and implement best practices to attract top talent.
• Monitor hiring trends and optimize and implement forward-thinking recruitment strategies.
• Develop employer branding strategies to attract a diverse talent pool.

Compliance & Policy Management

• Ensure compliance with all employment laws and regulations in coordination with outside employment counsel, and maintain up-to-date HR policies and practices.
• Stay abreast of new and emerging employment laws and People compliance and ensure the timely integration of applicable requirements as appropriate throughout all People practices.

Benefits & Compensation

• Oversee payroll and benefits administration and collaborate with providers to streamline processes.
• Identify opportunities to enhance workplace culture and strengthen employee experience.

Operations & Administration

• Serve as a key advisor to leadership on operational planning, risk management, and infrastructure needs.
• Manage contracts, vendor relationships, and procurement processes to optimize spending.
• Monitor resource allocation and ensure the organization operates within financial constraints.
• Support risk management efforts, ensuring compliance with operational policies and best practices.
• Identify opportunities for operational improvements and implement streamlined processes.
• Develop and manage systems, policies, and workflows to enhance organizational effectiveness.
• Work closely with the external accounting firm to ensure timely bill payments and credit card transaction tracking.
• Support financial processes, audits, and compliance efforts.
• Manage business insurance, business licenses, and compliance requirements.
• Assist the Executive Director in preparing materials for funder and board meetings, as needed.

What You Will Bring:

• 10+ years of HR generalist experience, including experience:
  • Serving as a strategic business partner;
  • Leading HR strategies aligned with organizational goals;
  • Advising senior leadership;
  • Working in a non-profit or start up environment; and
  • Managing and developing direct reports.
• Experience developing and applying DEIB best practices to People programs, policies, processes, tools, and resources.
• Experience with interactive processes, leave management, and employment law compliance.
• Excellent confidentiality, judgment, discretion, professionalism, integrity, diplomacy, and ethics.
• Exceptional skills in the following areas:
  • Strategic Thinking and Planning: Thinks strategically and tactically to advance American Oversight’s mission and priorities while effectively executing detailed HR and operations plans; anticipates and adapts to challenges, proactively identifies opportunities for organizational efficiency and effectiveness.
  • Project Management: Plans, organizes, and executes multifaceted HR and operations initiatives from concept to completion; manages timelines and resources while ensuring alignment with strategic goals; coordinates with cross-functional teams, manages stakeholder expectations, and delivers high-quality results under tight deadlines.
  • Communication:
    • Oral: Translates complex organizational changes into clear, actionable messages to ensure alignment and engagement; provides guidance to leadership and staff through effective feedback, active listening, and tailored communication approaches; leads engaging training sessions, workshops, and meetings to support learning and development initiatives.
    • Written: Crafts clear, concise, and legally compliant policies and internal communications; ensures written content is free from grammatical and spelling errors; adapts language or style to target audiences.
  • Judgment and Decision Making: Carefully assesses information and weighs competing priorities before making sound decisions that lead to effective outcomes; predicts likely results based on patterns, experiences, and logical inferences; considers potential consequences and ensures alignment with American Oversight’s values and objectives.
  • Relationship Building: Builds and strengthens relationships with internal and external audiences that establish and reinforce American Oversight’s brand.
  • People Management: sets clear goals and expectations; leads, motivates, and develops team to achieve organizational goals; tracks progress towards those goals and provides timely and constructive feedback; builds an inclusive team environment, and invests in the development and growth of staff members; resolves conflicts, manages diverse perspectives, and aligns individual contributions with broader team objectives.
  • Initiative:  Proactively identifies challenges and opportunities, takes ownership of solutions, and drives improvements. Comfortable working in ambiguity, problem-solving creatively, and taking decisive action to enhance HR and operational effectiveness.
  • Collaboration: Comfortable working in a fast-paced, agile, and collaborative environment; is an inclusive, highly engaged team player who recognizes cross-organizational opportunities to help achieve shared goals.
• Strong technology skills with an aptitude to learn quickly to ramp up including:
  • Demonstrated working knowledge of HR information system , as well as an understanding of the interface between HR and financial systems;
  • Experience with applicant tracking systems (e.g., JazzHR), performance management platforms (e.g., CultureAmp), systems that administer payroll benefits (e.g., Paychex), and other functions, as well as other HR technologies (e.g., Employee Navigator), or a comparable enterprise HR software;
  • Proficiency in business applications (e.g., spreadsheets, presentations, databases) to streamline processes and provide data-driven recommendations to the Executive Director.
• Ability to design, implement, and train employees on HR policies and programs.
• Availability for East Coast hours and occasional travel to Washington, D.C.

Desired Qualifications:

• Experience  scaling operations and leading change management initiatives to drive efficiency, growth, and adaptability.
• Expertise in organizational design and development, implementing strategies that enhance structure, workflow, and team effectiveness.
• Locally based with the ability to work in-office one day a week.

We strongly encourage individuals to apply even if they do not have any of the desired qualifications.

What We Offer:

American Oversight offers its employees a generous and comprehensive benefits package that includes 80% of health, dental, and vision premiums paid by the organization, a retirement plan with a matching contribution, and remote office reimbursements for personal devices and wireless connectivity.

Location:

American Oversight is a remote-first location. This position may require travel to attend in-person work-related events and functions, and work on-site as needed in American Oversight’s Washington, DC office.

Salary Range:

$135,000 - $150,000 (commensurate with experience)

Application Deadline:

Interested applicants are encouraged to apply by April 1, 2025 to ensure consideration of your application. Following this deadline, applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

Our Commitment to an Inclusive Workplace:

At American Oversight, we value and strive to hire, develop, and grow a diverse and inclusive team. We are an equal opportunity employer, and encourage applications from all individuals without regard to an individual’s race, color, sex, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, national origin or ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, family care status, marital status, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, genetic information, military or veteran status, or any other basis protected by federal, state, or local laws. We strongly encourage individuals to apply for opportunities at American Oversight even if they do not have any of the desired qualifications.