Director, People & Culture

OverviewEvery person deserves a safe place to sleep and hope for a brighter tomorrow. For young people, homelessness interrupts progress towards adulthood and a future of independence and self-sufficiency. Covenant House Michigan (CHMI) provides youth facing homelessness with shelter, educational and vocational programs. We build a bridge to hope for young people facing homelessness and survivors of trafficking through unconditional love, absolute respect and relentless support.Covenant House's doors are always open to all young people who need housing and help, regardless of their race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression. Our trauma-informed services help bridge the gap between potential and progress, and we also advocate for systemic change through public policy, while promoting awareness of critical issues related to youth homelessness. The Covenant House mission is centered and built on community, where youth, staff, volunteers, and partners love one another unconditionally, respect each other absolutely, and dedicate ourselves to a covenant of compassion and hope.Read more about Covenant House Michigan.About the RoleThe Director of People & Culture (Director, P&C) is a strategic leader responsible for fostering a fair, inclusive, and legally compliant workplace culture at Covenant House Greater Michigan (CHMI). Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Office of CHMI, you will provide leadership and expert guidance to senior leadership, staff and the People & Culture Team in all matters relating to Human Resources/People & Culture. You will have the opportunity to help build organizational capability in HR strategy, employee relations/conflict resolution, performance management, benefits, learning and development, talent acquisition and HR compliance.This is an on-site, player-coach role, actively involved in day-to-day HR functions while also driving strategic initiatives. The ideal candidate is a culture builder, problem solver, and change agent who can lead talent acquisition, enhance benefits programs, and foster a high-performance workplace.Essential Duties and ResponsibilitiesEmployee Relations & InvestigationsLead and oversee investigations into workplace concerns, including harassment, discrimination, retaliation, misconduct, and policy violationsSupport Managers/Supervisors and other stakeholders with conflict resolution, providing constructive feedback, and the interpretation of people management policiesBuild constructive relationships with critical stakeholders to share information and influence changePolicy, Compliance & GovernanceManage the employee handbook, policies and procedures, ensuring timely revisions and communication to staffEnsure compliance with Federal, State and Local labor lawsKeep the CEO abreast of day-to-day activities and recommend new initiatives, policies, and procedures as needed to support strategic growthHR Operations & SystemsOwn the administration of HR processes and policies, including performance management, employee data management, reporting, organizational charts, policy updates and compliance trackingReview and approve payroll before submission, serve as a backup for payroll, and manage payroll discrepanciesTalent Acquisition & RetentionOversee, develop, and execute talent acquisition and retention strategies and plans based on the organization’s needsOversee People and Culture Generalist in the standardization and implementation of onboarding, offboarding, and related programsEmployee Engagement & ExperienceOversee employee engagement activities such as employee surveys, recognition program, staff anniversaries, holiday party and other eventsCompensation & BenefitsConduct compensation analysis regularly to ensure CHMI remains competitiveOwn the administration of day-to-day benefits programs and annual benefits renewals, including Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, 403(b), Flexible Spending Accounts, STD/LTD Plans, and Voluntary PlansLearning & Development / Talent ManagementDevelop training modules for all personnel to improve employees’ skill set and promote professional developmentIn partnership with the Senior Leadership, integrate talent management solutions that includes coaching, individual development planning, talent reviews, succession planning, and leadership developmentHR Strategy & AnalyticsCollect and utilize data and analytics to measure People & Culture team effectiveness and inform strategic decisionsRequired Knowledge, Skills and AbilitiesDemonstrated expertise building consensus on a cross-functional basisAble to independently juggle multiple projects and stakeholders simultaneouslySound knowledge of local, state and federal employment law and regulation and its pragmatic application including FMLA in multiple states, ADA, COBRA and Workers’ CompensationFamiliarity and understanding of leaves of absence, short- and long-term disabilityExcellent consultative, coaching, counseling and conflict resolution skills; ability to influence and articulate a variety of issues to different audiences, tailoring messages accordinglyProven track record of successfully navigating and leading complex employee relations matters, including conducting investigations, documentation and bringing to resolutionExperience in creating and updating HR policiesKnowledge of HRIS and ability to learn new technical systems, when necessaryCommitment to the highest standards of excellence and personal integrityRequired QualificationsMinimum 8 years of progressive strategic human resource experience that includes HR strategy, employee relations/conflict resolution, performance management, benefits, learning and development, talent acquisition and HR compliancePreferred Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and QualificationsHR certification such as PHR, SPHR, SHRM-SCP or SHRM-CPBachelor's or master's degree in human resources or related fieldPrior experience working with our tools; Microsoft Teams, Microsoft Office Suite, Culture AmpBilingual in Spanish with strong written and verbal communicationLocation RequirementsThis role is a majority onsite role at our Detroit location with some flexibility to work remotelyMust be willing to travel to our other locations, including our Grand Rapids location as well as other off-site locations for hearings and/or other meetings as needed. Travel to Grand Rapids is typically day travel; overnights are generally not required