Oakland, CA

Director of Employee Experience and Culture, Kenneth Rainin Foundation

The Organization

The Kenneth Rainin Foundation (Rainin Foundation) is a family foundation that collaborates with creative thinkers to enhance quality of life by championing the arts, promoting early childhood literacy, and supporting research to cure chronic disease. Founded in 2008, the organization believes in taking smart risks to achieve breakthroughs. Today, with a team of over 40 and total annual grants of approximately $19.5 million, the Foundation supports visionary artists in the Bay Area, creates opportunities for Oakland’s youngest learners, and funds researchers on the forefront of scientific discoveries to cure chronic disease. Through grantmaking and operations, the Foundation embraces the values of collaboration, leveraging of all assets, innovation, responsibility and equity. Inherent in our core values is a belief in compassion, respect, humor and joy.

The Foundation also embodies a combination of strategic and creative approaches. While it engages in three diverse program areas with a focus on long-term growth, it embraces innovation and allows for its passionate staff to pursue the best possible paths to impact their respective areas of expertise. The result is a developing culture that is both unified and intentional and includes momentum in staff engagement across workgroups focused on Culture; Diversity, Equity and Inclusion; Strategy; and Information Technology.

Position Overview

The Foundation seeks an approachable, effective and strategic Director of Employee Experience and Culture to oversee the organization’s Human Resources functions and develop initiatives to support an inclusive and healthy workplace culture. The Director serves on the organization’s Executive Team to ensure equitable and inclusive HR policies and practices and advise on internal matters and will co-lead the Culture Workgroup alongside the Rainin Foundation’s CEO. This position is responsible for developing and implementing the Foundation’s talent strategy, including talent acquisition and retention, performance management, professional development, employee engagement, payroll and benefits administration, and employment-related risk management. The Director will assess the organization’s needs and articulate a plan to enhance HR capacity across their three-person HR team and external supports (e.g. consultants, vendors, etc.) as needed.

With a focus on building trusted and authentic relationships throughout the organization and having a deep understanding of core organizational needs, the Director simultaneously develops, supports, and represents the immediate and long-term interests of the organization. Additionally, the Director is the leader to ensure Rainin meets or exceeds all HR risk management and compliance needs, including policy development and consideration of best practices in HR management. The Director actively works toward full realization of a 100% high-performing and happy staff team.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following:

Legal Compliance & Personnel Policies

·       Effectively ensure compliance with all applicable federal, state and local labor and employment laws

·       Where appropriate, recommend organizational policies that, at a minimum, are legally compliant,  reinforce Rainin Foundation values, and protect and respect all employees

·       Review personnel policies, procedures and practices annually; make recommendations for improvement to the Executive Team and communicate changes throughout the organization

Talent Recruitment, Retention & Development

·       Lead recruitment using external recruiters or internal efforts to identify and recruit the best people for the Rainin Foundation

·       Ensure recruitment, selection and training opportunities support the Foundation’s goal of maintaining a diverse workforce

·       Work in concert with department leaders and supervisors to identify and support opportunities for growth or promotion available internally and ensure talent retention and development

·       Seek opportunities to creatively invest in Foundation staff development in ways that are rooted in Rainin Foundation values

·       Emphasize career pathing with an understanding that we don’t expect everyone to stay with Rainin forever, and we see it as our responsibility to develop skills and abilities to strengthen each team member for their benefit and the benefit of the field

·       Spearhead administration of and adjustments to employee performance evaluation process in alignment with our culture and in partnership with Executive Team

Organizational Culture & Performance Expectations

·       Reinforce Rainin Foundation’s culture and staff expectations, acting as a steward of our culture and ensuring alignment between the work environment and our organizational values

·       Work with the Executive Team to maintain and strengthen an office environment where all are safe, protected and enabled to perform their role at the Foundation to the fullest of their abilities

·       Work with department leaders and supervisors to ensure performance standards are effectively communicated to staff, well understood, and  consistently tracked using appropriate methods

·       Provide advice and counsel to managers to assist them in carrying out their responsibilities on personnel related matters

·       Lead employee recognition efforts including bonus plans, awards and recognition events

·       Monitor employee satisfaction with benefits

·       Be aware of and help to maintain a positive morale throughout the organization

Compensation, Benefits & Payroll

·       Develop policies and practices necessary to ensure the Foundation remains a competitive workplace

·       Lead compensation management, including: administer salaries, oversee salary surveys, determine hiring salary in partnership with supervisors, and engage consultants as appropriate to conduct market analysis of positions, salary structure, and internal equity analyses

·       Establish and maintain salary ranges that are market competitive and internally equitable

·       Research, manage, and administer policies and processes that ensure compensation and benefits packages are aligned with Foundation values and budgetary considerations; position the organization to attract, retain and ensure staff development

·       Manage the data and processes needed to ensure secure, accurate, and timely payroll, compliant with all relevant federal, state, and local laws

·       Facilitate information exchange with staff about policies, payroll, and benefits and improve organizational efficiency by implementing and maintaining a strong Human Resources Information System (HRIS) that is aligned with the Foundation’s mission and values

·       Develop, negotiate, and implement comprehensive benefit plans that are competitive and cost effective

 

EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS DESIRED

·       Bachelor’s degree (BA) or equivalent in HR management or business-related field required, or an equivalent combination of education and experience; Master’s degree in HR management or business-related field preferred

·       Minimum of ten years progressively responsible HR work experience and five years supervisory experience

·       Senior level HR certification or similarly recognized certification required or attainment within one year of employment

·       Passion for HR as a driver of organizational results; strong business acumen and the ability to identify critical business issues and apply HR expertise to deliver solutions

·       Demonstrated excellence and professionalism in the areas of: HR management; Diversity, Equity and Inclusion; organizational change and development; leadership; consulting; analysis; project management; negotiation; conflict management; and problem solving

·       Strong skills in presentations, communication, customer service, interpersonal/relationship-building, decision-making and time management

·       Strong working knowledge of federal, state and local laws and regulations related to HR

·       Ability to drive HR objectives of the organization and oversee them to successful completion

·       Ability to work in a confidential, team-oriented and time sensitive environment

·       Ability to work under pressure and successfully meet deadlines

·       Flexible, innovative, organized and detail-oriented

·       Ability to handle shifting and multiple priorities in a fast paced, growth environment

·       Working knowledge of Outlook; Human Resource Management Systems; payroll systems (ADP preferred); Excel and Word

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

The salary range for this position is commensurate with qualifications and experience. A comprehensive benefits package is included.

How To Apply

To apply, email a cover letter, resume and list of three references (candidates will be notified in advance of any outreach to your references) to krfoundation@walkeraac.com on or before 5:00 PM on Wednesday, October 30, 2019. Use the subject line: HR Director. Submit Microsoft Word or PDF files only (one combined PDF file is preferred). Resume review begins immediately.

The Kenneth Rainin Foundation is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating a work environment where every member of our team is valued and respected. We welcome applicants from diverse backgrounds and seek to hire talented team members that embrace the Foundation’s values, and share its dedication and commitment to improve the quality of life in the communities we serve. We define diversity in broad terms to include race, ethnicity, age, gender, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability, geography and socio-economic status.

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