Job Description

Assistant Director for Human Resources

The Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA) seeks an Assistant Director for Human Resources to use her/his expertise and talents to strengthen our team and our mission. With strategic vision and detail orientation, this person will take our current HR systems to the next level. S/he will build on our existing infrastructure a robust set of human resources systems with smart, organized procedures that facilitate recruitment, onboarding and offboarding, benefits plan management, organizational development, performance management, and even better employee relations, retention, and leadership development than we currently have. This person will be an important part of the team handling a broad range of issues.  S/he will have unmatched initiative and excellent problem-solving skills and a flair for working with others. WOLA staff and visitors come from many cultures and someone with cultural awareness and sensitivity will excel. This is a great opportunity for a person committed to our values to intersect with the human rights and foreign policy communities in Washington and Latin America. It’s also an opportunity for someone who wants to grow along with the organization—someone looking to define his/her own vision and see it through.

At WOLA everyone is self-motivated, goal-oriented, and passionate about their work. As individuals and as a team, we are committed to what we do, and WOLA is committed to supporting us all as we excel in our field. Right now our organization is growing and evolving and this position would assist in the strategy behind that growth. Our leadership works hard to provide a culture of innovation, collaboration, and excellence, and it shows. WOLA was recognized by Washingtonian Magazine twice as one of DC’s “Best Places to Work” and by The Washington Post as one of DC’s best-managed nonprofits. The Assistant Director for Human Resources will make it even better.

WOLA’s office has a paid staff of around twenty seven, plus seven interns and seven fellows.

Primary Responsibilities

Talent Management and Strategy:

• Work with management to develop strategic staffing structures to meet the needs of a growing organization
• Design and implement an organizational strategy for professional development; coach and advise on a wide range of core human resource functions including organizational design, HR policies, hirings, and best practice
• Mentor supervisors on management techniques and provide guidance on developing staff to maximize their contributions to WOLA; recruit and retain multi-cultural employees and build a strong culture of inclusion that values all of the multiple sets of characteristics that make up WOLA staff
• Oversee the annual staff personnel review process, developing new systems and approaches as needed

• Oversee all recruitment efforts to identify top talent and maintain strong diversity; posting job opportunities and conducting initial resume review and interviews for all positions
• Develop and update onboarding processes and systems for new hires to incorporate them into the organization quickly and effectively
• Develop strategies to consciously maintain WOLA’s history of strong staff retention and conduct activities to build and maintain positive staff morale; coordinate annual staff retreat and all other all staff office functions
• Provide direction and participate in addressing performance concerns
• Oversee personnel records management including tracking leave and liaising with finance staff on payroll changes
• Be available to staff to address interpersonal issues and confidential matters related to their employment
• Facilitate good communication and morale across programs to develop a strong organizational infrastructure
• Oversee staff office assignments and configuration

Benefits and Policies:

• Maintain systems for consistent compensation structure including salary surveys and market research
• Manage and administer a benefits program for the organization including evaluating and working with brokers and vendors
• Oversee business and officers’ liability insurance policies and renewals
• Develop and update personnel policies and systems as needed (comp time, security and cyber-security protocols, etc.)
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local laws and best practices in HR and administration procedures

Qualifications:

• At least 5+ years of human resources-related experience; candidates with direct experience in diversity initiatives and proactive recruitment sourcing techniques strongly preferred
• At least 2 years of experience managing human resources responsibilities in an NGO is preferred
• Management experience required
• A demonstrated track record of innovation and implementation; experience in a growing organization and the ability to develop strategies to manage growth in an organization
• Excellent interpersonal, team building, and communication skills; ability to provide information and guidance to other employees in a compassionate, discreet way
• Proven track record of discretion when working with highly sensitive and confidential information
• Familiarity with human rights and/or social justice issues
• Ability to work in a small but growing and fast-paced organization that requires flexibility and a hands-on style
• Demonstrated capacity to work independently and take initiative
• Fluency in English required; fluency in Spanish a plus
• BA required

SALARY: Commensurate with experience; full health, dental, vision, and life insurance 100 percent paid by employer; 20 days annual vacation.

How to Apply

1. Cover Letter
2. Resume
3. Two-page English writing sample
4. A list of two references with email addresses and daytime telephone numbers

Job Types: Full-Time.

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