Director, People Experience

The Academy is looking for candidates who do great work and may come from several different backgrounds and experiences. We encourage you to apply even if you believe you must meet every qualification for the position.

About the Opportunity:

The Director of People Experience is a vital member of the organization, responsible for driving a positive and inclusive culture, leading a team focused on employee engagement, and ensuring the workplace is a safe and conducive environment for employees to thrive and contribute to the Academy's mission. This newly created role will provide leadership in delivering a range of strategic and tactical people support to managers and employees across the Academy. Working closely with the Chief of People & Culture, the Director of People Experience will have the exciting opportunity to transform and enrich the Academy's workplace culture through various talent development and culture initiatives.

Organizational Culture:
Join a team dedicated to the Academy’s mission, vision and values! Currently, the Academy's strategic plan includes three initiatives – Hope for Reefs, Thriving California, and Islands 2030 – that leverage biodiversity science, environmental learning, and collaborative engagement to regenerate fragile ecosystems around the world. Learn more at https://www.calacademy.org/about-us/major-initiatives.

We are committed to ensuring diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion are intrinsic to Academy culture and operations, from recruitment and retention to science and advocacy.

We hope you are inspired by what we do and are excited to contribute to our mission. The mission of the California Academy of Sciences is to regenerate the natural world through science, learning, and collaboration. The Academy is looking for candidates who do great work, and we know they may come from a number of different backgrounds and experiences. We encourage you to apply even if you do not believe you meet every one of the qualifications for the position.

This position is based in golden gate park at the museum in San Francisco, California. This exempt, full-time position reports to the Chief People & Culture Officer. Staff are currently expected to work from the Academy offices at least three days per week, which may fluctuate based on business needs. Please only apply if you can also work onsite.

About the People & Culture Team (PACT):
The People & Culture team collaborates across the Academy to: 1) build a thriving culture in which all staff members feel cared for and respected, with opportunities for growth: and 2) deeply connect employees to the Academy’s purpose of regenerating the natural world.

As Director, People Experience, you:

• Are excited to build for scale, drawing on your broad knowledge of HR specialties and functions to create and bolster a foundation for the Academy’s people initiatives.
• Are energized to lead and work across several Centers of Excellence, including People Experience, & Learning & Engagement
• Bring a strong equity lens that informs your decision-making as a leader and employee.
• Have a knack for building warm and collaborative working relationships across all levels and areas of an organization.
• Approach your work in a spirit of appreciative inquiry and collaborative problem-solving.

Strategic Leadership

• Collaborate with the Chief People and Culture Officer to understand and implement the organization’s strategic goals related to workforce planning, training, retention, and building culture.
• Develop the key programmatic issues for PACT, including organizational effectiveness, performance management, talent development, culture, and employee engagement, to support the Academy’s overall success. 
• Propose and implement policies and programs that support staff performance, engagement, development, and accountability.
• Propose and implement impactful initiatives to enrich and expand our commitment to
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for all Academy employees.

Program Oversight & Implementation

• Performance Management: Consult with the senior leadership team to establish and roll out an effective performance management process that provides regular feedback, sets clear expectations, and supports employee growth. Work closely with L&E lead and PACT BPs to roll out and maintain ongoing performance management processes.
• Oversee and drive the administration of People & Culture programs such as performance, talent management, training and development, engagement, and succession planning across the Academy.
• Work closely with the People Operations team to ensure consistent policies, programs, and practices are followed across the organization.
• Cultivate and reinforce a positive workplace culture that aligns with the Academy’s values and goals.
• Develop and execute effective communication strategies that keep employees informed and engaged in Academy people initiatives.
• Define, collect, analyze, and present data and metrics designed to measure the effectiveness of people-related programs; use data and metrics to identify opportunities for further growth as well as successes to celebrate.

Key Responsibilities:
Supervision and Management

• Build, coach, and lead a high-performing team that includes two People & Culture Business Partners and a Learning and Engagement Lead to drive key initiatives within PACT and across the Academy
• Manage and lead a team with workstreams focused on strategic program management, employee relations, performance management, coaching, and learning & engagement.
• Act as a thought leader to the People & Culture team as a whole; consult and advise across all centers of excellence, making informed decisions to keep the work moving forward
• Synthesize, elevate, and contextualize staff feedback and needs up to executive leadership in partnership with Chief People & Culture Office

Qualifications:

Experience and/or Education:

• At least 10 years experience of People & Culture experience, with 5+ years in people management within a PACT, in nonprofit, social impact preferred but remain flexible to different experiences and environments.
• Undergraduate degree, preferred, advanced degree in HR Management or equivalent with SPHR/SHRM-SCP certification a plus
• Experience working in a union environment is a plus

Skills and Abilities:

• Comprehensive knowledge of business and people management principles in PACT, strategic planning, and resource allocation; proven ability to advise, direct, and lead across a broad range of HR functions.
• Excellent communication, presentation, coaching, and influencing skills.
• Experience applying best practices around coaching, employee engagement, and change management.
• A demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility.
• Are comfortable with ambiguity, fluidity, and finding multiple paths forward in a dynamic environment. You view new insights and knowledge as an opportunity to stress-test and re-evaluate your strategy and approach.
• Ability to manage across various portfolios and Centers of Excellence; eagle eye for detail and deadlines.
• Ability to plan and implement a strategic roadmap while retaining the flexibility to adapt to new information and changing business needs as they emerge.
• Successful track record of anticipating business needs and proactively recommending solutions
• Ability to maintain strict confidentiality, establish trust and credibility, and act with complete integrity.
• Proven track record of identifying people's problems and using strategic skills to drive and influence appropriate solutions.

Physical Environment:

The Academy complies with federal and state disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact our People & Culture team at recruiting@calacademy.org.

• Ability to perform repetitive motions 80% of the time.