Director of People and Culture

For over 15 years, Catalist has been a leader in civic data and data science innovation. Our mission is to provide progressive organizations with the data and services needed to better identify, understand, and communicate with the people they need to engage and mobilize. Our clients include the largest, most influential organizations in the U.S. engaged in civic engagement, advocacy, and political campaigns.

Catalist is home to a dedicated, creative team of technologists, data scientists and campaign experts who build best-in-class data tools and science. Catalist is committed to using our talents and technology to nurture a vibrant, growing, progressive community.

Catalist is seeking a Director of People and Culture to lead all aspects of human resources, including recruitment, onboarding, team-building and recognition, professional development, staff retention, corporate culture, and employee benefits.  The Director will develop strategies to ensure that HR initiatives and programs align with Catalist’s core values, including Catalist’s commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility (DEIA) and our commitment to supporting our unionized staff. This position would be outside of the staff union.

The candidate in this role will grow and expand initiatives to foster these core values in our talent and retention practices.  In addition, they will assist with other Catalist initiatives.

This is a new role, so the selected candidate will have the opportunity to shape the position and think creatively and innovatively about our HR and DEIA programs. The Director of People and Culture will drive change within the organization as a member of Catalist’s leadership team.

The ideal candidate will be an inspirational leader with a passion for Catalist’s mission who is thoughtful, hardworking, flexible, highly motivated, independent, resourceful, and experienced in HR leadership and DEIA.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Identify, evaluate, recommend, implement, document, and maintain HR best practices
• Collaborate with senior leadership to develop policies, processes, and initiatives that support organizational goals and that provide flexibility
• Evaluate HR policies and practices on an ongoing basis, guided by data-driven practices
• Collect, steward, and analyze employee data to facilitate reporting on recruitment, retention, employee satisfaction, and other metrics
• Handle day-to-day human resources matters and administration including benefits
• Provide support and guidance when complex, specialized, or sensitive questions and issues arise
• Update Catalist Employee Handbook, as needed
• Lead HR trainings, projects, and programs
• Maintain in-depth knowledge of changing federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations, and recommend best practices for compliance
• Work with legal counsel on HR-related issues, as needed

• DEIA
  • Serve as a guide to departments and senior leadership in the development of strategies and action plans that support Catalist’s DEIA priorities
  • Chair DEIA committee(s), lead committee meetings, set goals, and drive initiatives
  • Lead ongoing internal assessments to identify and overcome barriers to achieving DEIA goals
• Talent
  • Manage the talent acquisition from recruitment through onboarding
  • Provide strategic advice and data-driven analysis around staffing needs, recruitment, retention, employee satisfaction, and other relevant metrics
  • Establish new, and strengthen existing, talent retention, professional development, performance evaluation, recognition, and team-building programs
  • Support, coach, and guide colleagues and provide flexible and creative solutions when issues arise

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree, preferably in HR or a related field of study
• 5-10+ years experience in Human Resources in a senior role; experience with small and mid-sized companies and tech environments is a plus
• 3-5+ years experience in Benefits Administration
• Experience leading DEIA programs
• Deep understanding of current trends in HR and DEIA with an understanding of best practices
• Expert project management skills, attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple projects with competing priorities and deadlines
• Strong cultural competency, including an understanding of power dynamics and intersecting axes of diversity (age, race, ethnicity, disability, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, religion, socio-economic circumstance, and other markers of difference) and how these attributes play out in a workplace
• High emotional intelligence and problem-solving mindset
• Ability to maintain high level of confidentiality, deal with conflict effectively, and manage difficult employee relations situations confidently and calmly

Preferred Qualifications:

• Certified Diversity Professional (CDP), Certified Diversity Executive (CDE), or other related diversity certification preferred
• SHRM Certified Professional (SHRM-CP) or SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) or other equivalent certification preferred
• Experience working with employees represented by a labor union
• Experience with Namely, Google Suite, JIRA

Salary:

This is a full-time job, located in Washington, DC. Catalist is currently working remotely due to the pandemic. Compensation will range from $80,000-100,000 per year, commensurate with experience. 

Catalist offers a competitive salary and a strong benefits package, detailed below. To apply, please send your resume and cover letter to [email protected] with “Director of People and Culture” and your last name in the subject line.