Director of People

NOLS is seeking a skilled and collaborative Director of People Team (Director of Human Resources) that builds trust by centering people in their approach. The Director of People Team will be a proactive and strategic partner to the President and Executive Team while delivering excellence and efficiencies in all aspects of the day-to-day and overall People (HR) operations including, but not limited to: talent acquisition, onboarding, leadership development, training, benefits management, compensation planning, policy setting, performance evaluations, employee relations, HRIS and employee engagement. This position requires someone with a demonstrated commitment to fostering an inclusive, people-first culture; the ability to think strategically in seizing opportunities, assessing risk, and streamlining processes and procedures across multiple locations.

Under the direction of the Vice President of Expeditions, and in close collaboration with the Head of People, President and other executive leaders, the Director of People Team leads and oversees all functions of the People Team. This includes policy development, compensation, benefits, performance management, regulatory compliance, and organizational and professional development across a global workforce, requiring awareness of varying requirements across states and countries. The Director of People Team serves as a key advisor to schoolwide directors, supervisors, and employees on a broad range of people-related matters while ensuring compliance with all applicable local, state, federal, and international regulations. This role also provides leadership and guidance in cultivating a workplace where employees feel supported, respected, and able to thrive.

Key Information:

Application Deadline: 08 January 2026

Target Start Date: Feb 2026

Location: NOLS HQ or Remote

Wage: $80,000 - $90,000

Reports To: Head of People

Department: People (HR)

Position Type: Full-Time, Exempt

Benefits Eligible:Yes

What does a Director of People Team do?

• Engage with our senior leadership team, keeping them informed and engaging them as appropriate
• Oversee the People Team employees
• Train supervisors in recruiting, orientation, development, and management of staff and faculty
• Serve as the responsible officer for the NOLS J-1 Visa program and support other visa programs
• Steward the culture, mission and strategic vision, enhancing allegiance to the organization by building an internal, cohesive community with a culture of accountability
• Develop and implement strategies that level-up our approach to talent recruitment, hiring, onboarding and retention
• Ensure that our policies, processes and programs are consistent with the NOLS' mission and core values and fosters a high level of trust and engagement
• Provide guidance and coaching related to a broad range of employee relations matters to leaders and employees
• Manage the employee relations function to provide oversight and guidance on a full range of employee relations matters including investigations, grievances, disciplinary issues, and corrective action
• Plans, leads, develops, coordinates, and implements policies, processes, training, initiatives, and surveys to support the organization's people team/human resource compliance and strategy needs
• Oversee large, often cross-functional, organization-wide HR projects or initiatives; bring together important stakeholders and help drive decisions
• Identify staffing and recruiting needs; develop and execute best practices for hiring and talent management
• Conduct research and analysis of organizational trends including review of reports and metrics from the NOLS HRIS and talent management system
• Identify and facilitate internal all-staff and other meetings to advance HR and organizational priorities
• Propose the creation of new systems and processes to streamline all HR operations
• Oversee the suite of HR systems
• Monitor and ensure the organization's compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations, and recommended best practices; review and modify policies and practices to maintain compliance
• Represent NOLS to external audiences such as at conferences and with peer directors at other organizations
• Participate on committees and special projects as assigned and needed

The above duties should not be considered an exhaustive list; other responsibilities may be required.

What makes a great Director of People Team at NOLS?

We are looking for individuals who share our values and are keen to learn and develop their expertise. We are looking for candidates with the skills listed below. We expect to provide training and development support in some of the areas.

• 5+ years of experience in Human Resources; demonstrated success in every stage of the employee lifecycle
• Global and cultural awareness and competence
• Strategic thinking with a willingness to execute and implement
• Experience building and implementing inclusive talent and people operations systems, processes, and policies
• Strong emotional intelligence
• Strong analytical skills
• Conflict management skills
• Sound judgment, including the ability to maintain total confidentiality concerning highly sensitive information and the ability to act with discretion always

**We won't be reviewing applications coming from Indeed. To learn more about the position and to be considered, please apply in the following link:

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $80, $90,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Employee discount
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Work Location: Remote