Director of Employee Experience

Breathe Project; Pittsburgh (Allegheny County); On-site; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

The JCC of Greater Pittsburgh seeks a Director of Employee Experience to partner with the Chief People & Culture Officer, advancing organizational effectiveness, compliance and a workplace where employees feel supported and empowered.

This role oversees HR operations, including hiring, onboarding, engagement, compensation, policy updates, and regulatory compliance, while leading the HR team to deliver data-driven, people-centric solutions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; master’s preferred; HR cert preferred.
• 5–7 years of professional HR experience across all HR functions.
• Strong leadership, policy development, and compliance capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Lead staffing and recruitment aligned with organizational goals.
• Oversee onboarding, employee relations, and retention programs.
• Design and improve performance management and compensation practices.
• Provide team supervision and metrics reporting to CPCO and CEO.

Skills

Strategic HR partnership

Employee relations

Leadership

Policy development

Regulatory compliance

Education

Bachelor’s degree in HR or related field

Master’s degree preferred

HR certification (SHRM-CP/SHRM-SCP) preferred

Job description

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Director of Employee Experience at the JCC will serve as a strategic partner to the Chief People & Culture Officer, JCC leadership and department leaders, advancing organizational effectiveness, compliance and fostering a workplace where employees feel supported, engaged and empowered to succeed. Providing both strategic and hands-on leadership, the Director will oversee the day-to-day operations of the agency human resources function, including employment policies & procedures, employee relations, recruitment & retention, total rewards, legal compliance, and employee engagement. The Director will supervise and develop HR team members, strengthen HR processes and practices and partner across the organization to ensure a consistent, effective and positive employee experience.

PRINCIPLE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Talent Acquisition and Employee Life-Cycle Leadership:

• Creates, implements and continuously improves staffing and recruitment strategies aligned with long-term organizational objectives.
• Guides and supports hiring managers in sourcing, screening and selection best practices.
• Ensures hiring processes reflect organizational values, equity and compliance.
• Oversees and continually enhances onboarding and orientation programs to ensure a seamless and engaging new hire experience; ensures consistency across departments.

Employee Relations, Engagement and Culture:

• Develops, recommends and implements employee relations policies and practices that foster a positive, inclusive and engaged workplace culture.
• Identifies and mitigates employee relations risks that could impact organizational effectiveness or legal compliance proactively.
• Conducts and oversees high-level investigations into employee concerns and complaints.
• Oversees all aspects of employee relations including recruitment, engagement and retention initiatives.

Performance Management:

• Designs, implements, and refines performance management systems and assessment tools.
• Ensures job descriptions are regularly reviewed, updated and aligned with organizational needs.
• Researches, analyzes and recommends compensation for new, backfilled, and evolving roles, with a forward-looking approach to market alignment.
• Partners with the CPCO and CEO to review salary structures, pay practices and strategic compensation data to support equity, retention and budget planning.

Learning and Professional Development:

• Provides strategic leadership in the creation and execution of training and professional development initiatives.
• Partners with department leaders to identify and address ongoing learning needs across the organization.
• Develops programs, in partnership with the CPCO, that support leadership development, employee growth, engagement, and career progression.
• Researches national JCC and nonprofit learning opportunities and assesses applicability to the JCC of Greater Pittsburgh.

Total Rewards and Financial Operations:

• Provides strategic oversight of payroll and benefits administration.
• Serves as backup and subject matter expert for payroll and benefits administration.
• Provides fiscal oversight of the HR department budget.

Compliance and Legal Stewardship:

• Ensures HR policies, procedures and practices comply with federal, state and local employment laws.
• Reviews, updates and communicates changes to the employee handbook on a regular basis.
• Collaborates with CPCO and employment counsel on personnel matters.

Team Leadership and Strategic Analytics:

• Provides direct supervision, mentorship and development support to HR team members.
• Strengthens team effectiveness through coaching, process improvement and clearly defined growth opportunities.
• Provides regular HR metrics and analysis, including hiring, turnover and engagement data to position HR as a proactive, data-informed, relationship-oriented strategic partner across the JCC.
• Serves as key strategic partner to the CPCO, identifying trends, strengths and areas for improvement across the organization.

General Responsibilities:

• Pursues opportunities for professional growth while maintaining high standards for clear, concise, and timely communication.
• Collaborates effectively with cross-functional teams to achieve shared goals, while independently managing tasks and projects to meet deadlines and deliver high-quality results.
• Ability to relate to multiple constituencies including the CEO, Board of Directors, staff, members, organizational partners, community leaders and volunteers.
• Ability to lead complex initiatives and manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Possesses current knowledge and understanding of regulations, industry trends, current practices, new developments, and applicable laws regarding human resources.
• Works effectively with other key JCC departments to provide effective and efficient service delivery.
• Ability to define problems, develop solutions, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.
• Ability to manage and balance a variety of responsibilities in a fast-paced environment under tight time constraints.
• Ensures adherence to and integration of the agency core values (shared lenses) Masa (reflection, return & renewal), B’Tzelem Elohim (dignity and potential), B’rit (belonging & commitment), Hit’orerut (amazement & gratitude), D’rash (inquiry, dialogue & transmission), K’dushah (intentionality & presence) and Tikkun Olam (responsibility).
• Recognizes that the JCC of Greater Pittsburgh gathers individuals representing diverse backgrounds, beliefs, and practices.
• Creates a warm and welcoming environment.
• Maintains a high degree of organization and attention to details.
• Adheres to Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh policies and procedures.
• Actively supports and participates in continuous intra-departmental and agency-wide quality improvement processes. "Everyone, Every Day, Closer to Better".
• Actively promotes and maintains agency customer service standards.
• Ensures compliance with all state, federal and local regulating agencies.
• Generates necessary reports and documentation as needed and/or required.
• Ability to communicate verbally and in writing.
• Ability to operate personal computers (hardware and software).
• Ability to work evenings, weekends, and holidays, as required.
• Ability to travel, as needed.
• Ability to perform other related duties, as needed and/or required.

(These responsibilities are not to be construed as a complete statement of all duties performed.)

ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES:

While performing the above duties, this position routinely requires handling persons and/or objects and moving safely throughout the building. This position may include walking, sitting, climbing, balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching and crawling. This position requires communicating, either verbally or in writing. This position frequently requires moving items weighing up to 25 pounds. This position occasionally requires moving items weighing up to 50 pounds. Must be able to complete all essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodations.

SUPERVISION EXERCISED:

Supervises Full-Time Personnel

SUPERVISION RECEIVED:

Supervision from Chief People & Culture Officer

QUALIFICATIONS:

Bachelor’s degree required; master’s degree preferred in Human Resources, Organizational Development, or a related field. HR certification preferred (SHRM-CP/SHRM-SCP), and at least 5-7 years of professional experience in all aspects of human resources management.

CERTIFICATIONS:

• PA Criminal History Clearance
• PA Child Abuse Clearance
• FBI Clearance
• PA Mandated Reporter Training
• First Aid/CPR Certification

Equal Opportunity employer