Director of People

Meritus; Nashville (TN); On-site; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Meritus in Nashville is seeking an experienced Director of People to lead a progressive people strategy across our growing organisation. You will partner with senior leadership to attract, develop, engage, and retain exceptional talent while shaping culture and leadership capability.

The role combines strategic leadership with hands-on HR oversight, driving change, workforce analytics, employee wellbeing, and a best-in-class employee experience across multiple sites.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in HR, business, or related field.
• Minimum 10 years of progressive HR leadership experience.
• Minimum 5 years in a senior leadership role overseeing multiple HR functions.
• Strong background in talent management, organisational development, and leadership coaching.
• Proven ability to influence and partner with executive leadership teams.
• Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and relationship-building skills.
• Experience leading change management and organisational transformation initiatives.
• Strong knowledge of employment law, compensation, benefits, and HR best practices.
• Experience with HRIS platforms and workforce analytics.
• Experience in aviation, aerospace, transportation, or other regulated industries; multi-site operations.

Responsibilities

• Partner with executive leadership to build and deliver a people strategy aligned with the organisation's long-term vision and growth objectives.
• Foster an inclusive, engaging, and high-performing workplace culture.
• Lead talent acquisition initiatives to attract top talent across operational, technical, and corporate functions.
• Design and implement leadership development, succession planning, and employee growth programmes.
• Champion employee engagement, wellbeing, and retention initiatives.
• Provide coaching and guidance to leaders on performance management, employee relations, and team effectiveness.
• Oversee compensation, benefits, recognition, and reward programmes to ensure market competitiveness.
• Ensure compliance with all applicable employment legislation and HR best practices.
• Lead organisational change initiatives and support business transformation projects.
• Develop and mentor the Human Resources team, encouraging continuous learning and professional growth.
• Use people data and workforce analytics to provide insights and support business decision-making.
• Promote a culture built on collaboration, accountability, respect, and continuous improvement.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to leaders and employees across the organisation.

Skills

People-focused leadership

Culture shaping

Employee experience optimization

Strategic leadership

Education

Bachelor's Degree in HR, Business Admin, Organisational Development, or related field

Tools

HRIS platforms

Workforce analytics

Job description

We are seeking an experienced and people-focused Director of People to lead the development and delivery of a progressive people strategy across a growing organisation. This role will champion a positive employee experience while partnering closely with senior leadership to attract, develop, engage, and retain exceptional talent. The successful candidate will play a key role in shaping organisational culture, supporting leadership development, and creating an environment where employees feel valued, empowered, and able to perform at their best. This position combines strategic leadership with hands‑on partnership across all areas of the employee lifecycle.

Responsibilities

• Partner with executive leadership to build and deliver a people strategy aligned with the organisation's long-term vision and growth objectives.
• Foster an inclusive, engaging, and high-performing workplace culture.
• Lead talent acquisition initiatives to attract top talent across operational, technical, and corporate functions.
• Design and implement leadership development, succession planning, and employee growth programmes.
• Champion employee engagement, wellbeing, and retention initiatives.
• Provide coaching and guidance to leaders on performance management, employee relations, and team effectiveness.
• Oversee compensation, benefits, recognition, and reward programmes to ensure market competitiveness.
• Ensure compliance with all applicable employment legislation and HR best practices.
• Lead organisational change initiatives and support business transformation projects.
• Develop and mentor the Human Resources team, encouraging continuous learning and professional growth.
• Use people data and workforce analytics to provide insights and support business decision-making.
• Promote a culture built on collaboration, accountability, respect, and continuous improvement.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to leaders and employees across the organisation.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Organisational Development, or a related field.
• Minimum 10 years of progressive Human Resources leadership experience.
• Minimum 5 years in a senior leadership role overseeing multiple HR functions.
• Strong background in talent management, organisational development, employee engagement, and leadership coaching.
• Proven ability to influence and partner with executive leadership teams.
• Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and relationship-building skills.
• Experience leading change management and organisational transformation initiatives.
• Strong knowledge of employment law, compensation, benefits, and HR best practices.
• Experience with HRIS platforms and workforce analytics.
• Aviation, aerospace, transportation, logistics, or other regulated industry experience.
• Experience supporting multi-site operations and geographically dispersed teams.
• Previous Director of People, Head of People, Senior HR Director, VP Human Resources, or equivalent experience.
• SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP certification strongly preferred.
• Prior experience working for a Part 121 and/or Part 135 air carrier is required.

Required Skills

• People-focused leadership with a strong emphasis on employee experience.
• Ability to shape organisational culture and support leadership development.
• Capability to create an environment where employees feel valued, empowered, and able to perform at their best.
• Strategic leadership combined with hands‑on partnership across all areas of the employee lifecycle.