Director, People & Culture

Philadelphia Museum of Art; Philadelphia (Philadelphia County); On-site; USD 153,000 - 187,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Free general admission for employee &

Discounted guest tickets

Retirement savings with museum match

Paid vacation, personal days, holidays

Job summary

Philadelphia Museum of Art is seeking a Director of People and Culture to lead HR strategy, employee relations, labor relations, and organizational effectiveness across the Museum. You will partner with museum leadership to foster an inclusive, fair workplace and ensure people practices align with the Museum's mission and values.

The role oversees investigations, performance management, policy development, and training while guiding union relationships and collective bargaining administration.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; master's degree preferred.
• Significant HR experience in senior/leadership roles (10+ years).
• Experience in a unionized environment with collective bargaining.
• Strong knowledge of federal, state, and local employment laws.
• Experience with HRIS and ADP Workforce Now preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership to the Museum’s People and Culture function, aligning HR initiatives with the Museum’s mission.
• Lead labor relations including bargaining strategy, negotiations, and contract administration.
• Oversee employee relations, investigations, performance management, and policy enforcement.
• Develop and implement employment policies, programs, and practices to support organizational effectiveness.
• Collaborate with museum leadership across departments to foster an inclusive, fair workplace.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Labor relations

Employee relations

Policy development

Union negotiations

HRIS ADP Workforce Now

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Master’s degree or advanced degree

SHRM-SCP / SPHR certification

Tools

ADP Workforce Now

Job description

We Are Committed to an Inclusive Workplace

At the Philadelphia Museum of Art, we actively seek to employ a diverse group of people who embody our organizational values. We welcome and encourage individuals of all backgrounds to apply, especially those from marginalized and underrepresented groups in the museum field, who are inspired by our shared purpose and enjoy working collaboratively with others.

We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, citizenship or immigration status, color, disability, ethnicity, familial status, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other protected status.

The Director of People and Culture is a senior leader within the People and Culture department and a trusted advisor to the Chief People Officer. This role serves as a strategic partner to Museum leadership, helping to advance a workplace culture that supports employee engagement, accountability, collaboration, and organizational effectiveness.

As the Museum's lead resource for employee and labor relations, the Director provides leadership and guidance on complex workplace matters, labor-management relationships, investigations, performance management, and leadership coaching. The role partners closely with leaders, managers, employees, and union representatives to foster positive working relationships, strengthen management capability, and ensure people practices are fair, consistent, and aligned with the Museum's mission and values.

The Director also contributes to broader People and Culture strategy and initiatives, helping to shape programs, policies, and practices that support employee growth, organizational effectiveness, and a positive employee experience. As a senior leader within the department, the Director partners across People and Culture to advance strategic priorities and strengthen the Museum's overall people practices.

Specifically, you will:

Strategy and Leadership

• Serve as a strategic advisor and thought partner to the Chief People Officer and Museum leadership on employee, labor, organizational, and workforce matters
• Partner with leaders across the Museum to strengthen organizational effectiveness, workforce planning, employee engagement, leadership capability, and a positive, inclusive workplace culture
• Help develop and implement People and Culture programs, initiatives, and practices that support the Museum's strategic priorities and enhance the employee experience
• Build collaborative relationships across the Museum, identify workplace trends and opportunities, and recommend practical solutions that support a high-performing and mission-aligned organization

Labor Relations and Union Management

• Serve as the Museum's lead resource regarding the interpretation, administration, and application of collective bargaining agreements and provide guidance on related policies, practices, and procedures
• Partner with the Chief People Officer on labor relations strategy, collective bargaining agreement administration, and collective bargaining negotiations
• Lead the Museum's labor relations program, including grievance management, labor-management meetings, arbitration preparation, contract administration, and the day-to-day implementation of collective bargaining agreements
• Build and maintain productive, trust-based relationships with union representatives and represented employees while facilitating effective communication and problem-solving between labor and management
• Advise and coach Museum leaders and managers on labor relations matters, the consistent application of collective bargaining agreements, and effective approaches to addressing workplace concerns
• Monitor labor relations trends, legal developments, and organizational risks, and recommend strategies to support compliance, positive labor-management relationships, and organizational preparedness

Employee Relations

• Serve as the Museum's primary resource and subject matter expert on employee relations matters
• Provide guidance to managers and employees regarding performance concerns, employee complaints, workplace conflict, corrective action, and policy interpretation
• Conduct and oversee internal investigations involving workplace concerns, policy violations, employee complaints, and other sensitive matters; provide recommendations regarding findings, resolution, and appropriate next steps
• Lead and support performance management processes, including performance improvement plans, corrective action, disciplinary decisions, and employee development discussions
• Coach managers on addressing employee issues early, consistently, effectively, and in alignment with Museum policies and values
• Assist in the development and implementation of employment policies and procedures and recommend new approaches, policies, and practices that support organizational effectiveness
• Analyze employee relations trends and organizational risk areas and recommend proactive interventions, manager training, policy enhancements, and workplace practices that foster a respectful and effective work environment
• Foster a workplace culture grounded in fairness, accountability, respect, inclusion, and open communication
• Oversee the exit interview process, analyze trends, and make recommendations to improve the employee experience and retention

Training and Development

• Develop and support initiatives that strengthen employee engagement, professional growth, leadership effectiveness, and retention
• Partner with People and Culture leadership to develop, implement, and facilitate training programs focused on manager effectiveness, employee relations, performance management, workplace conduct, and legal compliance
• Support initiatives that strengthen leadership capability and enhance workplace effectiveness across the Museum
• Contribute to organizational efforts that promote continuous learning, employee growth, and career development
• Perform other related duties as assigned

Who You Are

• You build trust easily and lead with integrity, consistency, and care
• You build strong relationships across departments, leadership levels, and represented and non-represented employee groups
• You bring sound judgment, empathy, and discretion to sensitive employee and labor matters
• You hold yourself and others to high standards while remaining approachable, practical, and collaborative
• You stay steady through difficult conversations, create space for people to be heard, and guide constructive solutions

Your background and experience include:

• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree or other relevant advanced degree preferred. SHRM-SCP and or SPHR certification strongly preferred
• Minimum of ten years of progressive Human Resources experience, including demonstrated success in a senior HR, employee relations, or labor relations role
• Significant employee relations experience, including workplace investigations, performance management, conflict resolution, employment law compliance, and advising managers and senior leaders on sensitive workplace matters
• Significant experience in a unionized environment, including collective bargaining agreement administration, grievance management, arbitration preparation, labor-management committees, and collective bargaining negotiations
• Experience handling complex employee and labor relations matters with sound judgment, discretion, and a practical, solutions-oriented approach
• Broad Human Resources experience across multiple disciplines, such as organizational development, employee engagement, talent management, policy development, or related areas
• Strong knowledge of federal, state, and local employment laws, labor relations practices, and Human Resources best practices
• Excellent communication, relationship-building, influencing, negotiation, problem-solving, and conflict-resolution skills
• Highly organized and able to manage multiple priorities and projects while maintaining confidentiality, sound judgment, and attention to detail
• Experience in a cultural institution, nonprofit organization, educational institution, healthcare organization, or similarly mission-driven environment preferred; experience with HRIS platforms required, with ADP Workforce Now preferred

Position and Compensation Details

• The salary for this position is $170,000
• This position is Full-Time, Exempt, and 35 hours per week
• This position reports to Miller Worley Chief People Officer
• Background check required after a conditional job offer is made. Consideration of the background check will be tailored to the requirements of the job

Physical requirements:

• Able to remain stationary for extended periods of time, to utilize computers and other office equipment required of this job, to perform physically administrative duties in a typical interior office environment, gallery, or exhibit space, and to access most public and staff areas of the museum campus

Institutional Requirements

• Upholds the professional standards of the field, always acts in a manner that is consistent with the best interests of the museum and protects and enhances its reputation and standing within the community of museums
• Adheres to the museum’s code of ethics and Employee Handbook and avoids any real or perceived conflicts of interest
• Shows respect for co-workers and visitors and an understanding of and appreciation for the diversity of the museum’s staff, volunteers, and audiences
• Maintains confidentiality
• Adheres to all museum protocols, procedures, rules, and policies

What We Offer

Our employees are at the center of the museum. As an employee, you will have access to numerous museum perks including, but not limited to:

• Free general admission to the museum for you and your immediate family
• Discounted guest tickets for admission
• Discounts on gift memberships
• Special staff tours and presentations from our curatorial and conservation teams
• Discounts at the museum restaurant, museum cafés, and museum retail and online stores

We offer a comprehensive benefits package for employees including:

• Medical, dental, and vision benefits
• Fully paid short-term disability insurance, long-term disability insurance, and life insurance
• Health savings or flexible spending account program
• Retirement savings program with museum match
• Paid vacation, personal days, sick days, and holidays

*Eligibility for certain benefits is based on a variety of factors including the employee’s regular schedule and tenure.