Human Resources Director

Hope Church; Richmond (VA); Hybrid; USD 100,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

HOPE Church seeks a Human Resources Director to lead people systems, attract, develop, and retain staff aligned with our mission of offering experiences, relationships, and places where people can find life and purpose through Jesus Christ.

You will partner with the Head of Staff and Lead Team to drive talent acquisition, performance management, compensation, compliance, and staff care, while modeling biblical values and legal excellence.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in HR, business, or related field is required.
• SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP certification preferred.
• 7+ years of progressively responsible HR leadership experience.
• Experience leading HR in a church, nonprofit, or mission-driven organization preferred.
• Demonstrated success advising senior leaders and managing complex employee relations.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement HR strategies aligned with HOPE's mission, vision, values, and priorities.
• Advise senior leaders on organizational structure, staffing, succession, and workforce planning.
• Coach leaders on leadership and people-related matters and promote healthy staff culture.
• Lead churchwide recruitment, onboarding, and staffing processes.
• Oversee performance management, employee development, and conflict resolution.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws and maintain policies.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Emotional intelligence

Interpersonal skills

Coaching

Conflict resolution

Clear communication

Change leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business, Organizational Leadership, or related field

SHRM-CP

SHRM-SCP

PHR

SPHR

Job description

Human Resources Director

Hours: Full-time (40 hours/week) FLSA Status: Exempt Reports To: Head of Staff

SUMMARY

At HOPE Church, we believe healthy people build healthy ministries. The Human Resources Director provides strategic leadership for the church's people systems, ensuring that HOPE attracts, develops, supports, and retains exceptional staff equipped to fulfill our mission of offering experiences, relationships, and places where people can find life and purpose through Jesus Christ.

This role serves as the church's senior Human Resources leader, partnering closely with the Head of Staff and Lead Team to cultivate a healthy organizational culture while leading talent acquisition, employee development, compensation, performance management, compliance, and staff care.

By building exceptional teams and developing healthy leaders, the Human Resources Director helps create the organizational foundation that enables HOPE to Reach Families, Grow Leaders, Plant Churches, and Go Far and Wide. Every Human Resources strategy, hiring decision, and leadership development effort should strengthen the people who carry out these priorities and advance HOPE's vision of becoming a catalytic movement offering the Gospel to as many people as possible as creatively as necessary.

The Human Resources Director balances strategic thinking with practical execution, helping leaders build strong teams while ensuring the church's employment practices reflect both legal excellence and biblical values. This position partners closely with the Head of Staff Operations Coordinator, who provides administrative support for many Human Resources processes.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Organizational Leadership and People Strategy

• Partner with the Head of Staff to develop and implement Human Resources strategies that support HOPE's mission, vision, values, and strategic priorities.
• Advise senior leaders on organizational structure, staffing, succession planning, and workforce planning.
• Help shape and strengthen a healthy staff culture marked by trust, accountability, collaboration, and spiritual maturity.
• Provide coaching and consultation to ministry leaders on leadership and people-related matters.
• Identify opportunities to improve organizational effectiveness through healthy people systems and practices.

Talent Acquisition and Staffing

• Lead the churchwide recruitment strategy and hiring process.

• Partner with hiring managers to identify staffing needs and attract exceptional candidates.
• Guide interview processes, candidate evaluation, and hiring decisions.
• Ensure job descriptions remain current and aligned with organizational needs.
• Develop onboarding strategies that successfully integrate new staff into the life and culture of HOPE.

Employee Relations and Leadership Support

• Serve as the primary Human Resources advisor for managers and employees.
• Coach leaders through performance management, employee development, conflict resolution, corrective action, and difficult conversations.
• Promote healthy communication and effective conflict resolution across departments.
• Support staff through employment transitions, promotions, leaves of absence, and offboarding.
• Maintain strict confidentiality while exercising sound judgment and discretion.

Performance and Leadership Development

• Lead the church's performance management philosophy and annual review process.

• Partner with leaders to establish clear expectations, accountability, and professional development plans.
• Recommend and coordinate leadership development, training, and staff development initiatives.
• Help identify high-capacity leaders and support succession planning throughout the organization.

Compensation, Benefits and Compliance

• Administer the church's compensation philosophy, salary benchmarking, and job evaluation process.

• Partner with benefit providers, brokers, and consultants to administer employee benefit programs.
• Provide recommendations regarding compensation, benefits, and employment practices.
• Ensure compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local employment laws.
• Maintain Human Resources policies, employee handbook, and employment practices.
• Support insurance renewals and employment-related audits.

Human Resources Operations

• Provide leadership and oversight for Human Resources systems and processes.

• Partner closely with the Head of Staff Operations Coordinator to ensure hiring, onboarding, benefits administration, personnel records, and HR documentation are completed accurately and efficiently.
• Review HR metrics and workforce data to identify trends and opportunities for improvement.
• Recommend technology and process improvements that enhance the employee experience.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business, Organizational Leadership, or a related field required.

• SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, or SPHR certification preferred.
• Seven or more years of progressively responsible Human Resources leadership experience.
• Experience leading Human Resources within a church, nonprofit, or mission-driven organization preferred.
• Demonstrated success advising senior leaders and managing complex employee relations situations.

Leadership Competencies

• Strategic thinker with strong organizational instincts.

• High emotional intelligence and exceptional interpersonal skills.
• Excellent judgment and discretion with confidential information.
• Strong coaching and conflict resolution abilities.
• Clear written and verbal communicator.
• Ability to balance compassion with accountability.
• Highly organized with strong follow-through.
• Comfortable leading organizational change and continuous improvement.
• Collaborative, servant-hearted, and solutions-oriented.

SPIRITUAL EXPECTATIONS

• Growing relationship with Jesus Christ.

• Alignment with EPC's 7 Essentials.
• Active participation in the life of HOPE Church.
• Demonstrates the fruit of the Spirit in leadership and relationships.
• Supports and advances HOPE's mission, vision, values, and strategic priorities.

EXPECTED HOURS OF WORK

• Full-time, 40 hours per week
• Monday-Friday standard office hours

• Friday remote work accepted

• Occasional evenings and weekends required for staff events, churchwide initiatives, and special projects

• Participation in all-staff "All-In" days, including Christmas Eve and Easter Sunday

SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE

• HOPE consistently attracts and retains exceptional staff.

• Hiring processes are efficient, professional, and aligned with organizational values.
• Managers feel equipped and supported in leading their teams.
• Staff experience clear expectations, meaningful feedback, and opportunities for growth.
• Compensation and benefits remain competitive, equitable, and well-administered.
• Employment practices are compliant, consistent, and well documented.
• Organizational culture reflects trust, collaboration, accountability, and spiritual health.
• Human Resources systems scale effectively as HOPE continues to grow.