Director of Human Resources - Southern Research

Director of Human Resources

General Summary

The Director of Human Resources (HR) is responsible for leading the HR team in support of a rapidly growing business. In addition to possessing a solid grasp of overall HR principles and legal compliance, the Director of HR seeks and identifies opportunities for improvement and drives towards results with the assistance of a core team of HR professionals.  The Director collaborates with senior leadership to understand and implement Southern Research's goals and strategies for ensuring market competitiveness as an employer of choice. This includes evaluating and enhancing programs, including acquisition of talent (recruiting); training and evaluation; compensation and benefits; talent development and managing the HR team. 

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• Directs HR team to plan, develop, implement, and maintain HR policies and practices to ensure legal compliance with all applicable employment laws and regulations
• Oversees the administration of HR programs including, but not limited to, talent acquisition, compensation, benefits, and leave; employee relations; performance and talent management; and training and development
• Ensures any employee complaints or disputes are addressed and managed appropriately and anticipates and resolves litigation risks in collaboration with Southern Research counsel
• Collaborates with senior leadership to identify staffing and recruiting needs and develops and executes best practices for recruiting, hiring, and onboarding with commitment to build a diverse pipeline of talent that includes internship and apprenticeship programs
• Assists Chief Finance and Administrative Officer in developing metrics for and monitoring/reporting organizational trends and progress toward meeting objectives within organization's People Strategy
• Develops and manages departmental budget to ensure efficient and effective use of resources
• Oversees development and implementation of the department's strategic plan
• Oversees quality of services performed in the group, for controlling the efforts and expenditures of the services in the group
• Provides effective leadership, direction, mentorship and evaluation to the HR team; implements HR processes and other administrative responsibilities associated with the direct supervision of professional and technical resources of the HR team; ensures each staff member has quarterly objectives established, that performance coaching is provided throughout the year with year-end assessments complete
• Serves as a leader in exemplifying Southern Research values
• Performs other responsibilities as assigned by Supervisor

Requirements/Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in HR or related business discipline with 10 years of progressively responsible experience.
• Excellent knowledge of employment legislation and regulations
• Thorough knowledge of human resource management principles and best practices
• Commitment to diversity and inclusion
• Business acumen partnered with attention to the human element
• Knowledge of data analysis and reporting
• Excellent organizational and leadership skills
• Outstanding communication and interpersonal skills
• Proficiency in using MS Office Suite and ability to learn other database management platforms
• Proficiency in or ability to quickly learn Southern Research's HRIS platform and talent management systems

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree or higher in HR or related business discipline
• PHR/SPHR certification a plus

Core Values

Cultivating Human Connection – putting people first.  We know that every individual makes a difference and that no one can do it alone.  We believe the world's most powerful resource is human potential.  We are an inclusive and courageous team where innovation and diversity of thought go hand in hand.  We understand that relationships move at the speed of trust.

Operating with Precise Execution – measuring what matters and owning results as a team.  We leverage data to drive decisions that advance science.  We recognize the importance of a stable foundation coupled with an agile mindset.  We hold ourselves accountable and take pride in our work.  We give and receive candid feedback as a gift that keeps us growing.

Harnessing Relentless Curiosity – our unstoppable, innovative force.  We are driven to ask sharp questions and push the boundaries of knowledge.  We use creativity and critical thinking as catalysts for finding solutions that change lives.  We learn by doing, consistently striving to improve our relationships, training, methodologies, questions and results.

Stewarding a Healthy Community – implementing sustainable operations for a safe, engaging environment.  We don't compromise on safety and health for our employees, customers or community.  We believe a healthy community begins with inclusive economic opportunities.  We respect the dignity of the patients we ultimately serve.  We are motivated to serve communities that are underserved and markets that are overlooked.

Job Specific Behaviors

Strategic Decisionmaker – Obtains information and identifies key issues relevant to achieving a long-range goal; commits to a course of action after developing alternatives based on logical assumptions, facts, constraints and resources

Strategic Relationship Builder – Uses appropriate interpersonal styles to work effectively with others to meet mutual goals and objectives; understands the role & interrelationships of each organizational function; possesses skill in managing across functional and organizational lines

Mission and Community Driven – Has an authentic desire to help steward Southern Research's culture, guard of our values, and champion our mission of innovation-driven economic development through translation of excellent scientific research

Impactful Communicator - Expresses thoughts and ideas effectively in individual and group situations; adjusts language to the needs of the audience

Results-Oriented – Establishes stretch goals and manages to focused outcomes; demands excellence and demonstrates a strong commitment to organizational success; works to do what is best for all stakeholders

Coaches / Develops Others – Uses appropriate interpersonal style to guide direct reports to action, create a sense of ownership, and encourage individuals to stretch beyond their own capabilities

Inclusive – Holds a strong conviction that inclusion and innovation go hand-in-hand

Highly Collaborative – Cares less about who did it than how it got done; takes pride in shared outcomes and believes the whole is greater than the sum of the parts when it comes to team efforts

Deeply Curious – Recognizes that “innovation requires not knowing long enough to learn new things” and that “being actively open-minded involves searching for reasons why we might be wrong—not for reasons why we must be right—and revising our views based on what we learn”

Action-Oriented – Translates goals and objectives into actionable, metrics-focused priorities and work streams for the team to execute

Process Refiner – Observes details to continuously improve processes, looks for opportunities to create regular feedback loops to refine, and loves measuring what matters; believes strongly that “getting it right is more important than being right”

Physical Demands

• Ability to work in an office setting using a computer for extended periods of time
• Ability to sit for extended periods of time

Certifications, Licenses & Registrations

• PHR or SPHR certification a plus