New Search: Director of People and Culture with Volunteer Lawyers Project

Executive Search Boston

Pillar Search and HR Consulting is proud to partner with Boston-based Volunteer Lawyers Project in their search for a Director of People and Culture. The ideal candidate is a Human Resources leader with proven experience in Human Resources and promoting DEI initiatives, and an interest in helping Volunteer Lawyer’s Project to advance their mission of increasing access to justice by delivering high quality pro bono civil legal services to eligible clients in the Greater Boston area.

Pillar Search & HR Consulting

POSITION: Director of People and Culture

DAYS/HOURS: Monday – Friday, 8:30 AM- 4:30 PM with one unpaid hour for lunch

REPORTS TO: Executive Director

LOCATION: Remote and 7 Winthrop Square, Floor 2, Boston, MA 02110

STATUS: Exempt

SALARY: $100,000

SUMMARY OF POSITION: 

Volunteer Lawyers Project (VLP) has grown in the last several years. Since 2015, the organization has seen an increase in the number of employees from fewer than 20 to more than 40. The organization’s human resources management function has historically been combined with finance and administration.  With the organization’s substantial growth, VLP has determined a need for a dedicated human resources professional.

The Director of People and Culture will manage all aspects of the organization’s human resources function, including hiring practices, recruitment, employee retention, organizational and professional development strategies. The Director will partner strategically with VLP’s leadership team to shape employee relations strategies and practices and ensure appropriate employee development and opportunities for advancement. The Director will assess organizational needs, and champion, promote, and continue to guide Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) processes and initiatives.

Candidate must be able to commute into the office when we return to in-person operations and must have access to a secure internet connection.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO:

  • Serve as the DEI subject matter expert on internal and external best practices and lead the culture change
  • Lead the development, implementation, and evolution of DEI initiatives across the organization
  • Manage organizational hiring practices, recruitment, and employee retention
  • Manage training and development, compensation, and employee benefits programs
  • Oversee performance evaluations to ensure merit-based, equitable compensation
  • Serve on the DEI Committee as the liaison between staff and DEI efforts
  • Develop and deliver content for diversity and inclusion education programs that will drive culture change
  • Develop metrics and reporting mechanisms to effectively measure, track and report progress to goals
  • Plan, organize, and implement various diversity outreach efforts and strategies
  • Manage onboarding and offboarding employees, including reference checks, new employee orientation, exit interviews, and ensuring appropriate coordination of continuing benefits
  • Manage hiring committees to ensure compliance with approved hiring process and attention to DEI
  • Manage communication of DEI content for VLP materials (website, recruiting materials, etc.)
  • Develop and foster positive relationships across the organization
  • Serve as reporting person for staff concerns, specifically related to DEI, hiring, or other related issues
  • Develop restorative conflict resolution process and other organizational processes, as determined necessary
  • Manage staff professional development programand make budgetary recommendations to the Executive Director for employee investment
  • Other program duties as needed or assigned by the Executive Director

REQUIRED EDUCATION/TRAINING/KNOWLEDGE:

  • Bachelor’s Degree
  • 8-10+ years of leadership and management experience in HR, DEI, consulting, or related functions, with a demonstrated success designing and delivering DEI programs
  • Comprehensive knowledge of human resources management
  • Extensive understanding of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion practices
  • Experience with HR compliance and employment laws
  • Experience designing and/or managing internal grievance programs
  • Experience with progressive discipline and termination of employees

PREFERRED EDUCATION/TRAINING/KNOWLEDGE:

  • SHRM (Society for Human Resources Management) Certification
  • Certification in Mediation
  • Law degree from an accredited law school and admission to state bar

REQUIRED MENTAL/PHYSICAL ABILITIES/SKILLS:

  • Strong verbal and written communication skills
  • Strong interpersonal skills
  • Strong facilitation and presentation skills
  • Strong organizational and time management skills
  • Ability to manage stress and identify self-care as needed
  • Ability to balance multiple objectives
  • Ability to make informed decisions

Volunteer Lawyers Project is committed to a diverse work environment and is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. Their ideal candidates is respectful of an inclusive work environment. VLP strives to ensure that those working in the organization reflect the diversity of the communities they serve. VLP encourages applicants from a broad spectrum of backgrounds to apply for positions.

Volunteer Lawyers Project has partnered with Pillar Search & HR Consulting on the Director of People and Culture search. Please submit your resume and cover letter (required) in confidence to Cindy Joyce at cindy@pillarsearch.com.

ABOUT PILLAR SEARCH & HR CONSULTING:  

A woman-owned business founded in Boston in 2015, Pillar Search & HR Consulting provides executive search/recruiting and human resources consulting expertise to nonprofit and mission-driven organizations across the country, working with senior leaders and boards of directors to hire and develop the very best talent across all functional areas of the organization.

Nonprofit Human Resource Management Course at Harvard Extension School: Registration Now Open!

Harvard Extension School Cindy Joyce

I am happy to announce that Harvard Extension School will again offer the Nonprofit Human Resource Management course in the Spring 2021 semester.  The course introduces participants to the best practices, policies, and theories related to nonprofit human resource management. Whether you are now or plan to be an HR practitioner or a leader, manager or board member for a nonprofit organization, museum, school, or foundation, this course prepares you with the knowledge and skills needed to manage human capital in a nonprofit setting. This is also a great learning opportunity for those interested in making a career transition into the nonprofit sector.

Class meetings will be held each Tuesday from 5:10 p.m. – 7:10 p.m. ET from January 26, 2021 – May 11, 2021.  This is a live, web-based course and will include a combination of class lectures, discussions, activities, and several nonprofit executives as our guest speakers.  I originally created and taught this course in the Fall 2019 semester, for which I received a Dean’s Commendation for Excellence in Teaching.

Registration began today, Monday, November 9, 2020 for Nonprofit Human Resource Management MGMT E-4241 (25940). Learn more here. 

About Harvard Extension School (HES): Harvard Extension School is a fully accredited Harvard school. As one of the 12 degree-granting institutions at Harvard University, they teach to the largest and most eclectic student body. Their students come from every time zone, every culture and career background, every age from 18 to 89. Harvard Extension School students have one thing in common: the motivation to take the next challenging step in their lives. The find that challenge at Harvard Extension School, where academic standards are high and resources extensive. 

About Cindy Joyce and Pillar Search & HR Consulting: A woman-owned small business founded in Boston in 2015, Pillar Search & HR Consulting provides executive search/recruiting and human resources consulting expertise to nonprofit and mission-driven organizations, working with senior leaders and boards of directors to hire and develop the very best talent across all functional areas of the organization. To learn more, please contact Cindy Joyce at cindy@pillarsearch.com.

Grief and Loss in the Workplace During COVID-19: Best Practices and Strategies

This morning, I had the honor of co-presenting a timely webinar with Susan Retik called Grief and Loss in the Workplace During COVID-19: Best Practices and Strategies. Today’s session was attended by 365 members of the Massachusetts Municipal Association (MMA) and the Massachusetts Municipal Human Resources Association. This included human resources leaders and town administrators. It was a great opportunity to speak with leaders about how to provide support, guidance, and psychological safety to their team members in a time of crisis. We especially loved this feedback from a participant: “This is truly the best webinar I’ve been on thus far. Thank you so very much for sharing your personal stories. These tips you have provided are spot on and more helpful than you realize.” 

 

The Dreaded Office Move: 6 Tips for Navigating the Change

I am excited to have another article on Thrive Global!  Read more about how to handle the dreaded office move on my Thrive page!

Pillar Joins the Massachusetts LGBT Chamber of Commerce!

Pillar Search & HR Consulting is proud to be a an ally to and founding member of the Massachusetts LGBT Chamber of Commerce.  The Massachusetts LGBT Chamber of Commerce seeks to promote economic growth and viability for LGBT-owned and allied businesses, corporations and professionals throughout the Commonwealth.

Pillar provides national executive search services for exceptional non-profits and foundations and socially responsible for-profit firms desiring top talent who want an occupassion, not just an occupation. In addition, Pillar offers human resources consulting services including leadership coaching, human resources audits, handbooks, assessing organizational design, training, team building, and employee communications. A woman-owned business, Pillar is based in Boston, MA, and works on both the local and national level.  For more information, please visit www.pillarsearch.com or email Pillar’s CEO, Cindy Joyce, at cindy@pillarsearch.com.

From a Whisper to a Roar: Handling Workplace Sexual Harassment in 2018

Note: This article was a collaboration with my former colleague and favorite “sisterpreneur”, Tamara Gardner, Founder of Becoming Boldacious and Tamara Gardner Coaching & Consulting, and was recently published in the Northeast Human Resources Association (NEHRA) publication “Insights”.
 
It is an understatement that the last year has been one of radical change in the United States. For Human Resources practitioners, perhaps the most impactful and talked about was the “Weinstein effect”. When media outlets reported on numerous sexual abuse allegations against film producer Harvey Weinstein, it was described as a “tipping point“, and precipitated a “national reckoning” against sexual harassment.
 
It was a shocking transition from what had become the norm – victims feeling worse for having reported incidents due to how they were handled, overt and subtle retaliation, or simply because the victim did not see a clear path to address the behavior, and was left feeling exposed and vulnerable. That being said, even prior to Weinstein’s “outing” and the #metoo movement, sexual harassment was evolving right in front of us.
 
For example, it became more than a two-gender problem. Today, there are a whole host of genders in the mix, including but not limited to woman, man, trans-woman, trans-man, gender-fluid, questioning, and unsure. Any and all of these genders can harass or be harassed. Historically, it was men who were viewed as the more likely perpetrators of harassment and as having less of a stake in helping to solve the problem. However, with the recent explosion of high-profile cases, more and more men are asking questions, expressing genuine concern, and inquiring about how they can play a role in eradicating this behavior in the workplace. We are witnessing a seismic shift in how sexual harassment is being discussed. Inclusion, equality, and diversity have started to mean something different, and the words have become more prevailing than ever.
 
So, what does this mean for HR practitioners in 2018? Simply said, we have an opportunity to change the narrative and elevate the way it’s being addressed. Discussing sexual harassment is no longer an obligatory training, it is an imperative discussion. HR has been presented with an opportunity to demonstrate strategic leadership, to partner and have meaningful dialogue with colleagues, and together, truly affect the change needed to ensure every employee is supported and treated with respect.
 
We’d like to offer that it’s time to be innovative and engaging about how we address this issue, and get downright strategic about how we prevent it. It’s time to toss out the standard annual sexual harassment PowerPoint presentation and/or email reminder of what not to do. After all, how much personal understanding and commitment is someone demonstrating by clicking a box to indicate they have read and agreed?
 
While there is no one-size-fits-all approach to navigate this new landscape, perhaps the resources have been right in front of us all along. Maybe it’s time to actively engage employees in becoming part of the solution. What we’ve found is that when employees have a safe forum to share their thoughts and learn from each other, it becomes a powerful and educational conversation. Furthermore, when you engage someone not associated with your organization to facilitate, the dialogue becomes much more fluid and enlightening. As a result, you receive an honest assessment of what your employees are dealing with, which can be invaluable and inform how you can better address the issue going forward.
 
It is also time to galvanize your employee resource groups and supercharge your efforts around making them impactful. Typically, employees with passion for (or at least a strong interest in) equality and inclusion self-select to join an ERG. If you have ERG’s that are established, there is likely already trust and open communication. Talk to them. Learn more about their personal perspective, pilot your new and improved anti-harassment education approach with them first to get their feedback, and remind the entire population that these ERG’s exist, and why. You may find that you have an uptick in new members given all that is going on. On the other hand, if you do not currently have employee resource groups, the timing may be right to create them.
 
No matter what approach you choose, getting a realistic understanding of what your employees concerns are and what may be impacting their performance and engagement can be crucial in creating an inclusive environment. It’s high time that we let the whispers to turn into a roar, and to let that roar inspire positive actions that result in actively preventing sexual harassment in the workplace instead of merely addressing it.