Director of HR & Operations

Application Timeline: Rolling, position open until filled

Location: Remote

Reports to: CFO

Direct reports: 1

Employment Status: Full time

Salary: $114,000 - $150,000, depending on experience

Preferred Start Date: As soon as possible; priority application deadline Friday 7/19

About Blue Forest

Blue Forest is a conservation finance non-profit whose mission is to accelerate the pace and scale of ecological restoration. Since 2018, Blue Forest has managed investor capital through its flagship financial product, the Forest Resilience Bond (FRB), which deploys private capital to finance forest restoration projects on private and public lands to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires. More recently, Blue Forest has also established Blue Forest Asset Management (BFAM), an investment management platform connecting investors to compelling, mission-aligned opportunities in a broader set of asset classes beyond FRB projects, such as private equity and private credit investments.

Blue Forest is an interdisciplinary team of scientists, engineers, foresters, finance and communications professionals. We are harnessing financial innovation and building partnerships with investors, non-profits, private companies, and the public sector to design sustainable solutions to systemic climate resilience challenges faced by vulnerable communities and ecosystems. As we grow and develop new financial solutions to pressing environmental problems, we are committed to promoting social equity and amplifying historically excluded voices in the burgeoning field of conservation finance.

Position Summary

The Director of HR & Operations’s principal responsibilities are leading the HR administration, hiring, performance management, and IT functions at Blue Forest. Primary goals of this position include the following: (1) serve as an internal subject matter expert and advisor to Blue Forest’s Executive team and people managers on all things related to HR and personnel; (2) continuously improve Blue Forest’s operations policies, practices, and systems to support the company’s growth and programmatic effectiveness while also meeting the significant compliance requirements of a multi-state, federally-funded 501(c)(3) organization; and (3) oversee deployment and configuration of the foundational software tools that enable Blue Forest’s remote work environment. 

Responsibilities & Duties

HR Administration & Compliance (35%)

• Oversee all elements of human resources administration and compliance, including policies & procedures, employee and consultant information, benefits, and time & attendance

• Maintain HR documentation and employee information system (currently Gusto)

• Manage Blue Forest’s employee benefits program, including ownership of benefits policies (e.g. Employee Handbook) and ownership of relationship with third-party benefits broker

• Maintain business registrations and state tax accounts in US states where Blue Forest operates

• Design and implement employee HR training programs

• Co-own time & attendance system (currently ClickTime) with Accounting, and administer time-related policies (e.g. leaves of absence) and support resource planning

• Create and document HR compliance policies, including with respect to the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Title 2

Hiring, Recruiting, & Professional Development (20%)

• Lead recruiting and hiring functions, utilizing software platform via recruitee

• Oversee and continuously improve staff onboarding and offboarding

• Partner with the Executive Team to develop and implement professional development initiatives across the company and individual teams

• Manage Blue Forest’s presence in talent sourcing and recruiting channels, such as internship programs, colleges/universities, and job boards

• With support from Head of Talent & Equity, oversee DEI and culture-focused initiatives

Performance Management & Employee Relations (20%)

• Drive Blue Forest’s strategy for performance management; own the quarterly cycle and software application (currently Lattice) for staff reviews

• Implement and strengthen the company’s employee leveling framework and system for role expectations

• Serve as HR advisor to Executive Team; facilitate performance-related discussions (internally and with the involvement of third-party advisors, as relevant)

• Mediate conflict, respond to complaints, and perform other employee relations functions in accordance with Blue Forest policies

• Oversee Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) implementation 

IT & Administration (20%)

• Oversee deployment and configuration of core company software in a remote work environment (e.g. Google Suite, Zoom, Slack), including management of third-party IT service providers as relevant

• Manage IT onboarding and offboarding, software and hardware

• Coordinate third-party service provision of website hosting, information security, and other IT functions

• Own knowledge management platform (currently Slab)

• Manage virtual mailbox

Other (5%)

• Assist Blue Forest department leaders with strategic software selection and deployment

• Identify and lead other miscellaneous cross-functional projects

Additional Information

Blue Forest is a fully remote company with staff located across all four continental U.S. time zones. The Director of HR & Operations will generally be expected to be online during their respective standard working hours in order to collaborate with other team members. Blue Forest also hosts an in-person team retreat each year.

Qualifications

Blue Forest will prioritize the following qualifications in the hiring process; however, we do not expect candidates to fulfill all criteria and encourage all interested candidates to apply.

• 10+ years of experience in strategic HR and operations in small company and/or nonprofit organizations

• Successful track record managing and motivating people

• Experience in some or all of the following areas is strongly preferred:

  • HR policy development and implementation

  • Benefits administration

  • Multi-state operations and compliance

  • Timekeeping in a nonprofit environment

  • Federal grants and compliance with 2 CFR 200

  • Performance management process improvement and execution

• Proficiency in Google Suite and Microsoft Excel

• Clear written and verbal communication

• Attention to detail, excellent organization, and commitment to accuracy

• Interest in and commitment to environmental conservation and climate resilience 

Benefits

• 100% employer-paid health, dental, and vision coverage; subsidized coverage for dependents

• Access to a 401k retirement plan with a 4% employer match

• Starting 3 weeks paid vacation and 17 paid holidays; paid sick leave and volunteer time

• 3 months of paid family leave

• Employer-paid life and long-term disability insurance

• Access to Dependent Care FSA

• Public Lands Exploration stipend (reimbursements for visits to National Forests, county parks, etc.)

• Monthly Home Office stipend or co-working space provided

• Travel and partial dependant care costs provided for business travel

• Additional stipends for health & wellness; home internet and cell service; and professional development
  

COVID VACCINE REQUIREMENT

All Blue Forest staff are required to be “fully vaccinated” against COVID-19, as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines that term. Proof of full vaccination shall be a condition of employment and must be provided prior to starting work, except where prohibited by law. Blue Forest is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and the company will engage in the interactive process regarding reasonable accommodations for candidates who cannot be vaccinated due to a disability/medical condition; a sincerely held religious belief, practice or observance; or a claimed exemption under applicable state law.

HOW TO APPLY

To apply to this position, please submit your application on recruitee. People from historically underrepresented populations and candidates with non-traditional career paths are especially encouraged to apply. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis, and those submitted by 7/19/23 will be given priority consideration.

If participating in the interview process would require you to incur additional expenses to participate, such as childcare, please let us know and we are happy to reimburse for reasonable expenses incurred up to $30/hour for twice the length of each interview in which you participate. There will be space to request this reimbursement upon offer of an interview.

Blue Forest provides equal employment and opportunities for advancement, compensation, training, and growth according to individual merit, without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, age, genetic information, disability, veteran-status, or any other characteristic protected under applicable Federal, state, or local law. Applicants must have authorization to work in the United States.