Director of People & Culture

SHIM’s Mission: To mobilize community resources and implement sustainable programs that compassionately help neighbors meet basic needs, achieve self-sufficiency, and build community. SHIM provides food, clothing, financial aid, education, family support, and a host of other services to 9,000 people in need in Pittsburgh’s southern suburban neighborhoods. In response to the unique challenges faced by the local refugee and immigrant population, SHIM operates programming designed to support children and families in this demographic. 

The Role

The Director of People & Culture is a strategic leader responsible for shaping and advancing SHIM's people strategy, organizational culture, and employee experience. As a trusted advisor to the executive team, this role oversees all aspects of the employee lifecycle while fostering a workplace culture that reflects SHIM's mission, values, and commitment to serving diverse communities.

The Director of People & Culture partners with leadership to attract, develop, engage, and retain talented employees, ensuring that SHIM remains a high-performing, inclusive, and mission-driven organization. This position combines strategic leadership with hands-on execution across human resources, organizational development, employee relations, compliance, and workforce planning.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership & Organizational Effectiveness

• Partner with executive leadership to develop and implement people strategies that support SHIM's mission, values, and organizational goals.
• Serve as a trusted advisor on workforce planning, organizational structure, succession planning, and talent development.
• Assess organizational needs and recommend strategies that enhance employee engagement, performance, and effectiveness.
• Lead change management initiatives and support leaders through periods of organizational growth and transition.

Talent Acquisition & Employee Experience

• Oversee the full employee lifecycle, including recruitment, onboarding, performance management, career development, and offboarding.
• Develop and implement strategies to attract, engage, and retain high-performing and mission-aligned talent.
• Ensure a positive and inclusive employee experience that promotes belonging, collaboration, and employee well-being.
• Monitor workforce trends and identify opportunities to strengthen SHIM's employer brand and talent pipelines.

Culture, Learning & Leadership Development

• Champion a people-centered culture that reflects SHIM's values and commitment to serving diverse communities.
• Design and implement learning, leadership development, and professional growth opportunities for employees and managers.
• Foster leadership capability through coaching, mentorship, and management development programs.
• Lead employee engagement initiatives and regularly assess organizational culture to identify opportunities for improvement.
• Create consistent channels for staff to share feedback and ensure it is addressed in a timely manner. 

Employee Relations & Advisory Services

• Provide expert guidance and coaching to managers and organizational leaders on employee relations, performance management, conflict resolution, and sensitive personnel matters.
• Promote fair, consistent, and legally compliant employment practices across the organization.
• Support leaders in creating high-performing teams while maintaining a positive and respectful work environment.
• Provide respectful, candid feedback to leadership when organizational practices, structures, or communication approaches may be contributing to employee or culture challenges.
• Serve as an approachable resource for staff, help departments work more effectively across functions, and reduce silos that can emerge during growth or organizational change.

Compliance & Risk Management

• Serve as the organization's subject matter expert on federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations.
• Maintain and regularly review HR policies, procedures, and practices to ensure legal compliance and alignment with industry best practices.
• Partner with leadership to identify and mitigate organizational and employment-related risks.
• Ensure accurate recordkeeping, reporting, and compliance with all applicable employment requirements.

Compensation, Benefits & HR Operations

• Oversee compensation planning, benefits administration, HRIS systems, and other HR operations.
• Evaluate and recommend competitive and equitable compensation and benefits practices.
• Manage relationships with external vendors, consultants, and service providers to ensure operational efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
• Utilize data and metrics to assess workforce trends and inform strategic decision-making.

Desired Competencies:

Strategic Partnership

Ability to align people strategies with organizational objectives and serve as a trusted advisor to executive leadership.

Executive Communication

Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to translate complex HR matters into clear guidance for leaders and managers, anticipate staff questions and concerns, and support effective internal communication around sensitive people and culture issues.

Leadership & Influence

Demonstrated ability to build credibility, foster trust, and influence decision-making across all levels of the organization.

Emotional Intelligence

High degree of self-awareness, empathy, and sound judgment when navigating sensitive employee and organizational matters.

Organizational Development

Ability to strengthen organizational effectiveness through leadership development, employee engagement, culture-building, and change management.

Relationship Building

Skilled at developing strong partnerships across diverse teams, backgrounds, and perspectives.

Critical Thinking & Problem Solving

Strong analytical skills with the ability to identify challenges, evaluate options, and implement practical, data-informed solutions.

Operational Excellence

Highly organized with strong attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic environment.

Ethical Leadership

Unwavering commitment to integrity, professionalism, confidentiality, and sound decision-making.

Employment Law Expertise

Comprehensive knowledge of employment laws and regulations, including EEO, FLSA, FMLA, ADA, and other applicable federal, state, and local requirements.

Cultural Competence

Ability to lead effectively within a diverse, multicultural environment and foster a culture of inclusion and belonging.

Change Management

Demonstrated success leading organizations and teams through change while maintaining engagement and operational effectiveness.

Technical Proficiency

Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and experience leveraging HRIS, talent management, and workforce planning systems.

Education & Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Organizational Development, Business Administration, or a related field required. Master's degree preferred.
• Minimum of 8-10 years of progressive human resources experience, including leadership responsibility.
• Experience leading HR functions in a nonprofit, mission-driven, or community-based organization strongly preferred.
• SHRM-SCP, SHRM-CP, SPHR, or PHR certification preferred.
• Equivalent combinations of education, certification, and relevant experience will be considered.

Supervisory Responsibility: 

· None

Physical Requirements: 

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.

• Must be able to lift 15 pounds at times.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is a strategic, approachable, and trusted leader who is equally comfortable advising executives, coaching managers, and supporting employees. They bring deep human resources expertise, strong business acumen, the ability to provide guidance to a growing organization, and a genuine passion for building an inclusive, people-centered workplace that enables employees and the organization to thrive in pursuit of SHIM's mission.