Director, US People Operations

Director, US People Operations

Kids in Need of Defense (KIND)

Location: Remote | U.S.
Department: Human Resources
Status: Full-Time
Reports To: Vice President, Global Human Resources
Salary Range: $83,464.70–$104,330.88

 

About KIND

 

Kids in Need of Defense (KIND), launched in 2008, is a global leader in the protection of unaccompanied and separated children. KIND centers the needs, rights, and voices of children migrating alone in search of safety.

 

Through a holistic approach, we combine legal services, advocacy, and partnerships across the private sector, philanthropy, government, and civil society to advance protections for unaccompanied and separated children. We work to ensure that migration systems recognize these children first and foremost as children.

 

Position Summary

 

Reporting to the Vice President, Global Human Resources, the Director, US People Operations is KIND’s senior HR business partner and advisor for the U.S. employee population and the escalation point for employee relations, U.S. labor and employment law compliance, and union matters.

 

This role also leads the day-to-day operations of the U.S. HR team, spanning HRIS, benefits and leave administration, payroll, and performance management.

 

This is a headquarters position based remotely from any location in the United States.

 

Essential Functions

 

Team Leadership & People Management

 

• Lead, mentor, and develop the U.S. People Operations team, including Senior HR Operations Specialists, HR Specialists, and HR Coordinators, fostering a high-performance, collaborative, and service-oriented culture.

 

Strategic Partnership

 

• Build strong relationships with leaders and staff, acting as a trusted advisor and thought partner on all people matters.

• Proactively identify and address HR needs across U.S. business units, aligning global HR initiatives with regional goals and people priorities.

• Contribute to the development and implementation of U.S. HR strategies and initiatives in partnership with the Chief People Officer, Vice President, Global Human Resources, and the rest of the HR leadership team.

• Work with business leaders to bring the people lens to business planning discussions.

 

Employee Relations

 

• Act as senior advisor to managers and staff on employee relations and HR matters across the U.S.

• Serve as the primary escalation point for day-to-day employee relations and HR issues.

• Lead compliance with U.S. federal, state, and local labor and employment law, including EEO, ADA, FMLA, DOL requirements, OSHA, and applicable state-specific mandates.

• Lead compliance audits, regulatory reporting, and policy updates to keep KIND current with evolving employment legislation across all U.S. jurisdictions in which KIND operates.

• Manage union relations and matters on behalf of KIND, serving as the primary point of contact for union-related communications, negotiations, and grievance processes.

• Provide leadership in advising and coaching managers around employee matters, counseling employees, and facilitating forums for communication and conflict resolution to promote engagement, satisfaction, and retention.

• Lead investigation, mediation, and resolution of employee relations matters, escalating to the Vice President, Global Human Resources as appropriate.

 

Oversight of U.S. HR Operations

 

• Lead end-to-end U.S. benefits governance, compliance, and vendor management, including annual renewals, open enrollment, plan design reviews, employee communications, and regulatory plan documentation for medical, dental, vision, life, disability, and retirement plans.

• Ensure compliance with FMLA, PDL, CFRA, ADA, and other applicable federal and state leave laws.

• Oversee core employee lifecycle processes—from onboarding and status changes through offboarding—ensuring operational efficiency, data accuracy, and standard operating procedure (SOP) compliance.

• Direct U.S. payroll data workflows and HRIS data integrity, partnering closely with Finance and internal teams to ensure accurate, timely processing and resolution of payroll and benefits escalations.

• Develop, analyze, and present key HR metrics and dashboards, including headcount, turnover, leave utilization, and employee relations trends, to inform leadership strategy and workforce planning.

• Maintain and evolve U.S. HR policies, SOPs, and the Employee Handbook, ensuring alignment with cultural values and legal compliance.

• Support U.S. compensation administration and departmental budget management in partnership with HR leadership.

 

Qualifications & Requirements

 

• Undergraduate degree required; graduate degree in Human Resources, Organizational Psychology, or a related field preferred, or equivalent experience.

• Must be fluent in English.

• Minimum of eight years of progressive experience in HR Operations, including benefits administration and employee relations.

• Demonstrated expertise in employee relations, including conducting complex investigations and advising managers on performance management and disciplinary matters.

• Experience in a nonprofit or mission-driven organization is highly preferable, though not essential.

• Minimum of three years of experience in a supervisory role.

• Strong knowledge of U.S. employment law and HR best practices.

• Direct experience managing union relationships, union negotiations, and union grievance processes preferred, though not essential.

• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and problem-solving skills.

• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.

• Ability to manage multiple projects in a deadline-oriented environment with a keen attention to detail.

• Excellent organizational and communication skills, strong cross-cultural and interpersonal skills, and the ability to build rapport with staff at all levels.

• Enjoy collaboration and thrive in a fast-paced, team- and matrix-oriented working environment.

• Data-driven decision-maker who uses analytics and data to guide strategic decisions that align with goals, objectives, and initiatives.

• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite, including Teams, Excel, and related applications.

• Commitment to practicing and supporting wellbeing and work-home life balance.

• Experience working and communicating in a remote environment preferred but not required.

• Ability to occasionally travel as needed.

 

Compensation

 

The salary range for this position is $83,464.70–$104,330.88 per year.

 

Benefits

 

KIND offers benefits that include:

 

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance, with KIND paying 100% of the employee-only portion of the premium for one of the three medical plan options, dental, and vision.

• Pre-tax flexible spending accounts (FSA) for medical and dependent care.

• Pre-tax transit and parking spending accounts.

• Employer-paid life insurance and accidental death and dismemberment insurance.

• Employer-paid short- and long-term disability insurance.

 

Focus on Wellness

 

KIND recognizes that its ability to help clients starts with helping its team members. KIND has prioritized employee wellness through mindfulness and wellness trainings, wellness platforms, employee assistance and resilience programs, time away, and office wellness activities.

 

Application Instructions

 

To be considered for this role, applicants should submit an employment application along with a resume and cover letter through KIND’s careers page.

 

Recruitment & Hiring Practices

 

KIND is committed to an ethical recruitment and hiring process and maintains a firm “no fees” recruitment policy. KIND will never charge a fee or ask for money as part of the application process.

 

KIND conducts all interviews via telephone or video conference and will not engage in a text- or mobile app-based application or interview process.

 

KIND may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, assessing responses, and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information.

 

These tools assist the recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans.