Director of People, Culture and Belonging

Position Type: Full-Time, Salaried, Exempt
Location: Flexible (remote); Must be eligible to work in the U.S.
Salary: $110,000-$130,900
Closing Date: Aug. 2, 2024

Candidates will be reviewed on a rolling basis. The position will remain open until we have a sufficient pool of diverse candidates who meet the job requirements, at which point we may pause the review of new applications before the stated deadline. Please understand you may not be contacted for several weeks after you apply.

Ideal Start Date: 2-4 weeks after offer

About the Center for Disaster Philanthropy

CDP began in 2010 with the goal of pioneering the practice of strategic disaster philanthropy. Since then, it has grown in its ambition, envisioning a world where the impact of disasters is minimized through thoughtful, equitable and responsive recovery for all. CDP has a $33 million budget and a team of more than 20 staff members working remotely across the U.S.

CDP is a trusted partner, expert and authoritative resource helping hundreds of individuals, foundations and corporations boost the impact of philanthropic giving in response to disaster and humanitarian crises by supporting equitable recovery and addressing root causes of vulnerabilities worldwide.

In 2023, CDP awarded $22.1 million through 93 grants to 91 grantee partners worldwide; demonstrated thought leadership through 14 webinars, 21 external commentaries, 128 blog posts, 34 featured speaking engagements and other events; and served 20 philanthropic partners through consulting efforts.

In 2020, CDP was a featured nonprofit for the 14^th Annual CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute.
CDP has earned Charity Navigator’s Four-Star Charity rating and Candid’s Platinum Transparency seal.

As an organization grounded in racial and intersectional equity, our team members are deeply committed to strengthening communities most vulnerable to disasters because of systemic inequities. We are guided by our values of integrity, boldness and innovation, humility, and empathy in all we do in pursuit of our mission.

Bottom line: We aspire to walk the talk of anti-racism and to treat each other and our partners in ways that inspire trust, creativity, learning and care.

Be a part of our fast-growing team that offers countless ways to help communities thrive. Join us!

Responsibilities & Duties

Over the last few years of CDP’s 14-year history, growth has been exponential. CDP has granted over $123 million to more than 676 nonprofits. CDP’s positioning and increased visibility bring a need for additional capacity. Over the last 12 months, CDP’s staff count has increased by about 30% with projected increases into 2025.

The director of people, culture and belonging role is a new position at CDP. This role will interact with a broad range of internal and external constituents and play a key role in support of our mission. Reporting to the chief financial and operations officer (CFOO), the director of people, culture and belonging will provide strategic and operational support to the human resources function and will be responsible for fostering a culture of an inclusive and engaged workplace. Professionalism, the ability to cultivate relationships, and the flexibility to adapt to a growing organization’s changing needs and priorities are essential.

As a fully remote workforce, CDP prioritizes employee engagement and relationship building in service of a collaborative culture rooted in equity. To this end, in-person team retreats are scheduled throughout the year in different regions of the U.S. This role will be expected to attend 2-3 retreats per year, which average 3-5 days of travel. Additionally, this role can expect 3-4 travel days per year for conferences or site visits.

The successful candidate will display the following traits:

You want meaningful work that contributes to the betterment of society. You love being challenged, learning and growing. You have a natural collaborative style and understand that it takes a team. You are a detail-oriented self-starter with strong capacities in prioritization and decision-making. You have exceptional communication skills and the ability to multi-task. You are tenacious and not easily put off by an uphill task. You can discern between what is important and what is urgent, and you are solutions-oriented.

Primary responsibilities include:

The director of people, culture and belonging will oversee employee engagement, employee relations, talent development, and change management initiatives related to organizational culture and belonging, ensuring that all employees feel appreciated, respected and connected to CDP’s mission, values and culture.

This role will work with the CFOO on developing and executing a strategy focused on the strategic plan goal of continuing CDP’s transformation toward becoming an anti-racist organization.

The director of people, culture and belonging will be an active member of the growing operations team, which currently includes the director of finance, accounting manager and human resources operations manager. This role serves as a trusted partner of the CFOO to deliver against CDP priorities in alignment with our mission and values centering equity.

Employee engagement

Develop and implement comprehensive employee engagement strategies to enhance workplace satisfaction.
Conduct regular employee surveys and focus groups to gather feedback and measure engagement levels.
Design and execute programs and initiatives that foster a positive work environment and promote a sense of belonging.
Design and deliver staff training as needed.

Employee relations

Provide guidance and support on employee relations issues, ensuring fair and equitable treatment of all.
Manage conflict resolution processes and conduct thorough investigations directly or via a third party, as and when necessary.
Develop and maintain policies and procedures that support a positive employee relations climate.

Talent development

Lead the development and implementation of talent management strategies, career development and leadership training.
Lead performance management program including annual evaluations, goal setting and professional development process.
Create and oversee mentoring and coaching programs to support employee growth and development.
Partner with supervisors to identify and address skill gaps and development needs.

Culture champion

Serve as a champion of CDP’s values and culture, promoting an inclusive and equitable workplace.
Lead and manage a values-based curriculum program created by external consultants. Provide onboarding, refresher and continued education opportunities to staff.
Lead initiatives that enhance organizational culture and drive cultural change.
Collaborate with leadership and staff to embed CDP’s values into daily operations.

Change management

Implement change management strategies related to organizational culture and belonging to support CDP’s transformation and growth.
Guide and support staff through the change process, ensuring effective communication and engagement.
Active thought partner and communications conduit to the executive team.
Monitor and evaluate the impact of change initiatives and make necessary adjustments.

Racial and intersectional equity (RIE)

Promote racial and intersectional equity initiatives across the organization.
In partnership with the CFOO, develop and implement RIE training programs and workshops.
Ensure all operational practices, policies and programs are equity centered.
Active participant in the RIE committee.

This position reports to the CFOO but works in service of the whole organization.

Required qualifications

≥10 years of relevant, progressive professional experience in human resources or organizational development, with at least 5 years in a leadership role.
Master’s degree in human resources, organizational development, business administration or related field; or equivalent work experience.
Proficient in leading change initiatives and managing organizational transformation.
Deep commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, with a proven ability to create inclusive work environments.
Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build relationships and influence at all levels of the organization.
Excellent problem-solving and conflict-resolution skills.
Strong project management and organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
An in-depth knowledge of Microsoft Office software, Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

Preferred skills and qualifications

Collaborative team player with a servant leadership approach.
Ability to think strategically about process improvement.
Ability to work remotely with minimal direct supervision.
SHRM-SCP, SPHR, or other relevant HR certification is a plus.

Personal characteristics

Commitment to the values intrinsic to CDP’s mission and strategy.
Energetic and eager to tackle new projects and ideas.
High tolerance of ambiguity and appetite to tackle issues in a constructive way.
A team player capable of cultivating productive relationships across teams.
Sense of humor.

The Center for Disaster Philanthropy’s work environment is safe and open to all employees and partners, respecting the full spectrum of race, color, religious creed, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, political affiliation, ancestry, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status and all other classifications protected by law in the locality and/or state in which you are working.

We welcome and encourage applicants with non-traditional career paths. If you don’t meet the qualifications outlined here, please apply and tell us how your experiences would equip you for the job.

To Apply

Qualified candidates should submit their resume and a cover letter via this link. Applications must highlight competencies against requirements.

All applicants must be able to provide documentation that they are legally eligible to work in the United States for an extended period.

Due to the expected volume of applications, only finalists will be notified. No phone calls, please.