Human Resources Manager

ABOUT US  

Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health is a nonprofit educational organization dedicated to serving people and communities in realizing their full potential through the transformative wisdom and practice of Yoga. Our purpose is to ignite personal and societal transformation and our vision is a world united in service towards well-being, justice, and peace. 

Kripalu teaches skills for optimal living through experiential education for the whole person; body, mind, and spirit. It is the largest retreat center for yoga, health, and holistic living in North America. Each day, our employees strive to offer loving and compassionate service to our guests and to each other.   

Kripalu is committed to being an employer and community where all belong. We seek employees eager to join us as together we further develop into a workforce and workplace that embodies timeless yogic principles and urgent present-day practices of accountability. Part of this important work includes our team and Board of Trustees partnering to shift our understanding, behaviors, policies, and culture to fully embrace the principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion. 

DEPARTMENT SUMMARY  

People & Culture supports the mission of Kripalu and the success of our staff, integrating our organizational priorities and values with the overall employee experience. We create and administer programs, resources, and events that enhance staff potential and support each employee and their ability to thrive in their work. At the organizational level, our focus is to create a positive culture rooted in Kripalu’s values and teachings, helping the organization to be a premiere yoga and holistic health education center that embodies a deep service-oriented mindset (Sacred Hospitality) and a transformative approach to program delivery (Sacred Education). In our work, we aspire to make Kripalu a workplace where all staff (and guests) feel that they belong by centering equity in our approach.   

POSITION SUMMARY  

Reporting to the Chief Learning Officer, the Human Resources Manager’s primary duties will oversee efficient management of HR policies and procedures, managing all aspects of the organization’s human resources functions—including payroll, benefits administration, workers compensation, compliance and safety, employee relations, recruitment, and staff training and development. A key player in the organization’s Equity and Inclusion initiatives, this position will also support Kripalu in creating a workplace where all feel welcome. This role will lead the People and Culture team, ensuring the department works collaboratively and cohesively together and across the organization, creating alignment with the organization’s strategic mission, vision, core values and culture.

ACCOUNTABILITIES   

• Lead, inspire, assess, and develop a People & Culture team to create an innovative HR function that supports the organization and its culture. 
• Supervise a Payroll, Benefits and Systems Specialist responsible for processing a staff of approximately 350, made up of full-time, part-time and per diem employees, including remote employees from several states.
• Mentor a Talent Recruitment Specialist, championing and ensuring departmental (including seasonal) staffing through pro-active outreach and onboarding efforts.
• Oversee a People & Culture Generalist responsible for supporting key departmental operations.
• Direct and administer employee relations efforts. Collaborate with business managers to address employee issues, including performance concerns and grievances; and provide direction on next steps as needed. Ensure departments have HR compliance guidance, management support, and the staff advocacy necessary to be successful. 
• Implement and monitor training programs for essential skill acquisition, leadership development, and culture building.
• Operate as a business leader with insights and contributions to the company’s overall HR operations. Effectively discern organizational impact on all HR-related decisions. Remain current on and ensure compliance with all Federal and State employment laws and regulations regarding Human Resources and Payroll. Stay knowledgeable on HR best practices. 
• Hold responsibility for the successful completion of HR annual goals. Identify key data points across departmental efforts and conduct regular analysis, helping to measure effectiveness and improve outcomes of departmental and organizational goals. 
• Create and manage a Human Resources operating budget and ensure expenditures are aligned with allocated funds.
• Design and oversee initiatives that impact the attraction, engagement, performance, training, development, and retention of a competent and thriving workforce.
• Develop, in partnership with Finance team and Payroll, Benefits and Systems Specialist, a forward-thinking, competitive, cost-effective compensations and benefits programs, and assess for measurable impact and return on investment.
• Maintain regulatory compliance related to day-to-day management of employees. Manage employee relations matters, conduct internal investigations, and identify appropriate resolutions for workplace concerns consulting with legal counsel as necessary.
• Develop, communicate, and monitor the consistent application of organizational policies, keeping the Employee Handbook updated.
• Serve as an advisor to the CEO, CLO and senior leadership team on all human capital matters and their impact on the strategic and cultural objectives of the business.
• Attend Board of Trustee meetings (and Board Committee meetings) as requested, occasionally presenting on People & Culture updates and initiatives.
• As Kripalu is open 24/7 with staff and guests on site, there may be occasional nights and weekends required to ensure proper HR coverage and/or timely execution of HR matters.
• Other duties as assigned by the CEO and CLO.

ESSENTIAL SKILLS, EXPERIENCE, CORE COMPETENCIES 

• Successful background as an HR leader with minimum of 7 years of experience, working cross-functionally across all areas of HR. Proven change agent with track record for delivering on people and culture strategies, and demonstrating excellent client service.
• Experienced in all aspects of Massachusetts state employment law; knowledge of federal employment laws; ability to research other applicable state employment laws related to remote staff.
• Experienced supervisor with strong team leadership skills. Capacity to effectively lead a 4-person team in a fast-paced HR environment with competing priorities. Ability to prioritize, delegate, assess risk, and discern most critical work with most significant impact on organization and staff.
• Strong communication skills and excellent interpersonal skills with a demonstrated ability to develop and sustain collaborative relationships with a range of internal and external stakeholders across all levels of management.
• Ability to effectively deal with change management initiatives in a growing organization.
• Capacity to learn new IT and payroll platform systems, preferably with experience in ADP and Paycom.
• Demonstrated commitment to valuing equity, diversity and contributing to an inclusive environment.
• Self-starter with strong core ethics, and who models values consistent with Kripalu’s organizational principles, including service, presence, inquiry, compassion, practice, and integrity.
• Ability to proactively build relationships, quickly build trust, identify internal and external customer expectations, see issues from various points of view, and offer practical, mutually beneficial recommendations, solutions, and ideas.
• Capacity to accept responsibility for personal and professional learning and growth, embracing experiences as learning opportunities.

MINIMAL QUALIFICATIONS 

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience and education
• A minimum of 7 years of HR experience, with at least 5 years in HR management.
• Strong grasp of Massachusetts and Federal Labor laws
• ADP or HRIS system knowledge
• Proficient computer skills including Excel and data tracking/management, and the ability to learn in-house technical applications.  

PREFERED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE 

• PHR, SPHR, and/or SHRM certification
• Experience building dynamic partnerships with outside organizations to support HR recruitment and training needs
• Prior non-profit experience
• Active in local recruiting/HR associations
• Hospitality and/or mission-based organizational experience
• Bi-lingual in Spanish or French
• Advanced degree in a relevant field

  BENEFITS FOR FULL TIME (Start Day One of Employment)  

• Health Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Paid Holiday, Sick-Time, Personal Time, Vacations
• Vision
• 403b Retirement Plans
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Company Paid Short- and Long-Term Disability
• Company Paid 50K Life Insurance Policy
• Free Meals in the Kripalu Dining Hall 
• Discounted Purchases in the Kripalu Shop and Spa Services
• Yoga Classes, and the opportunity to participate in Kripalu Programs