Lead Director – HR, Admin & Operations

Position Overview:
The Lead Director – HR, Admin & Operations is a senior leadership role responsible for driving the strategic and operational effectiveness of Human Resources, Administration, and overall organizational initiatives. This position provides oversight of HR operations, payroll, benefits, employee engagement, facilities management, and RFP/project management, while serving as a trusted business partner to leadership. The Lead Director ensures operational efficiency, supports organizational growth initiatives, and fosters a culture of high performance, accountability, and engagement.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Human Resources Leadership

• Oversee end-to-end HR operations, including payroll, benefits administration, HRIS management, compliance, and policy enforcement.

• Lead employee engagement initiatives to enhance morale, retention, and alignment with company values and strategic goals.

• Serve as the primary point of contact for employee relations issues, including conflict resolution, performance management, disciplinary actions, and terminations.

• Develop and implement HR strategies in partnership with business leaders to support organizational objectives, workforce planning, and succession planning.

• Act as an HR business partner to department heads, providing guidance on talent acquisition, workforce development, retention, and performance optimization.

2. Operations, Administration & RFP Management

• Manage administrative functions and facilities operations to ensure a safe, efficient, and compliant workplace.

• Build, review, and manage Requests for Proposals (RFPs), ensuring deadlines, vendor coordination, and deliverables are met.

• Develop and maintain project plans, timelines, risk trackers, and milestone dashboards to drive organizational initiatives.

• Coordinate cross-functional teams, including Sales, Operations, Technology, Finance, Compliance, and Community Partners, to ensure smooth execution of business objectives.

• Track key performance indicators (KPIs) and provide leadership-ready status reporting on operational and HR metrics.

• Drive accountability for deliverables and deadlines, ensuring teams meet organizational expectations.

3. Strategic Initiatives & Growth Support

• Support partnership launches, mergers/acquisitions, and expansion into new markets by providing operational readiness guidance.

• Assist with vendor selection, contract negotiations, implementation, and ongoing management to ensure alignment with company goals.

• Anticipate operational or HR challenges and proactively implement solutions to prevent disruptions.

• Partner with leadership to align HR, administrative, and operational strategy with overall business objectives.

4. Project Management & Cross-Functional Leadership

• Lead strategic initiatives from conception through execution, ensuring objectives are met on time and within budget.

• Build and maintain detailed project plans, monitor progress, manage risks, and communicate status updates to stakeholders.

• Foster collaboration across teams, promoting a culture of accountability, transparency, and results-oriented performance.

5. Compliance & Risk Management

• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws, regulations, and organizational policies.

• Maintain accurate documentation for HR, operations, and RFP processes, audits, and reporting.

• Identify operational and HR risks, develop mitigation strategies, and escalate issues when necessary.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field (Master’s degree preferred).

• 10+ years of progressive experience in HR, administration, operations, and project/RFP management, ideally in multi-functional organizations.

• Strong background in employee relations, HR strategy, payroll, benefits, operational management, and RFP/vendor processes.

• Proven experience leading cross-functional teams, managing complex projects, and driving organizational change.

• Exceptional analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence at all organizational levels.

Core Competencies:

• Strategic leadership and organizational vision

• Operational excellence and process improvement

• Employee engagement and talent management

• Project and RFP management

• Cross-functional coordination and collaboration

• Data-driven decision-making and reporting

• Risk management and compliance oversight