The Organization – Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation (MRBF)
MRBF’s mission is to help people and places move out of poverty and achieve greater social and economic justice. The board and staff have committed to centering racial equity across all their work and partnering with communities to build power for people who have been denied access to instruments of power throughout American history.
MRBF works in 11 Southern states, supporting organizations and networks making progress along three interconnected pathways of change: economic opportunity, supportive policies and institutions, and democracy and civic engagement. It is exploring new ways to amplify a broad range of voices and strengthen leaders who reflect the full diversity of the South’s demographics while continuing some core approaches: centering communities in solutions, helping organizations build their capacity to do more, cultivating innovative partnerships, and advancing systems change with long-term resources.
MRBF seeks to use all available tools, including grantmaking, investing, influencing, leveraging, communications, and learning, to advance its mission.
Position Overview
The People and Culture Officer (PCO) will report to the Chief Finance and Operations Officer and work collaboratively with senior leadership to develop and implement people, culture, and organizational strategies that are racial-equity centered, mission- and values-aligned, and enable the Foundation to achieve its strategic objectives and make a meaningful impact.
The PCO will partner with the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Equity Officer, and others to facilitate the organizational development work and embed racial equity and power building in the Foundation’s culture, practices, policies, and values.
The PCO will design and deliver strategies and programs to attract, develop, motivate, and retain talented people representing diverse backgrounds, identities, and lived experiences across MRBF’s geographic footprint who are deeply committed to the Foundation’s mission and approach.
This person will lead efforts to ensure team members are engaged, well-prepared, empowered, high-performing, accountable, and operating in an equitable, inclusive, and supportive environment where they are valued, can fully contribute, work inside their purpose, and thrive.
Specific Responsibilities
Organizational Leadership
• Serve as a strategic partner and trusted adviser to staff on all people and culture matters
• Partner with senior leadership to understand MRBF’s strategic priorities and goals and translate them into people, culture, and organizational design strategies and tactics
People, Culture, and Organizational Development
• Lead all strategic and operational aspects of people management, including planning, acquisition, onboarding, development, employee relations, performance management, compensation, benefits and staff transitions
• Design and deliver mission-aligned people management strategies, systems, programs, and practices with a racial equity lens and justice mindset
• Develop and execute talent acquisition strategies to ensure MRBF has team members with the appropriate expertise, skills, values, and attributes needed to accomplish its goals
• Develop and institute practices and programs for employee engagement, retention, and satisfaction, and foster a culture that facilitates career progression, supports employees with goal setting, training, and professional development
• Manage staff professional development; create and maintain systems to identify strengths and opportunities in people and devise strategies to strengthen and build staff and leadership capabilities
Operations and Compliance
• Develop and implement an effective performance management system, tools, and processes; lead annual performance and salary review activities
• Regularly review, update, and ensure that compensation and benefits programs and structures are competitive, align with MRBF’s core values, and enable the organization to attract and retain great people
• Manage existing relationships with outsourced human resource service providers and identify and cultivate relationships with new vendors as the organization’s needs evolve
• Manage all administrative aspects of the human resource function, including processing payroll, record keeping, benefits renewals, and tax compliance.
• Keep abreast of people management best practices and ensure MRBF stays relevant and up to date with programs, policies, practices, employee handbook and materials, and HR records/systems
• Ensure EEO/regulatory compliance (federal and across the 11 states and municipalities) pertaining to all personnel matters
• Foster transparency and lead internal communications relevant to the position to ensure staff are informed and engaged on everything from policies to programs
• Recommend and help coordinate, manage, and facilitate team-building events
CANDIDATE QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
Education: A bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and transferable experience; SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP, DEI certification, and racial equity training are highly preferred
Experience:
• Ten-plus years of progressively responsible, broad-based experience in people/talent management, culture, and organizational development
• Experience leading racial equity and inclusion or organizational change work
• Experience leading or working in human resources/people and culture function in an evolving philanthropic or nonprofit organization, ideally focused on social justice
• Experience designing, developing, and supporting people management programs, including talent planning, development, acquisition, performance management, succession planning, retention, and total rewards
• Track record of developing and implementing organizational systems, analytical tools, metrics, and processes to optimize people, performance, and satisfaction
• Knowledge of federal, state, and local employment laws and ability to translate to employee policies and practices
Requirements:
• Personal commitment to race and gender equity as evidenced by respect for the dignity and abilities of all people
• Deep knowledge of the Southern United States and its diverse communities
• Residency in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia or West Virginia
• Ability to travel as needed
COMPETENCIES AND ATTRIBUTES
The ideal candidate will have:
• A demonstrated commitment to the Foundation’s mission, vision, and values
• Exceptional communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills
• Excellent leadership skills with the ability to be a strategist and hands-on executor
• Knowledge, experience, and a commitment to ongoing personal and organizational development to foster a racially equitable and inclusive workplace
• An understanding of people and organizational dynamics and the ability to navigate, influence, lead, and inspire positive change
• Strong collaboration and facilitation skills. Ideally, prior training/professional development in facilitating difficult conversations, unconscious bias, microaggressions, and practices for advancing equity in the workplace
• Cultural competence: a thoughtful listener with a willingness to seek and consider multiple perspectives and possible solutions and have a point of view.
• Demonstrated commitment to learning and curiosity
• Familiarity and comfort operating in a remote environment
• Strong analytical skills and problem-solving ability
• Technological savvy with the ability to develop and implement systems, processes, tools, and metrics
• Collegial decision-making, coupled with an ability to work independently, flexibly, and with good humor
• Emotional intelligence, maturity, and sound judgment
They will be:
• Team-oriented and highly collaborative
• Creative, resourceful, and results-oriented, with a high degree of initiative
• Well organized, with the ability to prioritize what is essential, which can shift by the day
• Diplomatic, compassionate, trustworthy, authentic, and transparent
• Flexible, adaptable, and pragmatic
How To Apply
CANDIDATE QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
Education: A bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and transferable experience; SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP, DEI certification, and racial equity training are highly preferred
COMPENSATION AND CULTURE
The target salary for this position is $100,000, commensurate with training and experience. The Foundation offers generous benefits, including retirement contributions, health and dental coverage, and a flexible remote work environment (anywhere within the 11-state footprint).
The Foundation is intentional about creating an organizational culture and environment that is equitable, inclusive, and supportive where all staff can thrive. The team devotes time to reflection and relationship building and closes for two weeks annually to enable team members to recharge without using vacation days.
To apply, please send a resume and cover letter to Lisa Fisher, lfisher@lafsearch.com.