Director of People Operations & Culture

 ABOUT ACLU OF MICHIGAN

The American Civil Liberties Union Fund of Michigan is an affiliate of the national ACLU, a national public interest organization devoted to the defense of civil rights and civil liberties. For over 100 years, the ACLU has served as the nation’s primary protector of the liberties that define our democracy. The organization implements its vital civil liberties mission in all 50 states in large part through affiliate entities such as the ACLU of Michigan.

 The ACLU of Michigan, founded in 1959, is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, public interest organization dedicated to the defense and expansion of civil liberties and civil rights in Michigan. We employ litigation, public policy advocacy, communications strategies, and public education to protect and promote a broad range of constitutional values and individual rights, such as freedom of speech, equality, due process, racial justice, privacy, religious liberty, criminal justice reform, voting rights, reproductive freedom, LGBTQ+ rights, disability rights, and immigrants’ rights. We are a passionate, highly motivated group of lawyers, public policy experts, lobbyists, community organizers, communicators, and fundraisers, and we’re looking for an exceptional people operations and culture leader to join our team.  

The American Civil Liberties Union Fund of Michigan (ACLU of Michigan or ACLU - MI) is pleased to seek nominations and applications for a full-time Director of People Operations & Culture.

  ABOUT THE ROLE

The Director of People Operations & Culture is a new position on the affiliate’s executive team, reporting to the Chief Operations Officer and collaborating across the leadership team. The Director will build supportive relationships across the organization and lead hands-on human resources administration, including payroll, benefits, compliance, employee wellbeing, and other people operations practices, ensuring all practices reflect organization values, including our commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging (EDIB) and a healthy, fair, and supportive workplace. As the organization grows, the Director will assess and improve HR systems and policies to ensure compliance with laws and regulations and alignment with our values. As a part of the executive team, the Director will contribute to organization-wide initiatives, including continuous efforts to embed EDIB across the organization, embracing our journey as an ongoing opportunity for growth.

This position requires a high level of critical thinking and ingenuity in resolving complex situations. The Director does not currently have supervisory responsibilities but will manage third parties that provide people operations-related services and coordinate with operational staff to ensure effective policies and functions. Specifically, the Director can expect to lead in the following areas:

Employee Relations: Build trusting relationships across the organization, serving as an advisor and resource to staff and leadership on people operations matters to ensure a thriving and effective team.

• Implement employee engagement and proactive communication practices to ensure positive employee experience and staff morale.
• Maintain an open-door policy to cultivate a supportive work environment for all employees.
• Hold confidential information and support thoughtful communication of sensitive matters.
• Connect department heads and supervisors to resources for using restorative justice, harm reduction and trauma informed practices to address personnel, procedural, and structural issues.

Employee Lifecycle, Benefits & Operations: Ensure values-aligned administration of people operations functions, executing or coordinating across the leadership team, external contractors, or legal counsel in these areas:

• Oversee all aspects of the employee lifecycle, including recruitment, onboarding, performance management, professional development, payroll processing, and offboarding.
• Manage daily operations of benefit plans, including annual open enrollments, new hire enrollments, and employee records.

HR Systems & Compliance: Assess and improve upon people operations strategies, policies, and procedures to ensure alignment with the organization’s mission, values, and legal requirements.

• As the organization grows (currently has approximately 40 employees), assess changes needed to meet the needs of the team and ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations and alignment with organizational values.

• Continuously develop and improve HR policies and procedures, including personnel manual/policies, job descriptions, and supportive internal career pathways, balancing consistency across departments with flexibility for diverse needs.
• Maintain current knowledge of federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations.
• Ensure adherence to National ACLU and Michigan affiliate organizational policies and support organizational audits, reporting, and risk management efforts. 

Organizational Culture & Belonging: Contribute to ongoing efforts to be a caring and effective organization.

• As an executive team member, contribute to organizational decisions and their implementation, recognizing the mission and complexity of our work and serving as a thoughtful supporter of a healthy, caring, equitable, and collaborative team environment. Build relationships across the leadership team and join leadership team meetings where appropriate to support culture and people operations discussions.
• Continually champion and embed values of equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging into practices, systems, and processes at every level of the organization, utilizing an intersectional lens including but not limited to race, gender, age, LGBTQ+ status, socioeconomic status, and disability justice. Listen with openness to feedback and learning, understanding mistakes are a part of our human condition, and supporting practices of restorative justice to address conflict and harm, where appropriate.
• Actively support efforts to ensure an inclusive and psychologically safe work environment.
• Maintain a working relationship with ACLU of Michigan’s Affiliate Equity Officer (a board member) to remain accountable to organizational EDIB principles.
• Liaise between the Executive Team and the Fun & Wellness and Heritage Committees.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

While we expect any candidate to have learning curves, we are excited to consider candidates who bring strengths and alignment with the ACLU of Michigan’s values in the following areas:

People Operations Leadership

• Experience leading multiple HR functions, strategies, and practices, including performance management, equity and inclusion, hiring, employee relations, and conflict resolution. Experience managing people operations or HR functions for an organization with 40 or more employees. We think this is most likely consistent with someone who has at least 7 years of experience, but we are receptive to candidates who have otherwise demonstrated the level of strategic skill relevant to the leadership required of this role.
• Certification (e.g., SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP) and/or degree in HR management, organizational development, or another related field preferred.
• Working knowledge of federal and state employment laws and regulations, including equal employment opportunity laws.
• Experience working in a non-profit, advocacy, or political organization is preferred.

Equity & Culture Leadership

• Experience supporting and employee-centered culture that cultivates psychological safety and embeds EDIB values across an organization.
• High degree of emotional intelligence, cultural competence, adaptability, and integrity.
• Self-awareness in navigating power, identity, and difference, especially during times of uncertainty and ambiguity.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality while thoughtfully communicating and building trust-based relationships.
• Commitment to the mission and goals of the ACLU, including a demonstrated commitment to equity and racial justice. An appreciation and commitment to continuing to support a culture that reflects the ACLU of Michigan's integrated advoacy model.

Systems Thinker & Detail Orientation

• Ability to thrive in a growing organization and build systems and processes while maintaining flexibility to an effective and creative team.
• Highly organized and detail-oriented with the ability to simultaneously manage strategic projects and ongoing execution of tasks. Ability to effectively prioritize and execute tasks with a high level of reliability.
• Proficient with managing payroll platforms, HRIS management, as well as Microsoft Office Suite or related software.

Note to Potential Candidates: We know that not all strong candidates will have every skill we list. That’s OK. We still want to hear from you. Research shows that women, non-binary people, and people of color are less likely to apply for a position if they don’t meet every skill listed. At the ACLU of Michigan, we believe our collective differences enable us to make better decisions, drive innovation, and deliver better programmatic results. We are committed to creating a diverse, inclusive, and equitable state and nation, and we know that begins with us doing the work ourselves.

Compensation: The ACLU is committed to equity, transparency, and clarity in pay. Consistent with our compensation philosophy, there is a set salary for each role. The annual salary for this position is $110,000. Excellent benefits, including health, vision, and dental insurance and a 401(k) retirement plans (traditional and Roth) with matching contributions, an individual professional development budget, and an employee assistant program are provided. The ACLU also facilitates a wide range of nationwide employee resource groups.

Due to the nature of our work, the ACLU has a wellbeing program that is designed to support staff overall wellbeing and create a workplace that is healthier and aids in our focus on self-care. Everyone’s health and wellness matter to us, and this program has been designed to provide the team with resources, activities, and incentives to achieve that.  The continued improvement of this program will rest with this position.

Work Environment: The ACLU of Michigan employs a hybrid work environment with staff being in-office three days a week.  We also practice work-life balance. This position is based in the state headquarters in Detroit and requires limited travel, primarily to other state offices in Grand Rapids or Lansing. 

How to Apply

This search is being supported by Callie Carroll of CLC Endeavors. Please send application materials to ACLUMI-DPOC@clcendeavors.com. Applications should include a resume and cover letter that communicates your interest and qualifications for the role. Priority will be given to applications received by May 18th, though applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis until the position is filled.

Please note: Your application will be reviewed by a human, so we appreciate your patience as we take the time to consider each set of materials. While all hiring processes are human-centered and therefore subject to change, we anticipate moving through the following steps:

• Preliminary screening interview with CLC Endeavors
• In-depth interview with CLC Endeavors
• Interview with ACLU-MI Hiring Committee
• Final interview with panel (including a short exercise shared in advance)
• Reference checks