The Environmental Law Institute (ELI or Institute) is accepting applications to fill the position of Human Resources Director, People & Equity.

ELI brings science and policy together to make the law work for people, places, and the planet. We envision a healthy environment, prosperous economies, and vibrant communities founded on the rule of law. We support just and practical law and policy solutions to spur environmental, economic, and social progress across the United States and around the world.

What Would You Be Doing Exactly?

In collaboration with the Human Resources Director, Benefits & Compliance as well as the Executive Team, the Human Resources Director, People & Equity will work to ensure that every member of the Institute has the opportunity to thrive in a work culture that walks the talk of equity throughout its operations.

ELI is committed to continuously building an anti-racist culture that promotes diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in our work life. The Human Resources Director, People & Equity will center these values when implementing Human Resources (HR) systems, executing day-to-day tasks and responsibilities, and leading cultural change within the Institute.

More specifically, this role will focus on talent recruitment and management and organizational culture:

Establishing and Implementing Talent Recruitment and Management Systems (60%)

  • In general, lead organizational efforts to implement strong HR policies and systems for ensuring an employee experience that maximizes each employee’s chances for success in their roles and prospective roles, particularly through a lens of diversity and inclusion
  • Specifically, develop and implement talent systems that support an equitable and inclusive environment in which all team members can bring their full and authentic selves to the Institute’s work, including but not limited to:
    • managing systems of hiring and selection, including hiring manager coaching, that attract top talent and reflect the Institute’s diversity, equity, and inclusion values
    • onboarding new employees and supporting their integration into the work community
    • overseeing annual employee review, raise, and bonus processes, to ensure employees’ continued professional growth
    • managing disciplinary processes as needed
    • engaging in staff retention efforts, including collecting and assessing data related to retention
    • ensuring smooth offboarding process, including holding exit interviews with outgoing staff and helping managers process information gathered
  • Manage individual HR cases on an as-needed basis
  • Support managers in providing constructive, sustained, and effective feedback
  • Establish an overall organizational professional development program, including:
    • Develop and implement a management training program for the coaching and development of the Institute’s managers, to include professional learning for managers and individual observation/coaching; and
    • Supporting the organization’s individual employees and teams in developing professional learning plans and finding suitable training/development opportunities

Organizational Culture (40%)

  • In partnership with the Executive Team and the Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Committee, develop and implement systems for creating an inclusive and equitable culture that reflects ELI’s values
  • Provide facilitative leadership for office-related diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, including managing partnerships with external vendors, setting annual targets, and leading staff engagement in culture and systems change
  • Facilitate the Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Committee
  • Coach managers in best practices for building productive relationships with staff, optimal team function and dynamics, and inclusive meeting practices
  • Provide individual support for managers and employees as needed
  • Identify and lead actions to build employee engagement, including supporting ELI’s various staff committees
  • Develop, implement, and analyze organizational culture surveys and provide opportunities for all staff and teams to process the data and set priorities

What do you need to thrive in this role?

You will need to share in ELI’s mission, approach, and core values, including a commitment to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive work environment for all team members.  The Human Resources department, as well as ELI as a whole, is collaborative by nature and you must be able to interact in a professional manner with people from diverse racial, ethnic, political, and socioeconomic backgrounds.

In this role you should bring robust experience in applying broad principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace and fostering an open and supportive environment. You should also bring expertise in ensuring that collective and individualized supports are in place to facilitate hiring and retaining mission-aligned team members, excellent and inclusive team functioning, ongoing learning and professional development, and a restorative and inclusive experience for all ELI staff. More specifically:

  • Have 7-10 years of progressive experience in assessing, incorporating, and leading the application of DEI principles within an organization as well as other HR disciplines including: organizational design and development, talent acquisition and management, compensation, employee relations and engagement, managerial capacity building, and policy administration
  • Be a proactive, strategic, creative, and solutions-focused Human Resources professional (SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP certification preferred) with experience successfully serving as a strategic and tactical partner to executives and managers
  • Demonstrate a track record of managing growth and organizational culture change with experience in implementing goals and action plans with documented results
  • Have highly developed interpersonal skills to be able to engender the cooperation and support of the staff as well as a strong cultural competency including understanding power dynamics and the intersecting axis of diversity, including how this plays out in the workplace
  • Demonstrate personal and professional integrity and have a strong track record of intentionally shaping a positive work culture that centers people, paired with experience in successfully leading change management, anti-racism, and transformation practices
  • Have successful experience organizing group discussions and trainings on DEI topics (experience in facilitating such trainings is preferred)
  • Have experience coaching and training leaders to improve management skills and provide thought partnership for people-related decisions
  • Have proven interpersonal skills, including the ability to actively listen, collaborate, build relationships, influence, manage conflict, and problem solve with tact, professionalism, and diplomacy
  • Demonstrate the ability to gather HR and organizational culture-related data, produce analytics, document the findings, and provide recommendations based on those findings
  • Have superb attention to detail and organizational skills with the ability to prioritize assignments, multitask, and deliver high quality work on time and within budget
  • Demonstrate the ability to work both independently and collaboratively
  • Have excellent oral and written communication skills
  • Demonstrate proficiency with standard office software, including Microsoft Office

Who is ELI?

ELI is a non-profit organization located in Washington, D.C., and is a leading center of environmental research, policy analysis, and training in the United States. Founded at the beginning of the modern environmental era more than five decades ago, ELI has played a pivotal role in the evolution of environmental law. Today, ELI is an internationally-recognized independent research and education organization whose interdisciplinary staff of lawyers and scientists works to develop creative solutions to critical problems in environmental law, policy, and management worldwide. ELI is also a renowned membership organization for environmental professionals, promoting excellence in environmental law through providing the field’s finest publications, intensive legal practice and training courses, regional seminars, and forums on key policy issues.

What can you expect from ELI?

The annual salary for this position is $82,500 to $110,000 and is commensurate with experience. ELI’s total compensation includes excellent benefits including:

 

  • Health/Dental/Vision insurance
  • Flexible Spending Account
  • Employer-paid life insurance & disability insurance
  • Long Term Care insurance
  • Pre-tax transportation benefit
  • Fitness Incentive
  • 403(b) Retirement Savings Account with employer match
  • Paid time off

 

Ready to apply? Here’s how…

Submit an application package via ELI’s online application system. Simply visit https://www.eli.org/employment to get started. Note that your submission must contain the following uploaded documents (Word or PDF format), as follows:

  1. A cover letter addressing your personal goals and interests, as well as your experience and interest in carrying out the duties outlined above
  2. A resume with dates for all listed experience
  3. A list of references

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the vacancy is filled. You must use ELI’s online application system; ELI cannot accept applications submitted by email, the USPS or other shipping service, or hand delivery.

 

Please note that to ensure the health and safety of the ELI workforce, any offer of employment from ELI is contingent on candidates providing proof of full vaccination against COVID-19.  ELI management will consider requests for religious or medical exceptions, consistent with applicable law.

ELI is an equal opportunity employer firmly committed to achieving an inclusive, diverse workforce that values every individual. We firmly believe that hiring individuals with varying perspectives and backgrounds contributes to our success as an organization, and we strive to create an environment that fosters inclusiveness. As such, minority candidates and candidates from traditionally underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply.