Director of Human Resources

EOE Statement We are an equal employment opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law.

DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES

AOTA Culture Values:

• Trust and respect are incorporated into decisions at all levels;
• AOTA invests in its employees; and
• Responsibility and accountability for work are fairly assigned.

We believe that:

• Autonomy and empowerment are essential to satisfaction and productivity;
• Creativity and innovation only improve projects and outcomes; and
• Diversity and inclusivity are essential to success.

Summary of Position:

The Director, Human Resources serves as AOTA's senior human resources leader and strategic partner to the leadership team. This position is responsible for developing and executing a comprehensive People & Culture strategy that supports AOTA's mission, organizational priorities, and commitment to fostering an inclusive, engaged, and high-performing workforce. The Director provides leadership across all areas of human resources, ensuring that people practices align with organizational goals while promoting a positive employee experience and a culture grounded in trust, collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement.

This role oversees the full employee lifecycle, including talent acquisition, onboarding, employee relations, performance management, learning and development, compensation and benefits, compliance, HR operations, and organizational development. The Director serves as a trusted advisor to leadership, leveraging workforce data, best practices, and sound judgment to drive organizational effectiveness, strengthen employee engagement, and ensure compliance with applicable employment laws and regulations.

Key Responsibilities:

• Serve as a trusted advisor to the leadership team on human resources strategy, organizational effectiveness, employee engagement, change management, and workforce planning.
• Lead all aspects of the employee lifecycle, including recruitment, onboarding, performance management, employee development, retention, succession planning, and offboarding.
• Oversee the organization's talent acquisition strategy, ensuring effective sourcing, selection, and hiring processes that attract and retain high-quality talent.
  Foster an inclusive, collaborative, and high-performing workplace culture by promoting employee engagement initiatives, recognition programs, and professional development opportunities.
• In consultation with the leadership team, develops short and long range goals and objectives for the Association's Human Resources activities. Develops, recommends and implements new/revised Human Resources policies and procedures. Interprets policy and counsels managers and staff as necessary.
• Directs and oversees Association recruiting and on-boarding activities to include temporary staffing, interns, and fieldwork students.
• Establishes procedures to achieve high quality results and ensure legal compliance. Monitors results and identifies and implements ways to continually improve processes.
• Responsible for the Association’s performance management and compensation activities. Coordinates the performance appraisal process. Conducts market salary analysis to ensure equitable salary ranges and individual salaries remain competitive application of policies and procedures. Works closely with direct supervisors to coordinate performance improvement plans and disciplinary procedures.
• Responsible for Association’s employee benefits plans to include: medical, dental, life, disability, retirement, and voluntary benefits. Works with insurance broker to present cost effective and competitive insurance plans to executive team for consideration. Effectively communicates insurance programs to staff. Ensures plan administration is accurate.
• Administers Association's 401(k) retirement plan. Ensures Association's retirement plans remain competitive and affordable. In conjunction with payroll/finance staff, conducts annual compliance testing and coordinates preparation of annual IRS filings. Effectively communicates retirement programs and ensures educational opportunities for staff.
• Responsible for compliance with federal, state, and local laws and regulations; to include: Workers Compensation, Unemployment, various required notices, etc.
• Coordinates and advises on internal and external training based on Association requirements. Determines needs for internal training and obtains resources to conduct programs as necessary.
• Partner with the leadership team in strategic decision making and operations to enhance AOTA programming and build capacity.
• Consults with all levels of AOTA management. Establishes and maintains liaison with program directors and division/department heads.
• Proactively and effectively address components of workplace culture that impede organizational and individual effectiveness in a manner consistent with the organization’s values.

Position Requirements

Qualifications and Skills:

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution in human resources, business, or related field.
• Master’s degree from an accredited institution in human resources, business, or related field preferred.
• Professional certification and/or American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) Certified Association Executive (CAE) credential is a plus.
• Professional Human Resources certification such as SHRM-SCP, SPHR, or equivalent certification preferred.
• Minimum of ten (10) years of progressively responsible Human Resources experience, including broad responsibility across multiple HR disciplines.
• Minimum of five (5) years of leadership experience managing Human Resources or People & Culture functions.
• Demonstrated experience developing and implementing strategic HR initiatives that support organizational growth and business objectives.
• Strong knowledge of federal, state, and local employment laws, HR compliance requirements, and Human Resources best practices.
• Experience leading employee relations, performance management, organizational development, talent acquisition, compensation, benefits administration, and employee engagement initiatives.
• Experience partnering with executive leadership to provide strategic workforce guidance and organizational consulting.
• Proficiency with Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS), applicant tracking systems, Microsoft Office Suite, and workforce analytics tools.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities, exercise sound judgment, maintain confidentiality, and make informed decisions in complex situations.
• Exceptional interpersonal, communication, coaching, facilitation, and conflict resolution skills.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and project management abilities with a commitment to continuous improvement. Experience working within nonprofit, healthcare, membership association, or mission-driven organizations preferred.
• Requires significant problem solving, judgment and innovative thinking to accomplish very broadly defined and/or technically complex responsibilities of the position. Receives policy direction to implement and/or develop policies, programs, and procedures for the department.

Core Competencies (All AOTA Staff):

• Ethics Knowledge: Possesses a clear understanding of the boundaries of acceptable activity within one’s sphere and acts to ensure that the organization’s interactions with outside organizations remain above reproach.
• Process Management: Uses industry best practices to control and maintain effective business processes.
• Planning and Organizing: Organizes work, sets priorities, and determines resources required; determines necessary sequence of activities needed to achieve goals in a complete and timely manner.
• Communication: Clearly conveys and receives information and ideas through a variety of media; conveys to individuals or groups in a manner that engages the listener, helps them understand and retain the message, and invites response and feedback and receives with respect and open mindedness. Keeps others informed as appropriate; demonstrates good written, oral, and listening skills.
• Teamwork: Participates as an active and contributing member of a team to achieve team goals. Works cooperatively with other team members, involves others, shares information as appropriate, and shares credit for team accomplishments.
• Customer/Member Focus: Makes internal and external colleagues/customers/members and their needs a primary focus of one’s actions; shows interest in and understanding of the needs and expectations of internal and external customers (including direct reports and supervisors and management); gains customer/member trust and respect; meets or exceeds customer/member expectations.
• Technologies: Keeps up with the evolution of technology as needed to address business needs.

Behavioral Competencies (Strategic Leadership):

• Adaptability/Agility: Adapts well to changes in assignments and priorities; adapts behavior or work methods in response to new information, changing conditions, or unexpected obstacles; approaches change positively and adjusts behaviors accordingly.
• Decision Making/Problem Solving: Analyzes problems into components and recognizes interrelationships with an awareness of strategic priorities and objectives; makes sound, well-informed, and objective decisions. Compares data, information, and input from a variety of sources to draw conclusions; takes action that is consistent with available facts, constraints and probable consequences.
• Influence: Understands and uses appropriate interpersonal skills and techniques to gain acceptance for ideas or solutions. Uses influencing strategies to gain genuine agreements; seeks to persuade rather than force solutions or impose decisions or regulations.
• Innovation: Uses creativity and imagination to develop new insights into situations and applies new solutions to problems; comes up with new and uniqu

Full-Time/Part-Time Full-Time

Position Director of Human Resources

Exempt/Non-Exempt Exempt

Req Number HUM-

About the Organization About AOTA

The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), founded in 1917, is the national professional association representing the interests of occupational therapy practitioners and students. With a current membership of approximately 65,000- comprising occupational therapists, occupational therapy assistants, and students-our community spans all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and beyond.
AOTA represents the broader occupational therapy profession in the United States, which includes more than 230,000 practitioners and students.
Headquartered in Bethesda, MD, AOTA is dedicated to promoting excellence in occupational therapy practice, education, and research. We advocate for improved access to health care, support the professional growth of our members, and advance the profession through resources, public education, and standard setting.
Mission
To advance occupational therapy practice, education, and research through standard setting and advocacy on behalf of its members, the profession, and the public.
Vision 2030
Enriching life for ALL individuals and society through meaningful engagement in everyday activities.

This position is currently accepting applications.