People Services Director

About this role

Art and Wellness Enterprises (AWE) is a professional services organization supporting non-profits founded by Alice Walton, including the Alice L. Walton Foundation, Alice L. Walton School of Medicine, Art Bridges Foundation, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, the Momentary, and Heartland Whole Health Institute.

Job Description: Job Title: People Services Director Reports to: Chief People Officer FLSA Classification: Exempt Location: Bentonville, Arkansas (On-site)

Art and Wellness Enterprises (AWE) supports operating non-profits founded by Alice Walton, including the Alice L. Walton Foundation, Alice L. Walton School of Medicine, Art Bridges, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, the Momentary, and Heartland Whole Health Institute.

About The Position The People Services Director primarily serves as the Human Resources leader and strategic advisor to the Alice L. Walton School of Medicine and is responsible for leading benefits administration, compensation, performance management, employee relations, and enforcing company policies and practices. Building relationships with various levels of entity leaders, providing strategic business partnership, and serving as a human resources thought leader are key roles this position plays.

Partnering closely with institutional leadership and internal stakeholders across multiple entities, the Director supports organizational objectives by providing strategic human resources guidance, overseeing compliance and people processes, and driving operational effectiveness across assigned business areas. This role also leads and develops members of the People Services team while helping develop consistent practices, systems, and approaches across the ecosystem.

Success in this role requires a strategic mindset, excellent leadership skills, and a passion for building high-performing teams, along with the ability to navigate complex employee matters, manage competing priorities, and operate effectively in a fast-paced, evolving higher education environment.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities Partnerships and Strategic Initiatives • Develop the human resources strategy to support assigned business areas by understanding strategic business goals and objectives; advising on the execution of organizational change initiatives; assessing human resources implications of various strategies; and providing guidance to leaders on human resources issues. • Provide support and guidance to People Services Business Partners, management, and other staff with complex, specialized, and sensitive questions and issues; investigate allegations of wrongdoing and oversee employee termination matters. • Apply decision making and risk management across all organizational projects and initiatives to ensure employee retention, engagement, and efficiency in operations. • Culture building internally and externally in partnership with the Chief People Officer.  

Compensation, Benefits, and Compliance • Manage compliance with federal, state, and local laws and regulations and company policies and procedures by keeping current on laws and regulations related to general human resource practices and regulations related to licensure and certifications; implementing and monitoring human resource compliance; implementing action plans to improve performance and reduce instances of non-compliance; and directing management teams in ensuring confidentiality of information, documentation, and assigned records. • Analyze trends in compensation and benefits; research and propose competitive base and incentive pay programs to ensure the organization attracts and retains top talent. • Oversee the design, implementation, and administration of comprehensive benefit plans, ensuring alignment with organizational objectives, regulatory compliance, and an optimal employee experience.  

Operations and Analytics • Conduct research and analysis of organizational trends, including review of reports and metrics from the organization’s human resource information system (HRIS). • Build and refine human resources processes. Develop playbooks with standardized approaches for use throughout the ecosystem to drive efficiency and ensure consistent positive experiences for team members and guests. • Leverage advanced data analytics to drive data-informed decision-making, identify trends, and deliver actionable insights; lead systems automation initiatives and provide strategic recommendations to improve efficiency; and develop and present clear, executive-level reports and visualizations to inform leadership decisions.  

Team Leadership • Lead, coach, and develop a dynamic, high-performing team fostering a culture of excellence, accountability, and growth. • Promote continuous improvement, professional development, and collaboration within your team to drive results and support organization priorities. • Monitor performance, morale, and workload balance, addressing challenges proactively and professionally while encouraging engagement and recognition. • Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned to support evolving organizational needs.

Qualifications and Requirements • Bachelor’s degree in human resources, business administration, management, or related field; Master’s degree preferred. • Professional certifications such as SHRM-S/CP, S/PHR or equivalent certification preferred. • 8-10+ years of progressive human resources experience across complex organizations, including employee relations, compensation, benefits administration, compliance, performance management, and strategic business partnership, with 5+ years of experience leading and developing direct reports. • Demonstrated success supporting and managing human resources strategies and operations across large-scale, multi-entity organizations. Experience in startups, healthcare, museum/cultural institutions, philanthropy, or similarly complex environments is strongly preferred. Experience in higher education is required. • Deep knowle

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