Department: Charlotte Area Transit System DepartmentSalary: $160,095.00 - $230,136.84 Commensurate with Experience

SUMMARY

The Director of People and Culture serves as the executive leader responsible for shaping and advancing the organization’s workforce strategy, human resources operations, and organizational development. Reporting to the Chief Administrative Officer, the Director provides enterprise‑level stewardship over the policies, programs, and systems that enable a safe, effective, and high‑performing transit workforce. This role ensures that talent strategies, leadership development, HR service delivery, and employee support initiatives align with the organization’s mission, operational priorities, and long‑term organizational objectives.

The Director sets the strategic direction and governance framework for the People and Culture portfolio, providing executive oversight of Human Resources Administration and Workforce and Organizational Development. The position ensures cohesive, consistent, and legally compliant workforce practices across the agency, including employee relations, HR operations, workforce capability-building, and leadership development.

Operating through subordinate leaders, the Director establishes organizational structures, performance expectations, and accountability systems that promote workforce stability, employee engagement, and leadership effectiveness. As a senior advisor to executive leadership, the Director offers guidance on workforce strategy, organizational effectiveness, and talent‑related risks. The role ensures that People and Culture programs evolve responsibly to meet operational demands, regulatory requirements, and the long‑term sustainability of the organization.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

People and Culture Strategy and Organizational Leadership

• Provides executive leadership for People and Culture, including HR operations, workforce development, and organizational effectiveness.
• Converts agency priorities into workforce strategies, programs, and measurable outcomes.
• Ensures workforce policies and programs support safe, reliable, customer‑focused transit operations.
• Establishes performance expectations, accountability structures, and service standards aligned with agency goals.
• Exercises decision‑making authority within established governance, policy, and budget frameworks.

 

Human Resources Operations Governance

• Provides executive oversight of HR Administration functions including employee relations, talent acquisition, payroll and HRIS operations, leave administration, compliance activities, and HR service delivery.
• Ensures consistent application of employment policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements across the organization.
• Establishes governance structures that promote efficiency, accountability, and service consistency in HR operations.
• Monitors operational risks related to workforce management and directs corrective strategies when necessary.
• Ensures HR services effectively support operational divisions and workforce needs.

 

Workforce Development and Organizational Capability

• Leads enterprise workforce development and organizational effectiveness strategies that strengthen employee capability, leadership readiness, and career mobility.
• Directs development and implementation of onboarding, training, leadership development, and workforce planning initiatives.
• Ensures workforce programs align with operational priorities and long-term organizational sustainability.

• Advances continuous improvement of learning systems, development pathways, and employee experience initiatives.

Workforce Risk, Compliance, and Employee Relations Oversight

• Maintains executive accountability for employment compliance and workforce risk management.
• Provides oversight of complex employee relations matters, investigations, and corrective action frameworks.
• Partners with Legal, Risk Management, and HR leadership on high‑risk issues.
• Escalates critical workforce risks and recommends mitigation strategies.

 

Talent Strategy and Workforce Planning

• Establishes enterprise talent strategies for recruitment, retention, succession planning, and workforce sustainability.
• Oversees HR Business Partner alignment with operational divisions.
• Uses workforce analytics to guide staffing and organizational planning.
• Ensures recruitment and talent processes support equitable, effective hiring outcomes.

 

Organizational Leadership and Culture

• Establishes and reinforces organizational culture aligned with organizational values.
• Sets leadership expectations and strengthens supervisory and management capability.
• Guides initiatives that improve engagement, communication, and organizational trust.
• Serves as an executive sponsor for workforce‑related change initiatives.

 

Data, Analytics, and Performance Accountability

• Establishes performance measurement frameworks for workforce programs and HR operations.
• Uses workforce metrics and trends to inform executive decisions and planning.
• Ensures accurate reporting for audits, compliance reviews, and executive needs.
• Promotes data‑driven continuous improvement across People and Culture functions.

 

External Partnerships and Executive Collaboration

• Serves as senior liaison with internal and external partners, regulatory agencies, and workforce organizations.
• Represents the organization in executive forums, interagency initiatives, and workforce-related partnerships.
• Collaborates with executive leadership to align workforce initiatives with operational and financial priorities.

 

Fiscal Stewardship and Resource Management

• Develops and manages the People and Culture budget in alignment with organizational priorities.
• Oversees allocation of resources across HR and workforce development programs.
• Monitors program expenditures, contracts, and vendor performance to ensure fiscal accountability.
• Recommends budget priorities and workforce investments for executive consideration.

Core Competencies

Leadership and Organizational Stewardship: Ability to provide executive leadership for a multi-layered People and Culture organization; establish leadership expectations; and ensure subordinate leaders effectively supervise, develop, and support staff while maintaining accountability for workforce outcomes and organizational performance.

• Establishes clear expectations and accountability structures for subordinate leaders.
• Delegates authority appropriately while maintaining executive oversight of workforce programs and outcomes.
• Ensures leaders apply consistent performance management and employee development practices.
• Models professionalism, integrity, and organizational values while guiding the organization through change.

 

Strategic Workforce and Organizational Leadership: Ability to align workforce strategy, human resources operations, and organizational development initiatives with agency mission, operational priorities, and long-term organizational objectives.

• Translates executive priorities into workforce strategies and measurable outcomes.
• Anticipates workforce risks, capability gaps, and emerging organizational needs.
• Integrates talent acquisition, leadership development, and workforce planning initiatives.
• Balances operational demands with long-term workforce sustainability.

 

Collaboration and Executive Stakeholder Engagement: Ability to work effectively with executive leadership, operational departments, partners, and external stakeholders to develop coordinated solutions to complex workforce challenges.

• Builds trusted partnerships with executive and operational leadership.
• Facilitates alignment between People and Culture programs and operational divisions.
• Navigates competing priorities while maintaining constructive relationships.
• Promotes inclusive and collaborative decision-making.

 

Communication and Executive Influence: Ability to communicate complex workforce, organizational, and policy issues clearly and persuasively while representing the organization with professionalism and credibility.

• Communicates workforce strategies and organizational impacts effectively to leadership.
• Tailors communication to diverse audiences including executives, employees, and external partners.
• Ensures timely communication of sensitive workforce issues.
• Represents People and Culture initiatives in executive and public forums.

 

Workforce Analytics and Strategic Insight: Ability to interpret workforce data, organizational trends, and operational metrics to guide strategic decisions and improve workforce performance.

• Uses workforce analytics and organizational metrics to inform executive decisions.
• Identifies systemic patterns affecting workforce performance or engagement.
• Connects workforce data to strategic planning and organizational outcomes.
• Promotes data-informed continuous improvement across People and Culture programs.

 

Governance, Risk, and Ethical Leadership: Ability to ensure workforce practices comply with applicable laws, policies, and governance frameworks while maintaining ethical decision-making and public trust.

• Provides executive oversight of employment compliance and workforce risk management.
• Ensures consistent application of policies and regulatory requirements.
• Establishes governance frameworks supporting accountability and transparency.
• Exercises sound judgment in sensitive workforce matters.

Supervision Given to:

• Senior Manager for HR Administration
• Senior Manager for Workforce and Organizational Development
• HR Program Manager
• Administrative Assistant
• Civil Rights Officer (Future)

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Public Administration, Business Administration, Organizational Development, or related field and ten (10) years of progressively responsible leadership experience in human resources, workforce development, or organizational leadership, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Human Resources, Organizational Development, Public Administration, or related field.
• Senior leadership experience in a public-sector or transit environment.
• Experience leading organizational change or workforce transformation initiatives.
• Experience leading multi-functional teams and managing complex organizational programs.
• Experience advising executive leadership on workforce or organizational strategy.
• Professional HR certification (SHRM-SCP, SPHR, or equivalent).

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Knowledge of:

• Human resources leadership practices including talent acquisition, employee relations governance, workforce planning, and organizational development.
• Federal, state, and local employment laws and regulatory requirements affecting public-sector employers, including wage and hour regulations, EEO compliance, ADA employment provisions, and labor relations frameworks.
• Public‑sector governance, administrative processes, and policy development affecting workforce management.
• Workforce analytics, performance measurement, and human capital planning methods that inform executive decision‑making.
• Leadership development, employee engagement strategies, and organizational culture practices that support workforce capability and retention.
• HR administrative systems and operations, including payroll, benefits, compensation structures, HRIS governance, and compliance monitoring.

Skill in:

• Providing executive leadership for complex HR and workforce development functions.
• Interpreting employment laws, policies, and governance requirements and applying them to operational workforce practices.
• Leading cross‑functional collaboration with operational divisions, executive leadership, and ext