Position Overview: The Senior Human Resources Manager leads VT-ARC's Human Resources function and serves as a trusted advisor to organizational leadership on people, culture, and workforce matters. Reporting to senior leadership, this role provides both strategic guidance and hands-on leadership across all areas of human resources, ensuring HR programs, policies, and practices support the organization's mission, goals, and continued growth.
As the lead HR professional, you will oversee the full employee lifecycle, including talent acquisition, employee relations, performance management, compensation and benefits, compliance, payroll coordination, and organizational development. You will lead and mentor a small HR team, fostering collaboration, professional growth, and exceptional service to employees and leaders throughout the organization.
This role offers the opportunity to make a meaningful impact by shaping the employee experience, strengthening HR operations, and influencing a positive, inclusive, and high-performing culture. The ideal candidate is an approachable leader who combines sound business judgment with a people-first mindset, enjoys building strong relationships, and is energized by helping both employees and the organization succeed.
Duties/Responsibilities:- Partner with managers and employees to provide guidance on employee relations matters, policy interpretation, performance management, workplace concerns, and other day-to-day HR issues.
- Support workforce planning, talent management, retention initiatives, and organizational development efforts in partnership with leadership.
- Manage full-cycle recruitment activities, including job postings, candidate coordination, interview facilitation, offer preparation, onboarding, and new-hire integration.
- Administer compensation, benefits, performance review processes, employee development programs, and HR-related communications.
- Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws, federal contractor requirements, personnel records management, required postings, and HR reporting obligations.
- Coordinate bi-monthly payroll processing and collaborate with Finance to ensure accurate employee data, deductions, and reporting.
- Maintain and improve HR policies, procedures, processes, documentation, and employee resources to support organizational effectiveness and scalability.
- Manage HR data and records while ensuring confidentiality, accuracy, and compliance with recordkeeping requirements.
- Assist with internal and external audits, benefits administration, annual HR programs, and other recurring HR initiatives.
- Develop and maintain HR metrics and reports to support informed decision-making and workforce planning.
- Promote a positive, inclusive, collaborative, and accountable workplace culture aligned with VT-ARC's mission and values.
Required Education, Certification, Skills, Capabilities:- Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Organizational Development, or a related field.
- 7+ years of progressive Human Resources experience with demonstrated responsibility across multiple HR disciplines, including employee relations, recruiting, compliance, compensation, benefits, performance management, and HR operations.
- Experience supporting managers and employees in a fast-paced, growing, or technically focused organization.
- Demonstrated ability to implement and improve HR policies, processes, systems, and programs while maintaining strong operational execution.
- Working knowledge of federal, state, and local employment laws and compliance requirements.
- Strong problem-solving, communication, coaching, and interpersonal skills.
- Ability to exercise sound judgment and maintain confidentiality in handling sensitive employee and organizational matters.
- Experience working independently in a lean HR environment where versatility and hands-on execution are essential.
- Professional HR certification such as SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, or SPHR.
- Working knowledge of ADP Workforce Now, multi-state employment administration, payroll coordination, benefits administration, and HR-related audits.
Desired Education, Certification, Skills, Capabilities:- Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Organizational Psychology, Organizational Development, or a related field.
- Experience supporting a federal contractor, nonprofit organization, university-affiliated organization, applied research organization, or technical services environment.
- Experience scaling HR processes and programs to support organizational growth.
- Familiarity with government contracting environments, security-sensitive workforces, and compliance requirements.
- Experience with compensation benchmarking, career framework development, employee engagement initiatives, and HR analytics.
Security: - Must be a U.S. Citizen.
- Must be eligible to obtain and maintain a U.S. government security clearance.
Primary Work Location: This is a hybrid position based in Arlington, VA. The selected candidate will be expected to work onsite 2-3 days per week, with the remainder of the workweek performed remotely, consistent with business needs and organizational policies.
Competitive Salary: VT-ARC offers a competitive salary and benefits package designed to attract and retain senior technical talent supporting mission-critical programs.
Salary Range: $150,000 - $160,000 annually
Virginia Tech Applied Research Corporation: VT-ARC is a 501(c)(3), non-profit R&D organization affiliated with Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech or VT). Our mission is to provide superior analytic and technology solutions across multiple domains by leveraging Virginia Tech's multidisciplinary research and innovation ecosystem. With unique access to the broad and rich research enterprise found at Virginia Tech, VT-ARC forms multi-disciplinary teams to apply innovative solutions to the real-world problems that strain our social, political, industrial, and economic foundations.
To learn more about VT-ARC's Benefits, Perks, Culture & more visit our Careers page: https://vt-arc.org/careers/ 
