Senior Director of People

Senior Director of People

US-CA-Oakland

Job ID: 2026-1499
Type: Regular Full-Time
# of Openings: 1
Category: Human Resources and Executive Offices
Oakland Museum of CA

Overview

OAKLAND MUSEUM OF CALIFORNIA (OMCA) VALUES

• Equity: We acknowledge injustices in our society and take responsibility for challenging them.We hold ourselves accountable and strive to repair harm and invite healing with openness and humility.
• Courage: We take risks, experiment, and explore with curiosity and a commitment to growth.
• Collaboration: We partner in reciprocity with community to catalyze dialogue and elevate stories, movements and creative expressions that shape our world. 
• Belonging: We aspire to be a gathering place where everyone feels welcome. We foster connection with family, community, and the natural world to which we all belong.
• Inspiration: We celebrate art and culture that broaden the imagination. Our museum and garden spark contemplation, wonder and joy.

 

OAKLAND MUSEUM OF CALIFORNIA (OMCA) MISSION

We inspire understanding and empathy with stories and experiences of California’s art, history, and natural environment to build more equitable and connected communities.

 

OAKLAND MUSEUM OF CALIFORNIA (OMCA) VISION

We envision a just and vibrant future where our communities value and honor one another and the world around us.

 

POSITION SUMMARY 

The Senior Director of People  is responsible for partnering with senior staff, vendors and partners to conceive, create, implement and execute a People strategy that drives business results, ensures people are valued and that positions are staffed and functioning at the highest capacity to achieve institutional goals.  The Senior Director of People works collaboratively in a co-leadership model with the CFO to co-lead the Operational Effectiveness unit within the organizational structure, providing coaching, support, and broad oversight to staff leaders for the Project Management and Visitor Evaluation and Insights functions of the Museum.  It also directly oversees the Volunteer Manager and supervises all positions within Human Resources. 

Responsibilities

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The following reflects OMCA’s definition of essential functions for this position, but does not restrict the tasks that may be assigned. OMCA may assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this position at any time due to reasonable accommodation or other reasons. 

 

INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• Support the Museum’s mission, values, vision, and core commitment to the visitor experience, community engagement, and institutional relevancy for the future
• Contribute to and support the OMCA strategic plan, annual priorities, and institutional initiatives such as diversity advancement
• Contribute to a positive organizational culture based on mutual respect, a spirit of collegiality, cooperation, and openness to many perspectives
• Participate in a culture of ongoing learning, collaboration, innovation, creativity, and community engagement
• All positions will have core functional responsibilities, cross functional team activation and learning and development as a core function of each role.

 

POSITION DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Institutional/Organizational Leadership

• Provide leadership to the overall institution, ensuring the Museum’s vitality and success through active communication, problem-solving, and inclusive decision-making.
• Develop, embrace, model, inspire and communicate institutional mission, vision and goals, sharing leadership of the entire Museum as well as advocating for and directing departmental functions.
• Lead OMCA’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Anti-Racism (DEIA) initiatives and strategy in partnership with the Museum's Labor-Management Committee and cross-functional Anti-Racism Learning Team, help lead OMCA's Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Anti-Racism initiatives and strategy.
• Demonstrate exceptional leadership skills in motivating staff, delegating tasks, encouraging independent problem-solving by individuals and teams, and providing an understanding of the institutional vision as a context for individual and department work plans.
• Implement and empower strategic thinking that actively takes into account broader institutional implications for decision-making.
• Provide leadership for institutional planning, annual priorities, and institutional initiatives such as advancing diversity.   
• Contribute to the prudent and ongoing monitoring of OMCA annual budget and financial demands to ensure a sustainable future.
• Keep apprised of trends and developments in the museum and non-profit field and ensure that OMCA maintains leadership as a model for a 21st century museum in service to the public.
• Work with specific Board committees as assigned. 
• Act as ambassador for the institution and represent the Museum as needed with a broad range of stakeholders, local, statewide and nationally. 

 

Strategic People Resource Planning 

• Understand and have a passion for 21st century human capital management and administration, labor laws, and best and next practices.
• Partner with Board and Senior Leadership Council regarding organizational priority setting aligned with the strategic plan and organizational priorities.
• Support change management initiatives with a focus on shifts to culture, leadership and management requirements, and systems and processes.
• Build and lead organizational structure design changes.
• Develop and implement institutional digital communication platforms and HR/payroll technology systems.
• Act as a key member of organizational steering teams responsible for staff capacity-building aligned with organizational culture  initiatives.
• Partner with various departments regarding specific reporting requirements related to grants and institutional volunteer management.
• Partner with the evaluation department to develop and measure staff engagement and other metrics.
• Provide Human Resource and financial planning metrics and modeling to help drive organizational decision making. 
• Participate as an advisor for internal project teams as well as external community partners.
• Collaborate with the Board Chair to conduct compensation review and performance evaluation  of the Executive Director & CEO.
• Partner with the Executive Director on key initiatives as needed.

 

Benefits Management & Compensation

• Responsible for ensuring a market competitive and internally equitable compensation and reward structure and philosophy.
• In conjunction with a partner broker, responsible for procurement, compliance, evaluation, and communication of medical and fringe benefit plans. Select, evaluate and contract with brokers, negotiate pricing and finalize elections. 
• Manage worker’s compensation program including, broker selection, contracts, training, compliance and partner relationships. Process employee claims, responsible for annual reporting related to OSHA.
• Partner with vendors for audit requirements including non-discrimination testing, 403B audits in collaboration with finance, Safe Harbor compliance, etc.
• Manage COBRA process including partnership with COBRA administrator and ensure proper enrollment.
• Partner with Accounting and  Finance and Human Resource team to ensure appropriate management of HRIS system and payroll practices.
• Design and manage health and wellness programs for the organization.
• Chair of the 403B Fiduciary Committee, responsible for compliance and management of institutional retirement plans.

 

Staffing & Development

• As Co-Leader of the unit charged with organizational effectiveness, serve as coach and facilitator for staff leaders for the Museum’s Institution-wide Project Management, and Visitor Evaluation and Insights.
• Supervise the Volunteer Manager and provide leadership support and direction to the Volunteer Program.
• Assess, develop and coach executive and senior management teams and other staff.
• Analyze data in partnership with key stakeholders, lead and manage the workforce planning and succession planning processes including the development and maintenance of career paths and associated programs.
• Responsible for development and management of employment life cycle process including: Recruitment, On-boarding, Development, Off –Boarding and Alumni.
• Manage immigration related needs for staff and vendors.
• Develop and manage organizational performance management systems including development plans, 360 feedback, goal planning and others as needed.
• With support from cross-functional teams and Senior Leadership Council and outside facilitators, design, develop and implement organizational staff learning including management training programs.
• Provide practical and consistent guidance and advice to managers on grievance, attendance, disciplinary, and performance issues.

 

Compliance 

• Responsible for annual benefit and governmental audit requirements: EEO1, OSHA 300, Vet 100/100A, etc. 
• Ensure appropriate required postings and notifications are provided to staff.
• Develop and communicate policies including employee handbook, volunteer compliance, and other people related policies.
• Evaluate all independent contractor agreements for compliance with labor laws.

 

Employee Relations

• Establish credibility throughout the organization and foster generative relationships with union leaders and members, supervisors, and all staff so that you can be an effective listener and problem solver of people issues.
• Support the implementation of the antiracism and equity goals of the strategic plan.
• Maintain in-depth knowledge of applicable employment and labor laws, reducing risk and ensuring regulatory compliance.
• Manage employee relations matters to ensure that confidential personnel information, organization processes and procedures meet internal and external audit requirements.
• Administer and track federal/state leave policies for all employees.
• Administer, follow-up, and provide support to create solutions-based strategies to address organizational risks.
• Lead initiatives and processes focused on employee retention by promoting a high level of employee engagement.

 

Labor Relations

• Serve as a lead point of contact with union representatives and provide direction in addressing and resolving grievances and other labor management/union issues.
• Serve on the Management Bargaining Committee and provide labor relations support throughout the collective bargaining negotiation process, including action management, drafting and reviewing articles of agreement, and ensuring appropriate documentation.
• Serve as subject matter expert and trainer around processes and protocols related to fostering generative, collaborative relationships with union and management leaders, CBA compliance, and to prepare for negotiating subsequent contracts.
• Serve on the Labor-Management Committee, working closely with the Management team and helping to facilitate input from other management staff and confidential employees when needed.
• Coordinate the Labor-Management Committee, including agenda-setting, facilitating, and advising management.
• Support CEO and CFO with NLRB, as needed, with federal courts and other legal matters.
• Manage union employee complaints and provide timely investigation summaries for all completed investigations. Lead investigations into labor relations matters and execute union leave administration, job reclassifications and conflict resolution. 
• Proactively resolve labor relations issues.

 

Additional Duties

• Partner with Facilities Director to ensure compliance with OSHA and help to develop practices and policies around workplace wellness and safety, space planning and business continuity.
• Partner with other departments and key stakeholders on adjunct task forces as needed.

Qualifications

EXPERIENCE

• Ability to display the competencies of strategic thinking, development of self and others and ability to deploy and align organizational strategies and objectives
• 10+ years of experience with progressive growth towards senior leadership
• 5+ supervisory experience
• Previous experience in leading a human resources department as the Director or Assistant Director.
• B.A. degree in relevant field such as human resource management, business administration 
• Demonstrated achievements as an adaptive change agent, collaborator, coach, and team and coalition-builder
• Knowledge of Federal, State and Local employment law, compensation and benefit management practices, organizational change processes, staffing strategy and workplace safety practices  
• Previous experience leading in a union environment including bargaining, grievance management and CBA implementation/management

 

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The environment may include:

• Museum environment involves both indoor and outdoor working conditions
• Ability to travel between OMCA locations, and other travel as required by position responsibilities
• Engage with diverse visitor populations for extended periods of time in the galleries or throughout the campus
• Ability to work a flexible schedule, including evenings and weekends
• Ability to lift up to 25 lbs.

 

EEO STATEMENT

The Oakland Museum of California is dedicated to diversity, inclusion, accessibility and equity. We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, ability/disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We highly encourage our diverse community to apply for available employment, internship, fellowship and volunteer positions at the Museum, as we aim to ensure our staff reflects the diversity of our visitors and surrounding community. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, OMCA will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities.

 

COMPENSATION:  $186,200

Equal employment opportunity, including veterans and individuals with disabilities.

PI285092196