Do you love leading teams, and mentoring and coaching staff to achieve their best? Do you take a service approach to all things in life? Do you love connecting with people? Then this role might be just for you. If you're looking for a dynamic and challenging role, keep reading.

NOLS is seeking a skilled and collaborative Associate Director of People (HR) that builds trust by centering people in their approach. As the AD of People you will be a proactive and strategic partner to the Head of People while delivering excellence and efficiencies in all aspects of the day-to-day and overall HR operations including, but not limited to: talent acquisition, onboarding, leadership development, training, benefits management, compensation planning, policy setting, performance evaluations, employee relations, HRIS and employee engagement. This position requires someone with a demonstrated commitment to the values of diversity, inclusion, and equity, the ability to think strategically in seizing opportunities, assessing risk, and streamlining processes and procedures across multiple locations

Under the direction of the Head of People, the AD of People plans, organizes, and directs the activities of the NOLS People Team, including policy development, compensation, benefits, performance management, regulatory compliance, and organizational and professional development. The Associate Director of People advises schoolwide directors, supervisors, and employees in a comprehensive range of related matters while ensuring compliance with local, state/provincial, and federal laws globally. The AD of People provides leadership and vision for fostering an inclusive work environment where employees feel valued, respected and have access to opportunities. 

The People Team plays a pivotal role in managing the entire journey of our employees, from their recruitment to their departure. With a broad spectrum of responsibility, we cater to the needs of approximately 1,300 individuals comprising full-time, part-time, seasonal, and temporary staff. Our reach spans across 13 diverse locations worldwide, including remote support, ensuring a global and comprehensive approach to employee support and engagement.

Key Logistical points:

• This position is either based in Lander, Wyoming or in a eligible location in the USA. Only candidates with established US working rights will be considered.

• Please note in order to ensure pay transparency and pay equity the range posted is non-negotiable. If you are unwilling to accept an offer within the posted range, please review our other opportunities to see if one better aligns with your salary expectations.

• Start Date: Mid January 2025

• Benefits: This position is eligible for Health Insurance, Dental Insurance, Vision Insurance, Flexible Spending account, Life Insurance, Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance, Long Term Disability, Employee Assistance Program, Paid Time off, 403(b), 403(b) contribution, and more.

• Questions: Please contact peopleteam@nols.edu

What does an Associate Director of People do?

• Be a human resources business partner to the organization, engaging with stakeholders across the organization to provide leadership, guidance, and support for all things people related.

• Oversee a team of 2-4 People Team coordinators, leading their professional development and day to day activities; jumping in for support when needed to ensure a top notch end to end employee experience from hire to retire.

• Assess HR systems, process, and policies for improvements with a keen eye for best practices, inclusive processes and organizational efficiencies. 

• Develop and implement strategies that level-up our approach to talent recruitment, hiring, onboarding and retention.

• In partnership with the Head of People, provide oversight and guidance on a full range of employee relations matters including investigations, grievances, disciplinary issues, and corrective action.

• Plans, leads, develops, coordinates, and implements policies, processes, training, initiatives, and surveys to support the organization’s human resource strategy.

• Oversee large, often cross-functional, organization-wide HR projects or initiatives; bring together important stakeholders and help drive decisions.

• Conducts research and analysis of organizational trends including review of reports and metrics from the organization’s human resource information system (HRIS).

• In collaboration with the Head of People, may identify and facilitate internal all-staff and other meetings to advance HR and organizational priorities.

• Monitors and ensures the organization’s compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations, and recommended best practices; reviews and modifies policies and practices to maintain compliance.

• Administer employee benefits programs, including health insurance, retirement plans, and wellness initiatives, working closely with the NOLS brokers to ensure supportive and effective benefits programs.

• Ensures that our policies, processes and programs are consistent with the NOLS’ mission and core values and fosters a high level of psychological safety, trust and engagement. 

• Foster a positive and inclusive work culture of belonging for all employees through employee engagement initiatives, team-building activities, and recognition programs.

• Participates on committees and special projects as assigned and needed. 

• Represents NOLS to external audiences such as at conferences and with peer directors at other organizations. Step into acting Head of People role as needed. 

The above duties should not be considered an exhaustive list; other responsibilities may be required.

In your first 6 months, you will: 

• Design and execute strategic plan and goals for the People Coordinators

• Review and ensure data integrity within ADP, our payroll system & HRIS

• Partner with the Head of People to revamp the Employee Handbook and Intranet, and  and assist with the implementation of a new policies

What makes a great Associate Director of People at NOLS? 

We are looking for people who share our values and are keen to learn and develop their expertise. The skills listed below are a general idea of what we’d like; we expect to provide training and development support in some of the areas.

• High emotional intelligence and an empathetic leadership style, with the ability to effectively motivate and develop a diverse team.

• Passionate about fostering equity, inclusion, and a sense of belonging, you humbly recognize continuous learning as essential.

• Demonstrated success as a collaborator and relationship builder, with strong interpersonal skills and ability to build coalitions and collaborative working relationships with a broad range of diverse individuals and groups.

• Proven ability to communicate and synthesize complex issues in a concise, clear and effective fashion; adapting your message appropriately based on stakeholder needs.

• Thorough understanding of global employment laws and regulations, with the ability to ensure compliance in a complex and dynamic environment.

• Proven ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with professionalism and discretion.

• You find fulfillment in assisting others and center being of service in all that you do while balancing appropriately when to hold the line.

• Your ability to handle sensitive information with high emotional intelligence sets you apart, showcasing your respect for confidentiality.

• As a proactive self-starter, you seamlessly balance teamwork with autonomy.

• Your results-driven nature shines through your keen attention to detail, exemplary time management, and top-notch organizational skills.

• Your adept communication, attentive listening, and creative problem-solving skills enable you to craft innovative solutions.

• Thriving amidst change, you quickly adapt to evolving environments, leveraging your flexibility.

• Your solid grasp of Customer Service or Human Resources reflects your passion for this field, complemented by your familiarity with client or employee relationship management software.

• You feel at ease functioning within a hybrid team setup.

• You have a passion for the outdoors and a desire to advocate for the value in the transformative experience of outdoor education.

• 7+ years of professional work experience

• 3+ years of experience in supervisory roles, preferably within Human Resources

• 2+ years of experience managing leadership, organizational, and change management initiatives (or similar initiatives)

Who is NOLS?

NOLS is a nonprofit global wilderness school that strives to be the leading source and teacher of wilderness skills and leadership that serve people and the environment. Our community—staff, students, trustees, and alumni—shares a commitment to wilderness, education, leadership, safety, community, and excellence. 

We believe that anyone can be a leader; it is our role to provide the environment and training to help people discover their full potential. We do that in classrooms close to home and in remote wilderness areas around the world. We are an organization with heart, expertise, and wildness, and these qualities help us support powerful, authentic experiences.

Why is NOLS a great place to work?

• We have locations in seven U.S. states, and six countries; and courses in all 50 U.S. states and over 10 countries.

• We have fantastic employee discounts on top outdoor gear brands

• We offer discounts on NOLS Courses for you and your family

• All employees can benefit of free outdoor equipment rental" at our various locations

• Insurance Coverage: Medical, dental, and vision benefits are available at a special NOLS rate to seasonal employees. Full-time employees are eligible for benefits package. 

• Wellness Time: Accrued leave that may be used for many HR-approved reasons throughout the season.

• Employee Assistance Program: Access to counselors that are available 24/7 to assist employees with work-life balance concerns.

Additional Information

There is a strong preference for this position to be based at our World Headquarters in Lander, Wyoming, USA. However, NOLS currently can support remote employees with legal working rights in the following locations: Canada, provinces: British Columbia; Chile; India; Mexico; New Zealand; the US, states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Maine, Minnesota, Montana, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.

• A criminal background check is required from all NOLS employees.

• NOLS participates in e-verify for U.S. employees, Certificado de Antecedentes for Chilean or Mexican employees, and other relevant employment verification systems based on location.

• Current NOLS employees please note it is NOLS policy to conduct an internal reference check with People Team and/or your current supervisor as part of the reference check process. If you have any questions or concerns about this process please contact peopleteam@nols.edu.

NOLS does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, genetics information, disability unrelated to job or admission requirements, or status as a protected veteran. The school’s nondiscrimination policy applies to all phases of its employment process, its admission and financial aid programs, and to all other aspects of its educational programs and activities. Retaliation directed to any person who pursues a discrimination complaint or grievance, participates in a discrimination investigation, or otherwise opposes unlawful discrimination is prohibited.

NOLS values community and fosters a sense of belonging for our employees and applicants. We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations in the workplace because they embody these values, as well as our operating principle of promoting a positive, safe, and learning environment. Reasonable accommodations may be requested for disability; limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth, or a related medical condition; religion; and domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, or harassment. Reasonable accommodations may be requested at any point of the employment process, including during recruitment. Please email peopleteam@nols.edu with your request.

How to Apply

At NOLS we use the Applied platform for our recruitment. Applied aims to overcome unconscious bias in recruiting. Instead of using your resume alone, we'll be asking you to answer questions to test skills needed for the role. The responses are then anonymized, and reviewed in a random order by members of our team. 

The Applied platform also asks some demographic questions before you start your application. We at NOLS never see the responses to these demographic questions with your application. We only see summary statistics to help us check if our candidate pool is balanced and if everyone has an equal chance to get hired irrespective of their background. If you prefer, you can easily opt out of answering these questions.

All you need to do is start the process by clicking on the yellow button on the top right.