About the Carolina Federation

The Carolina Federation is a statewide organization that brings people together across race to build a new political majority in North Carolina. Rooted in a culture of belonging, we are building a movement strong enough to win elections and wield governing power in our state. Our work combines the best of Southern freedom traditions: deep base-building, transformative cultural work, power-building issue campaigns, and large-scale voter organizing. We operate through affiliated 501(c)3, 501(c)4, and PAC entities.

Carolina Federation Values

● Commitment to Building Power – through elections, issue campaigns, base-building and organizing, centered around the leadership of working-class people and people of color.

● Commitment to Justice – to racial, economic, gender, and environmental justice and to lifting up the leadership and dignity of the working-class people and people of color; a felt sense of inspiration and alignment with our DNA principles.

● Commitment to Interdependence – bringing your best, relying on the strengths of others, the knowledge that we are responsible for each other’s well-being.

● Commitment to Integrity – drawing from deep values and beliefs with a track record of honesty and courage.

● Resilient, Ambitious, Relentless – leaning on professional and personal support systems and internal resources to sustain yourself in challenging times; believing that you and others are capable of greatness and that victory is possible for our people; getting creative and experimental when things get difficult.

About the Role

The Carolina Federation is seeking a full-time HR and Operations Director to oversee human resources and drive operational efficiency while managing staff performance, compliance, and talent development. This position will play a critical role in building out strategies and systems for our growing organization. The HOD will be an internal organizer: assessing organizational needs and dynamics in ways that lead to solutions that enable greater collaboration, equity, efficiency, compliance, and dynamism across the organization. The HR and Operations Director (HOD) reports directly to the Chief Operating Officer (COO), supervises an Administrative Manager, and manages external relationships that includes organizational insurance and health insurance brokers.

Primary Responsibilities of the HR and Operations Director

HR and Organizational Culture:

● Support and guide managers to effectively implement people-centered hiring, onboarding/offboarding, and performance management processes in alignment with organizational values and systems.

● Develop and steward holistic, equity-based HR systems and practices, including employee classification, compensation structures, job descriptions, and salary administration across base and variable pay.

● Lead and oversee performance management systems and processes, including evaluations, feedback practices, and manager support.

● Oversee onboarding and offboarding processes to ensure consistent, values-aligned staff transitions.

● Support the Executive Team in handling and resolving employee relations issues in accordance with employment law and organizational values, in consultation with legal counsel as needed.

● Collaborate with the Executive Team on organization-wide staff culture, training, and professional development.

Operations Management and Organizational Effectiveness:

● Supervise the Admin Manager to lead and implement organizational systems and processes across HR and operations functions; and collaborate with the operations team and relevant staff to maintain systems and processes

● Oversee organizational accounts and vendor relationships, and support the implementation of new systems and tools across HR and operations.

● Maintain and expand operations documentation and administrative guidance to ensure internal systems are clear, accessible, and effective.

● Own organizational insurance coordination, including renewals, broker relationships, single-event coverage, and identifying gaps or vulnerabilities and proposing corrective action.

● Oversee implementation of health, safety, security, and disaster preparedness protocols.

Policy, Compliance, and Risk Management:

● Work with the COO to research, develop, implement, and continuously refine organizational policies, procedures, and guidance documents, incorporating employment law, best practices, and input from staff to ensure equity and alignment.

● Work with the COO to ensure legal compliance of HR systems and activities, identifying risks and proposing corrective action.

● Ensure systems and policies are aligned and effectively implemented across a multi-entity organizational structure.

● Partner with the COO and management to disseminate, implement, and enforce organizational policies and standards, including providing clear guidance to managers and ensuring policies are upheld equitably across the organization.

Organizational Leadership and Movement Alignment:

● Act as an internal organizer, assessing organizational needs and translating them into systems and solutions that strengthen collaboration, equity, and effectiveness.

● Engage in experiential learning and formal training related to human resources, operations, organizational development, and leadership. Learning from history and comrades through the study of transformative multiracial and Black-led movements, powerful organizing, and effective leadership.

● Build and maintain relationships with aligned operations teams and leaders of other organizations, contributing to broader movement capacity.

Qualifications

We are seeking candidates who excel in designing and managing HR and operational systems, building strong cross-functional relationships, and translating organizational needs into effective, values-aligned solutions. Specifically, the ideal candidate will bring:

● Required

○ 7+ years of experience in HR or related fields for organizations of at least 40-50 people

○ 7+ years of supervision experience in any field

○ Experience assessing, building, and executing HR systems across the full employee lifecycle, including identifying gaps and implementing effective, values-aligned processes

○ Experience translating HR strategy into day-to-day operations, including developing policies, guiding complex employee situations, and driving consistent implementation across teams

● Preferred

○ Willingness to learn about organizational insurances and other operational responsibilities

○ Experience improving internal processes and workflows, including identifying inefficiencies and implementing practical, scalable solutions

○ Strong project management skills, with the ability to move initiatives from concept to execution while maintaining clarity, timelines, and accountability

○ Proven ability to work in a fast-paced, people-oriented, and results-driven environment

○ In-depth knowledge of labor law and HR best practices

○ Experience with HRIS, applicant tracking systems (ATS), and other HR platforms

○ Demonstrated ability to build and effectively manage interpersonal relationships at all levels of the organization

○ Demonstrated attention to detail

Qualities We’re Looking For

Ideal candidates will also possess the following qualities:

● Rigor, Responsibility, and Excellence: Meticulous about details and passionate about delivering on promises, our ideal candidate generates clarity and trust by communicating expectations, defining roles, and reinforcing agreements. They hold themselves and their comrades to high standards as an act of care and commitment, creating a culture of excellence above and beyond mere compliance.

● Strategic Thinking, Creativity, and Problem Solving: Must be comfortable anticipating problems and developing proactive and creative solutions, particularly when there may be no available precedents, guidelines, or policies. Rather than getting paralyzed by uncertainty or complexity, we are looking for someone who reaches out to teammates, mentors, and comrades to come up with strategic and sustainable ways to tackle challenges and learn through action. The family of legal entities we use to execute our work is unique, and a creative, adaptive and strategic mindset will be critical to success.

● Effective Communicator and Collaborator: Our ideal candidate is a model of collaborative leadership and inspires others to work together to achieve a common purpose. They demonstrate an ability to communicate effectively with members and staff who may not have a background in finance, operations, or compliance.

Benefits and Compensation

This is a permanent, full-time, exempt, director-level position. The beginning salary is $94,000 annualized, with the opportunity for an increase up to $106,000 after the first 90 days of employment, depending on performance.

Benefits include:

● Platinum-level employer-paid health insurance premiums (medical, dental, and vision) for employees and their dependent children; spouses may be added to plans, but their premiums must be paid out of pocket by the employee.

● $50,000 life insurance policy; short- and long-term disability insurance coverage.

● Childcare expense stipend for staff with dependents age 0-13: up to $350/month for one dependent and up to $500/month for two or more dependents.

● Retirement benefits after 6 months of employment: 3% guaranteed employer contribution.

● Generous holidays and a flexible paid time off policy, including the last week of the year.

● 12 weeks paid parental leave after one year of employment.

● Up to $1,200 budget for a new laptop.

● Up to $700 budget for home office upfit.

Location

This position must be based in North Carolina, with a strong preference for the Triangle or the Triad. We offer a stipend to cover in-state or out-of-state relocation expenses.

Our Operations Staff work in a hybrid manner: primarily remotely but with an average of 1-2 in-person meetings and member events each month.

To Apply:

The priority deadline for this position is Wednesday, June 3rd. Interviews will take place on a rolling basis beginning on Thursday, June 11th, with an ideal start of Thursday, July 30th. However, the position will remain open until filled.

Send us:

● A resume and a brief cover letter explaining your qualifications and what sparks your interest in this position and our organization

● The name, email address, phone number, and affiliation of three references who can speak to a combination of your values and previous work experience

You can email these to coo@carolinafederation.org and CC mckenzie@ascendpeople.co with the subject line “HR and Operations Director”.

The Carolina Federation is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome applications from all, and strongly encourage women, people of color, immigrants, and members of the LGBTQ community to apply. We emphasize skill and culture fit and do not require formal education. We encourage you to submit your application if this job excites you!

Carolina Federation

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