People and Culture Manager (Human Resources Manager)

As a member of the People and Culture department, the People and Culture Manager (Human Resources Manager) plays a vital role in fostering a positive working environment and enhancing the employee experience through dedicated employee relations support. 

Reporting to the Associate Director, the Manager serves as the initial contact for all employee relations matters. The Manager's primary responsibilities include facilitating a great employee experience by conducting complex and sensitive investigations, providing guidance on policy and job-related conflicts, and assisting with grievance and dispute resolution. In addition, the Manager supports the organization through the corrective disciplinary process and ensures the proper application of employment legislation. This role will also be pivotal from a People and Culture perspective, supporting MASS MoCA's commitment to advancing the organization's evolving Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion (DEAI) initiatives. The People and Culture Manager will ensure these principles are integrated into every aspect of the employee experience. The Manager will further facilitate the employee experience through on and off-boarding, staff development, and supporting the department's daily administrative operations and overall HR excellence.

This is a full-time position that generally works Monday-Friday days. This position may require occasional coverage for second shift employee relations, work on weekends and/or holidays for advance scheduled events and festivals.

Duties and Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Employee Relations

• Facilitates a great employee experience; acts as a day-to-day HR resource and the first point of contact for employee relations
• Perform advanced and confidential employee relations functions including conducting complex/sensitive employee related investigations, providing guidance regarding policy, personnel and job-related conflicts, problem solving, and CBA application. 
• Providing Step 1 support for grievance and dispute resolution, supporting managers through the corrective disciplinary process, and providing guidance on the application of employment legislation.

Onboarding and Staff Development

• Schedules and facilitates new employee orientation sessions for all new hires. Works closely with department managers and the P&C Coordinator to ensure that all hires participate in the orientation program. 
• Facilitates development, coordination, implementation and scheduling of staff training across the institution. Tracks and monitors employee training. 
• Facilitates off-boarding and coordinating departing employee activities, including conducting exit interviews
• Assists in implementation of an impactful onboarding program that goes beyond the first day; monitors the program’s effectiveness and contributes to its ongoing improvement
• Works with the People and Culture department to develop and administer retention and employee engagement initiatives 
• This role will also be pivotal from a People and Culture (P+C) perspective, supporting MASS MoCA's commitment to advancing the organization's evolving Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion (DEAI) initiatives. The HR Manager will ensure these principles are integrated into every aspect of the employee experience.
• Assists with safety programs and initiatives, facilitates and tracks safety grants. 

General HR + Administration

• Reviews and manages unemployment processes. Prepares information requested or required by both state and federal government/regulatory agencies.
• Maintains confidential record keeping and note taking, including CBA and union negotiation documentation, compensation policies, personnel records, investigatory records   
• Takes notes during investigatory conversations or labor meetings, as needed
• Completes and files federal and state employment reports, including but not limited to; the annual EEO-1 report; maintains accurate EEO coding in the HRIS system
• Acts as back-up for labor relations, CBA administration and answering RFIs 
• Acts as back-up for Workers Compensation claims, Leave of Absence management, payroll processing and HRIS support
• Stays informed of, and monitors to ensure the organization’s compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations; reviews policies and practices to maintain compliance
• Utilizes data and analytics to design, generate and produce reports, develop and maintain an HR dashboard, and supporting various data requests 
• Supports and amplifies the institution’s commitment to diversity, equity, access, and inclusion
• Actively participates in museum committees as needed

Extensive experience with employee relations, progressive disciplinary processes,  performance management administration, and guidance on collective bargaining agreements, employee and manager coaching, training, and workplace investigations

• A minimum of 5 years’ experience, knowledge and proven success across a broad range of HR disciplines and practices, including experience with a unionized workforce
• Understands and demonstrates knowledge of laws, rules, regulations, case law, principles, and best practices related to negotiating and administering labor agreements and employee relations matters.
• Degree or major in Human Resources, O/D, or related field preferred or equivalent experience, required.
• HR certification preferred.
• Experience with DEAI (Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion) programs and initiatives, preferred. 
• Exceptional verbal and written communication, mediation and listening skills, the ability to work collaboratively to build and maintain employee, manager, and community relationships
• Must have strong note taking and typing and word processing abilities
• Strong organizational and time management skills, excellent attention to detail and ability to maintain confidentiality
• Must be a highly organized, detailed oriented problem solver, with strong decision-making, analytical skills. The ability to work in a fast paced environment and manage multiple projects with overlapping tasks and timelines
• Must be highly skilled in using data and metrics to analyze trends and generate reports
• Extensive experience with Microsoft Office Suite including word, Excel and Powerpoint. Experience with HRIS systems preferred.
• Candidates must have experience working with diverse populations and evidence of a commitment to diversity, equity, access, and inclusion
• Must be able to wear PPE when necessary

MASS MoCA strongly encourages employees to be up to date with their COVID-19 vaccinations.

Exempt, non-represented role. 

Minimum starting salary of $68,000.

To Apply: 

Submit a cover letter and resume. Please use your cover letter and resume to convey your experience and why you feel it is relevant to the position described.

About MASS MoCA

MASS MoCA is a vibrant non-collecting art museum with approximately 300,000 square feet of exhibition space. Half of that space is dedicated to rotating 10-month exhibitions of which we present 4 to 6 large-scale exhibitions per year, along with smaller projects. The additional space is dedicated to long-term exhibitions in conjunction with artists, estates, and collections that run from 10 months to 25 years. MASS MoCA frequently works directly with artists on the fabrication of new commissions and large-scale, site-specific installations.

In May 2024, MASS MoCA celebrates its 25th Anniversary under its new Director, Kristy Edmunds, not only as a contemporary art museum and performing arts venue, but also as a creative campus with a regional, national, and global impact. MASS MoCA is one of the world's liveliest centers for making and enjoying today's most evocative art. With vast galleries and a stunning collection of indoor and outdoor performing arts venues, MASS MoCA is able to embrace all forms of art: music, sculpture, dance, film, painting, photography, theater, and new, boundary-crossing works of art that defy easy classification. From its beginnings as the major textile mill, Arnold Print Works, in the mid-19th century, to its days as the Sprague Electric Company in the mid-20th century, to its current iteration as a globally renowned contemporary art museum and fabrication center, the 16-acre MASS MoCA campus has a rich history of serving as the economic engine of the city of North Adams and the surrounding region.