Senior Director of Human Resources

Overview

• Reporting to the NLH CEO, this position partners directly with NLH leadership and DH Human Resources leadership and Centers of Expertise (COE) to develop and drive strategic HR initiatives in support of organizational goals and objectives (short- and long-term) and to improve the overall effectiveness of the operation and the HR function.  At NLH this role will include oversight of HR functions at New London Hospital, New London Medical Group and Newport Health Center.
• Execute HR activities such as strategic staffing, employee relations consulting, talent management initiatives, organizational development initiatives, compensation planning and administration, change management, conflict management, equal opportunity/affirmative action, diversity and inclusion initiatives, leader consulting, HR communications.  Has a strong understanding of financials to help direct senior leadership decisions.
• Assess and anticipate HR related needs to ensure compliance and mitigate risk and liability while helping to drive employee engagement and retention by focusing on employee relations, learning and development, performance management, and employment law compliance.

Responsibilities

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES

CONSULTING

• Serve as primary point of contact to leadership for all HR-related needs and initiatives.
• Provide strategic HR consulting and coaching with the goal to influence leadership action.
• Maintain an effective level of literacy about the unit's financial position, strategic plans, culture and competition.
• Helps drive productivity and performance, using HR systems and analytics to understand issues, trends and recommended course correction. Includes disposition of key metrics, projected outlook, employee relations issues, reasons for labor turnover, etc.

STRATEGY

• Collaborate with leadership on organizational strategy, talent acquisition, learning and development, performance management, compensation, benefits, and employee and labor relations. Ensure alignment with COEs and include them in decision making, implementation and support.
• Translate organizational needs into plans of action to achieve organizational goals and strategies.
• Ensure human resource policy and procedure throughout the organization fit the needs, goals, and aims of the organization and its top leadership.

TALENT MANAGEMENT

• Partner with COE to develop and execute strategic talent management initiatives – addressing Workforce Planning, Talent Acquisition, Retention, Performance Management, Employee Engagement, Training & Development, and Succession Planning - to ensure alignment with overall goals.
• Help to deepen cross cultural competence in leaders and their groups through support of training efforts and diversity councils, as well as through the consideration of cross-cultural impact to hospital decisions.
• Partner with COEs, to provide guidance and input unit restructures, workforce planning and succession planning.
• Establish strategies to develop leadership and management bench-strength and succession readiness.
• Identify and facilitate the delivery of individual executive coaching needs.

CHANGE MANAGEMENT

• Enable change through education and influence of leadership while considering impacts on goals and objectives.
• Provide thought leadership related to strategic delivery of HR initiatives; reinforce value of HR initiatives.
• Manage HR program implementation to minimize disruption; partner with leaders to communicate and execute.

FACILITATE

• Partners with the Sr. Leadership Team and Centers of Expertise to ensure cohesive delivery of HR programs and services.  Is a Member of the Sr. Leadership Team.
• Foster partnerships across the HR function to deliver value-added service to management and employees.
• Applying a broad understanding of all HR programs, oversee execution of all annual and ad-hoc HR initiatives (ex. Annual Pay Review Cycle(s), Performance Planning Process, Talent Management Review, Promotion Process and Review, Employee Engagement Review, Workforce Planning Initiatives).
• This position has direct supervisory responsibilities for Human Resource Business Partners.  Applies depth and/or breadth of HR expertise as a coach or mentor for other positions in the department or in the development of company-wide HR initiatives and strategies.

PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS - DIRECTOR

Patient Focus:  Places, first and foremost, the quality of the care and safety of the patient/resident first. Does the right thing for the patient and resident. Maintains disciplined attention to quality, cost and access.

Knowledge of Profession: Demonstrates comprehensive, current skills and knowledge within area of expertise.

Respects Rules/Recognizes Boundaries: When going outside own realm of expertise and responsibility, in the service of improving current rules and processes, seeks other's knowledge and ensures the regulatory well being of NLH. Respects established organizations rules and accreditation regulations.

Human Resource Management: Maintains responsibility for the hiring, orienting, development, and recognition of departmental staff. Manages the performance of staff in accordance with Human Resource Policies.     - Define and document expectations for all direct reports.    - Grow and develop employees    - Maintain positive and collaborative relationships with members of the medical staff    - If challenges arise, partner with System VP and HR to initiate, implement, and document improvement plan.

Financial Stewardship: Plans and adheres to departmental budget. Identifies and takes action on opportunities for cost savings and revenue growth.    - On a monthly basis, review organization's volumes and department expense budget.    - Adjust departmental expenses in proportion to volume variances.    - If leading a clinical department, ensure accurate and complete charge capture and coding.

Policy Management: Maintains, communicates updates, and enforces departmental policies. Keeping at the forefront, regulatory compliance, quality of patient/resident care and evidence based best practice.

Confidentiality/Privacy: Follows and ensures staff compliance with NLH policies regarding privacy and confidentiality. Remains informed and knowledgeable of HIPAA. Attends all required training.

Quality/Performance Improvement: Ensures departmental team participation in quality assurance and performance improvement processes. Responsible for ensuring compliance with CMS conditions of participation and other governing bodies for standards of care, where applicable.

POSITION OBJECTIVE

• Reporting to the President and CEO, and serving as an integral member of the NLH Senior Leadership Team, the Senior Director, Human Resources (HR), in collaboration with Dartmouth Health System Human Resource leaders, is responsible for the overall function of Human Resources at New London Hospital, New London Medical Group and Newport Health Center,  which are collectively referred to as NLH.  This role is responsible for aligning Human Resource strategy and operations with the business objectives, culture and values of the two corporations and for ensuring compliance with all applicable state and federal labor law regulations and statutes.
• The Senior Director, HR is accountable to the Dartmouth Health System Chief HR Officer, through a dotted line reporting relationship and serves as the primary liaison with the Dartmouth Health System regarding all HR functions.  The Senior Director, HR, is responsible for representing to the system the perspective of the NLH management team and for communicating system level plans and initiatives to the NLH CEO and other stakeholders in a timely, complete and accurate manner.

PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS - FUNCTIONAL

As a member of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT):

• Works collaboratively with key stakeholders, including members of the Board of Trustees, the Community and Dartmouth Health to develop organizational strategy;
• Participates in the process of defining yearly operational goals and prioritizing initiatives and projects to best advance the organizations toward achieving those goals;
• Maintains excellent organizational awareness: supports and assists other members of the NLH and Dartmouth Health leadership teams, as needed, to ensure the success of the organization and system as a whole;
• Represents the Senior Leadership Team at NLH Board meetings.

Core Responsibilities:

Human Resources Operations

• Leads Human Resources functions and serves as a primary contact for all Human Resource related matters, including compensation, benefits, employee relations, employee development and talent acquisition;
• Organizes effective strategies, policies, practices and procedures that support NLH as well as the Dartmouth Health System;
• Develops a high performing Human Resource department and team that models a high level of employee engagement and excellence in performance of functional responsibilities;
• Ensures that all HR policies and procedures are implemented in compliance with all applicable Federal, State and system rules, regulations, statutes and policies.

Employee Relations, Engagement and Performance Management

• In collaboration with the NLH SLT and in consultation with Dartmouth Health Organizational Development staff, develops, implements and monitors a comprehensive employee engagement program that leads to objectively measurable improvement in employee engagement and retention;
• Administers and ensures compliance with a performance management process that is in alignment with Dartmouth Health system objectives;
• Collaborates with leaders to address employee performance issues and to develop, implement and monitor performance improvement plans;
• Collaborates with NLH SLT and Dartmouth Health VP of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging to develop, implement and monitor comprehensive DEIB strategy that aligns with Dartmouth Health system DEIB Strategy;
• Partners with Dartmouth Health system Employee Relations leadership and staff to ensure that employee investigations and matters that expose NLH to potential legal or financial risk are conducted and documented in accordance with all applicable state, federal and local rule, regulations, statutes and policies.

Recruitment and Retention

• Effectively and efficiently works to fill vacant positions at NLH, both independently and in collaboration with Dartmouth Health Talent Acquisition and other HR colleagues across the system;
• Ensures high quality onboarding and orientation programs to incoming staff;
• Develops, implements and monitors employee retention strategies that respond to the external environment as well as to internal concerns as identified on the employee engagement survey and through regular rounding;
• Promotes professional development of employees throughout the organization by delegating participation on appropriate committees and task forces, encouraging continuing education and equitably administering tuition reimbursement and loan forgiveness programs.

Compensation and Benefits

• In collaboration with Dartmouth Health leadership assumes responsibility for ensuring that NLH maintains an equitable and market competitive compensation program. Conducts individual compensation reviews as appropriate, provides recommendations and processes applicable adjustments;
• As requested, participates in the selection and development of system level benefits programs that are offered at NLH.

Other Duties:

• Ensures a safe environment for NLH employees.
• Aggressively seeks out and executes strategies to increase quality and decrease cost of HR functions throughout the organization.
• When requested, provides effective Executive Sponsorship of cross departmental improvement efforts;
• In collaboration with NLH Communications and Marketing colleagues, educates the workforce about HR programs using a wide variety of channels to ensure that employees at all levels of the organization are well informed;
• No less frequently than once every two years, reviews and modifies HR policies to ensure “best practices” as well as alignment with Dartmouth Health policies (where applicable);
•  Performs all other reasonable duties as requested by President and CEO and/or the Dartmouth Health System Chief Human Resource Officer.

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor's Degree
• Work Experience: 5-7 plus years in HR or Administrative function (at least 3 of those as an HR Business Partner/HR Generalist)
• Experience consulting, influencing and partnering with leaders to develop/execute strategies in driving performance.

Knowledge / Skills / Abilities

• Experience controlling and coordinating concurrent projects, competing priorities and critical deadlines.
• Experience working with cross-functional teams and facilitating teams to identify and implement solutions to complex problems.
• Excellent organizational skills with the ability to handle pressures of deadlines, diverse assignment loads and high work volumes.
• Strong influencing skills with people/teams and experience operating successfully in a complex organization with multiple stakeholders and competing priorities.
• Employee relations and investigations experience.
• Proficient in MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Experience with HR/Payroll systems such as Oracle, Workday or SAP.
• Position may require local travel

PREFERRED JOB REQUIREMENTS

• Education: Master’s degree.
• Certification / Licensure
• Professional in Human Resources (PHR or SPHR).