Director, Employee Experience

The National Wildlife Federation is on an essential journey to become a durable organization that champions belonging where we act as bridge-builders to unite people to do big things for wildlife and the communities we serve. By honoring our essence living our core values and committing to this vision the Federation can become the model wildlife organization that fully welcomes retains and celebrates staff volunteers and supporters from all backgrounds while achieving big things.

As a key bridge-builder of today and tomorrows conservation movement the Director Employee Experience is a strategic and hands-on leader who shapes how employees feel grow and thrive at NWF. This role is central to NWFs People Team mission: transforming the employee experience into a model for the broader nonprofit sector and establishing NWF as a 21st-century organization where every team member is engaged valued and equipped to advance conservation.

The Director Employee Experience partners across organizational leadership to design and deliver strategies that define how NWF hires onboards develops motivates and retains its world-class team. This position requires a leader who brings both strategic vision and demonstrated operational depth; someone who can inspire trust at every level of the organization while driving meaningful measurable change to ensure the Federation becomes the 21^st century wildlife organization it envisions and achieves its mission of uniting all Americans to ensure wildlife and people thrive in a rapidly changing world.

Essential Duties

Employee Experience

• Serve as NWFs internal champion for the employee experience developing and sustaining a culture where staff feel seen supported and motivated to do their best work.
• Partner with the SVP of People and senior leadership to operationalize NWFs people strategy translating organizational vision into concrete programs and practices.
• Design and lead initiatives that reinforce NWFs identity as a destination employer and a standard bearer for employee-centered workplaces in the nonprofit sector.
• Lead employee listening effortsincluding engagement surveys stay interviews and exit dataand translate findings into actionable improvements.

People Operations and Compliance

• Oversee the day-to-day operations of NWFs People programs ensuring policies and practices are applied consistently equitably and in compliance with applicable federal and state law.
• Provide confidential expert guidance to employees and managers on a range of issues including employee relations policy interpretation performance concerns and workplace conflicts.
• Develop and maintain systems for performance evaluation feedback and career development that are transparent fair and growth-oriented.
• Partner with the Total Rewards function to ensure compensation benefits and recognition programs support attraction and retention goals.

Talent Acquisition

• Lead the design and execution of a dynamic equitable and engaging recruiting program that reflects NWFs values and commitment to inclusion.
• Build sourcing strategies that expand NWFs reach into diverse talent communities and reduce time-to-fill for critical roles.
• Establish structured consistent hiring practicesincluding interview guides scoring rubrics and recruiter intake processesthat drive better decisions and candidate experience.

Learning and Development

• In partnership with the Learning & Development team identify and implement programs that build individual and team capability across the organization.
• Develop onboarding experiences that set new employees up for success from day one and accelerate their connection to NWFs mission and culture.
• Champion manager development as a lever for organizational health equipping people leaders with the tools frameworks and coaching they need to lead well.

People Team Leadership

• Lead coach and develop a small team of HR professionals modeling the values and behaviors NWF aspires to organization-wide.
• Contribute as an active member of NWFs People Leadership Team shaping the functions collective direction and supporting cross-functional collaboration.
• Support the SVP of People and executive leadership in executing NWFs strategic goals and organizational initiatives.

Required Competencies

Emotional Intelligence (EQ)

• Demonstrates a high degree of self-awarenessrecognizes how personal emotions assumptions and reactions affect others and adjusts approach accordingly.
• Builds trust by showing up with empathy consistency and candor particularly in difficult or high-stakes conversations.
• Reads organizational and interpersonal dynamics accurately and uses that insight to facilitate constructive outcomes rather than escalating conflict.
• Manages complexity and ambiguity with steadinessholds space for others without projecting personal anxiety or urgency onto the situation.
• Models the emotional tone expected of a healthy workplace: professional grounded and authentically human.

Leadership & Influence

• Leads through vision and credibility not just authorityearns followership by being knowledgeable fair and reliably present for their team and partners.
• Influences without formal power by building strong relationships communicating persuasively and framing ideas in ways that resonate with diverse stakeholders.
• Develops others intentionally investing in the growth of direct reports and creating conditions where team members can lead and stretch.
• Makes clear timely decisions under pressure while remaining open to new information and willing to course-correct.
• Holds the team and organization accountable to outcomes while maintaining psychological safety and trust.

Strategic Thinking

• Connects People programs and practices to NWFs broader organizational mission and long-term strategy.
• Identifies root causes rather than symptoms designing solutions that are durable and scalable rather than reactive.
• Uses data and metricsengagement scores retention trends time-to-fill performance patternsto inform priorities and demonstrate impact.
• Anticipates workforce trends and proactively positions NWF to attract develop and retain the talent it needs.

Communication & Trust-Building

• Communicates with clarity honesty and careadapts style and approach to the audience without losing directness or authenticity.
• Navigates sensitive and confidential situations with discretion demonstrating sound judgment about what to share with whom and when.
• Creates environments where people feel safe raising concerns giving feedback and asking hard questions.
• Represents the People function credibly at the leadership table translating HR concepts into plain language tied to business outcomes.

Equity Inclusion & Belonging

• Centers equity in all aspects of the rolefrom hiring decisions and policy design to the way difficult conversations are handled.
• Actively disrupts bias and inequity in systems and practices even when it requires uncomfortable conversations with senior stakeholders.
• Creates inclusive environments where people from all backgrounds can contribute fully and feel they belong.

Skills & Experience

• Significant experience leading or building People operations programs and practices in a complex organization; strong generalist foundation across recruiting talent development change management employee engagement employee relations compensation and benefits.
• Proven track record using metrics and analytics to drive decisions and demonstrate HR impact.
• Demonstrated experience managing and developing HR professionals.
• Knowledge of federal and state employment laws and practical experience translating legal requirements into equitable policy and practice.
• Bachelors degree in Human Resources Organizational Development or a related field or equivalent experience. SHRM-SCP SPHR or similar certification preferred.

Location & Work Mode

The National Wildlife Federation is committed to a flexible and empowered work environment with an authentic community of care for all staff. This is a hybrid position working out of NWFs Headquarters office in Reston Virginia at least one day per week.

NWF is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering a workplace where all employees can thrive. We strongly encourage candidates from underrepresented backgrounds to apply.

Compensation

The salary range for this position is $100000 - $120000 annually commensurate with experience.

Travel Requirements

This position requires occasional travel typically 3-4 times per year with overnight stays.

Physical Requirements

Cognitive & Intellectual Requirements:

• Ability to understand analyze and apply complex information policies and concepts
• Ability to exercise sound judgment problem-solve and make decisions in situations involving ambiguity or competing priorities
• Ability to maintain focus and sustained attentionand manage multiple tasks or work-streams
• Ability to listen interpret and respond appropriatelyin discussions with colleagues leadership and external stakeholders
• Physical Requirements
• Ability to remain in a stationary positionfor extended periods of time while working at a computer or attending meetings
• Ability to operate standard office equipment including computers keyboards monitors telephones and video conferencing tools
• Ability to communicate and exchange informationin person via telephone and through electronic or virtual platforms
• Ability to read review and produce written and electronic documents including prolonged use of computer screens
• Ability to move within an office or remote work environmentto access files meetings or equipment as needed

Work Environment:

• Work is performed primarily in an office or remote environment
• Role may involve extended screen timeand participation in virtual meetings

Benefits

We are proud of our designation by Mogul as a Top 100 Workplace with the Best Benefits and by Forbes as one of Americas best small employers!We value work-life balance and a family-friendly atmosphere with flexible want you to be able to integrate work and personal life with attention to your self-care so that your work schedule is not offer benefits so you feel restored and fueled through the day and week.

We offer these supports to help manage your mental emotional and physical health:

• Paid time off: Vacation that starts off at three weeks accrual based on a full-time schedule unlimited wellbeing (this time can be used for physical spiritual emotional cultural religious or financial wellbeing for yourself a partner or family member including pets) half day Fridays and 11 holidays
• We close down for a paid winter break between December 25 to January 1 to recognize end of year stress and time for reflection rejuvenation and spending time with family
• Up to 16 weeks of fully paid Family and Medical Leave
• Low-cost health dental and vision insurance options all outpatient mental health is covered at in-network rates
• Therapist available at no cost
• Pet insurance and discount perk program
• Annual wellbeing allowance

In addition to your salary we offer the following supports to your personal finances:

• Retirement plan with immediate match and vesting
• Annual year end retirement contribution
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Adoption and Surrogacy assistance
• Pet adoption stipend
• Student Loan management

Applicants are invited to learn more about the National Wildlife Federations benefits package at will be reviewed on a rolling should submit a cover letter and resume.

For more information on our recruiting process please review our Careers page: strive to increase diversity equity inclusion and justice (DEIJ) in all elements of our work and with our partners to support the interdependent needs of wildlife and people in a rapidly changing world. We recruit employ train compensate and promote regardless of race religion creed national origin ancestry sex (including pregnancy) sexual orientation gender identity (including gender nonconformity and status as a transgender individual) age physical or mental disability citizenship genetic information past current or prospective service in the uniformed services or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal state or local law. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. Applicants are invited to learn more about National Wildlife Federations commitment to diversity equity and inclusion at recognize that people come with a wealth of experience and talent beyond just the technical requirements of a job therefore our job descriptions are guidelines not hard and fast experience which may include paid and unpaid experience including volunteer work helps build the competencies and knowledge that translates to our of experience and skills combined with passion is a key to innovation and a culture of we encourage people from all backgrounds to apply to our positions.

Please let us know if you require accommodations during the application or interview process by reaching us at or .

If selected for this position a background check will be conducted.

Required Experience:

Director