People & Culture Manager

Animal Humane Society is looking for a strategic and people-centered HR leader to serve as our People & Culture Manager. This trusted partner will drive a culture of engagement, inclusion, and high performance across Animal Humane Society. The People & Culture Manager provides broad human resources professional expertise to strengthen leadership capability, enhance employee experience, and align people practices with organizational strategy. Working closely with the Vice President of P&C, the Director of P&C, and AHS leadership, the People & Culture Manager plays a critical role in engaging all members of the organization in proactive, equitable, and data-informed work to best serve Animal Humane Society’s mission, vision, values, and strategic priorities.

Salary: $80,000-100,000 annually

Schedule/Location:

• Full Time, Hybrid (on-site a minimum of 2x per week)

• Location: This is a hybrid position based out of our Golden Valley and will require 15% domestic travel to our other locations in Minnesota, and any outside events. Subject to change as business needs dictate. Must live in or have easy access to the Minneapolis/St. Paul area.

Essential Functions:

Leadership and Partnership:

• Lead, coach, and develop P&C team members to build capability, accountability, and alignment with organizational priorities.
• Provide leadership strategic direction for Talent Acquisition and Business Partner/Generalist functions, with direct management responsibility for P&C team members in Talent Acquisition and Business Partner roles, as well as ownership over the results of their functions.
• Cultivate a high-performing, inclusive team culture through regular coaching, development planning, and performance feedback.
• Empower P&C staff to operate as consultative partners to leaders, fostering confidence and consistency in people practices while ensuring delivery of proactive, business-aligned P&C support.
• Partner with leaders to address complex people matters, including performance management, accommodations, investigations, and terminations, ensuring fair, consistent, and compliant outcomes.
• Lead or oversee workplace investigations, synthesizing findings into actionable insights that strengthen culture and mitigate risk.
• Act as a thought partner to senior leadership, providing data-informed recommendations on structure, talent, and culture initiatives.
• Steward responsible resource management by monitoring P&C budgets, reporting on key financial metrics, and identifying cost efficiencies.
• Monitor employment legislation and proactively adjust P&C policies, programs, and practices to maintain compliance and mitigate risk.

Communication, Culture, & Inclusion:

• Serve as a culture champion by modeling AHS values in all communications and interactions.
• Partner with leaders to embed diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging principles throughout talent processes and daily operations.
• Support transparent, timely, and mission-aligned communication strategies that strengthen trust and engagement across all levels of the organization.
• Foster a feedback-rich culture by equipping leaders with communication tools that enhance psychological safety and collaboration.
• Coach hiring managers on inclusive, effective selection practices that reinforce organizational values and reduce bias.

Talent Acquisition, Hiring and Planning:

• Manage P&C employees in Talent Acquisition roles and own the success of AHS’ Talent Acquisition function
• Partner with senior leaders to translate organizational goals into workforce strategies that ensure capacity, capability, and culture alignment.
• Lead the development and execution of recruitment strategies that build diverse, mission-aligned talent pipelines.
• Support succession planning and internal mobility efforts that strengthen organizational continuity and leadership readiness.
• Collaborate with AHS leaders on workforce planning, forecasting, and organizational design recommendations.

Technology:

• Leverage HRIS systems expertise to optimize workflows, cultivate data-driven, actionable insights.
• Optimize the systems, tools, and technology of people operations across the enterprise.
• Remain informed of advancements in Human Resources technology, best practices, industry trends, and anticipated developments to drive innovation and continuous improvement of people operations.
• Leverage automated, ongoing reporting on key performance indicators, with data-driven storytelling to convey clear, actionable insights and drive organizational action toward successful outcomes.
• Monitor AHS email and other messaging software.

Other duties as assigned.

Additional information:

Schedule and Attendance:

• Position is required to work onsite at least two days per week, and it is eligible to work remotely based upon agreement with the role’s manager.
• Regular, predictable attendance, punctuality, and availability to work during operational hours.
• Attend and participate in regular team meetings and 1:1 meetings with direct leader.
• May be required to work at a different site based on department needs.
• May be required to attend occasional off-site meetings and events.
• Engage in mission-related activities as appropriate.

Work Environment:

• Primarily office/desk based.
• Adjacent animal shelter areas may be humid, noisy, or odorous.

Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, related field, or equivalent experience required.
• 7+ years of progressive HR experience required, including substantial job duties within HR Generalist/Business Partner, employee relations, and Talent Acquisition.
• 3+ years of experience directly managing a team of Human Resources professionals required.
• Experience as key contributor on cross-functional project or initiative teams strongly preferred.

Skills:

• Exceptional communicator with the ability to influence, coach, and build trust across all levels of the organization.
• Demonstrated strength in systems thinking, process optimization, and operational execution that drives consistency and efficiency.
• Agile problem-solver with strong judgment, balancing business priorities and people impact in dynamic environments.
• Skilled in prioritization and delegation to maximize team capacity and ensure timely, high-quality deliverables.
• Deep working knowledge of employment law, compliance frameworks, and ethical standards guiding equitable people practices.
• Models integrity, professionalism, and discretion in handling confidential and sensitive matters.
• Technologically adept with advanced proficiency in Microsoft 365 and HRIS platforms, leveraging data and digital tools to inform decision-making.

Physical Demands:

• Ability to sit for extended periods at a desk or computer.
• Ability to lift and carry up to 20 lbs.

Emotional Demands:

• Must be comfortable with the emotional aspect of work in an animal shelter environment, including the use of humane euthanasia.

Transportation:

• Reliable transportation and ability to travel up to 15% travel throughout the greater Minneapolis-St. Paul area, primarily to Animal Humane Society locations, off-site meetings, and special events required.

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required for this role. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

About AHS 

Every year, Animal Humane Society provides direct care and services to help thousands of animals in need across Minnesota. 

As one of the nation's leading animal welfare organizations, AHS is transforming the way shelters care for animals and engage their communities. From innovative medical and behavior programs to investments in outreach and advocacy, we’re advancing animal welfare and creating a more humane world for animals everywhere. 

Why Work Here  

• Make a difference in the lives of animals and people  
• Join a team of coworkers who love animals as much as you do  
• Work-life balance  
• Unique animal adoption benefits and discounts on veterinary care and pet supplies
• Health insurance coverage for full time staff includes the following: medical, dental, vision, health savings account, flexible spending account for health care expenses and dependent care, voluntary accident insurance; critical illness insurance; hospital indemnity insurance; employee- paid supplemental life; employee-paid accidental death & dismemberment; and long term disability insurance.
• Employer-paid benefits for full time staff includes the following: basic life insurance, basic accidental death and dismemberment insurance, short-term disability. 
• Support for student loans: we are a Public Service Loan Forgiveness qualified employer 
• Mental Health and Counseling Support: all employees have access to our Employee Assistance Program with 3 free counseling sessions per year  
• 401(K) for part-time and full-time staff  
• Nine paid holidays for full-time staff  
• Paid floating holidays for part-time and full-time staff (up to 4 days per year based on start date)  
• Paid Time Off for part time and full time staff (amount is based on hours worked and FTE status)  
• Paid parent leave for full-time staff  

Our Organizational Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: 

As an organization dedicated to making the world a more humane and compassionate place for animals, we know that people are at the heart of all that we do. Animal Humane Society’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusivity is essential to our mission and shapes our culture, our work, and the services we provide. 

At AHS we embrace and honor the inherent dignity and diverse experiences of our team members, volunteers, board members, partners, clients, and visitors, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, or income. Working together to instill equity and inclusivity within our organization will allow us to better serve the people and animals of Minnesota, and ultimately have a positive impact on animals in our care.