Head of People

Job Title: Head of People

Team: People & Operations/People & Culture

Location: In-Person in Chicago (IL)

Employment Type: Full-time

Start Date: (ASAP)

About Braven

Braven is a national nonprofit that prepares promising college students to secure a strong first opportunity after college graduation through a career-accelerating program.

We work with higher education and employer partners to offer a life-changing experience that begins with a semester-long course for college students followed by support that lasts through graduation.  

Together, our ambition is to help rebuild the middle class and revitalize the American Dream.

To learn more, take a look at Braven’s Jobs Report.

About the Role

In order to achieve its ambition of serving 80,000-100,000 Fellows over the next decade, Braven is hiring a Head of People who will lead Braven into a new era of strategic, engaged, and compassionate leadership of its people. As a member of Braven's executive Alignment Team and leader of the People & Culture team, you will play a crucial role in scaling Braven from 100 to 250 staff members over the next 3-5 years while strengthening systems, policies, and structures that support a thriving, values-driven culture.

This role is on the People & Culture team, reports directly to the Chief Financial & Administration Officer, and works closely with the Chief Executive Officer.

What You’ll Do

Culture Leadership - 40%

Model Braven's core values at the highest level, provide reflective insights on organizational culture, identify strengths and growth opportunities, and coach leaders to realize our vision.

• Set and model People & Culture Team operating norms that foster team excellence
• Lead team communication and engagement strategies, including weekly calls, rituals (such as the Annual Braven Retreat and team celebrations), and initiatives aimed at creating a great workplace
• Oversee execution and analysis of the bi-annual culture survey and related organizational analyses to measure impact and drive continuous improvement.
• Set an agenda for fostering a positive and collaborative workplace culture while managing cross-functional efforts with the Alignment Team.
• Serve as a culture ambassador and trusted resource, helping team members understand and positively contribute to Braven’s culture.
• Build Braven's "employer brand" with potential hires and external audiences.

Talent Planning & Development - 30%

• Set and oversee the execution of Braven's People vision, priorities, goals, and strategies.
• Serve as a strategic business partner to the Alignment Team and organizational leaders.
• Oversee workforce-needs projections based on current and future priorities to inform headcount planning, resource allocation, organizational structure, and total rewards packages.
• Oversee annual analysis of compensation, performance, retention, and promotion.
• Ensure People policies are innovative, sustainable, and aligned with best practices and growth strategy.
• Provide strategic oversight of all Human Resource operations, including employee relations, benefits administration, and compliance functions.
• Ensure organizational compliance with labor laws across all Braven hubs/regions in collaboration with General Counsel.
• Evaluate and implement People infrastructure, including PEO, LMS, ATS, and HRIS systems, with internal utilization and reporting procedures. 

Organizational Strategic Leadership and Advising - 30%

• Set strategic vision and priorities for all talent work in collaboration with the Alignment Team, maintaining a 3–5 year outlook.
• Participate in and guide leadership conversations around strategic priorities and planning, ensuring talent management is fully integrated
• Coach and develop teammates, particularly managers, through People-related matters of varying sensitivity and urgency
• Collaborate actively with the CEO, Chief Finance & Operations Officer, General Counsel, and external partners
• Demonstrate strong management skills to support and develop seven direct reports on the People & Culture team toward vision, priorities, and goals while helping them reach their fullest professional potential.
• Other duties as assigned

Minimum Requirements

• 7+ years of experience in People/Talent/Human Resources leadership; OR 10+ years managing a functional team with highly-regarded People and culture management skills
• Deep experience serving on and/or supporting an executive leadership team
• Authorized to work in the U.S.

Preferred Qualifications 

• SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, or SPHR certification
• Deep alignment with Braven's mission and core values, including strong cultural competence
• Extraordinary judgment in handling highly sensitive and confidential matters with the ability to have direct, honest conversations with care about complex topics
• Experience leading and managing in complex environments during times of growth, employing change management skills
• Strong management ability with experience managing financial and human capital
• Organization-wide project management experience with complex workstreams and diverse stakeholders
• Exceptional relationship-building skills enabling trust-building across management levels and dimensions of identity
• Exemplary verbal and written communication skills as well as deep listening ability
• Demonstrated commitment to building strong and welcoming cultures that help to develop others.
• Exemplification of Braven’s core values.
• Experience that has informed your belief in Braven’s mission and has prepared you to work with, or for, Braven’s student Fellow population.

Please know that no one ever meets 100% of the preferred qualifications. If much of this describes you, we encourage you to apply.

Work Demands

• Ability to work in-person in Chicago (IL) at least 3 days per week
• Travel approximately 12 times per year for strategy meetings, team stepbacks, regional visits, etc.
• Comfort and motivation to work 50 hours/week on average, balancing personal and professional responsibilities with care

Additional Requirements

• Authorized to work in the U.S.
• Braven doesn’t offer employment visa sponsorship

Application & Interview Process

While the interview process may vary slightly, the general process will be:

• Phone screen with Talent Team member
• Performance Task
• Interview with Hiring Manager
• Panel Interview with Key Partners
• Reference Checks

Compensation and Benefits

Braven offers competitive base salaries based on the midpoint of the market among not-for-profit organizations of similar size, with opportunities for salary growth over time. We believe in compensating staff members fairly in relation to each other, their qualifications, and their impact on behalf of the organization, and take internal and external equity seriously. Given our commitment to equity, Braven does not negotiate salary offers; instead, each salary offer is determined carefully using external and internal benchmarking.

New hires can expect a starting salary at the beginning of the range to allow room for growth with performance and so that Braven maintains internal equity. The salary ranges, by geographic market, for this role are set forth $163,200-$204,000 in Chicago. This is based on a 50-hour work week at an hourly rate. This is a full-time, exempt, and benefits eligible position where you will be working at 100% capacity.  

Braven also provides competitive, comprehensive benefits, recognition, and career development. While Braven reserves the right to change benefits at any time, current benefits include: 

• Unlimited vacation time in addition to org-wide holidays and week-long shutdowns in July and the end of the calendar year (this is a minimum of 19 days per year)
• Braven supports your path to parenthood and beyond with $25,000 in lifetime Carrot benefits for fertility, family-building, and hormonal health
• Match of your 401K contribution up to 5% of your base annual salary, starting your first full month
• Coverage of 85% of health insurance premium for employee and dependents
• 12 weeks of paid parental leave
• A one-month paid sabbatical after 4 years on staff

Please note that Braven is firm in its compensation philosophy; therefore, only candidates who believe that our total rewards package matches what they are looking for in their next opportunity are encouraged to apply. 

Location

We gather in the office 3 days a week (Tuesday through Thursday) and work remotely 2 days a week (Monday and Friday). Therefore, this role requires teammates to live within commuting distance of Chicago. We believe in the magic, connection, and collaboration that happens when people work together face-to-face, and we believe in giving people flexibility to focus, balance personal priorities, and save themselves two commutes per week.

Braven is an equal opportunity employer and considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected factor.  We encourage talented individuals of all backgrounds to apply.