Associate Director, Regional HR Operations

Lower Yuba River, California | David Nylen

TITLE: Associate Director, Regional HR Operations
CLASSIFICATION: Associate Director II
DEPARTMENT: People and Culture
REPORTS TO: Senior Director, People and Culture
LOCATION: California Area

Click Here To Apply

ABOUT AMERICAN RIVERS
American Rivers is championing a national effort to protect and restore all rivers, from remote
mountain streams to urban waterways. Healthy rivers provide people and nature with clean,
abundant water and natural habitat. For 50 years, American Rivers staff, supporters, and
partners have shared a common belief: Life Depends on Rivers℠.

The beauty of rivers is that they connect all people and communities – including within our
organization. The life experiences, knowledge, innovation, and talent that different people bring
to our work provides perspectives, experiences, and competencies which are critical to our
effectiveness in protecting wild rivers, restoring damaged rivers, and conserving clean water for
people and nature.

JOB SUMMARY
The Associate Director, Regional HR Operations is key to cultivating a thriving, inclusive, and
mission-aligned workplace for our western regional teams. As a trusted advisor and partner to
regional leaders and the staff members they support, this role helps ensure our People &
Culture strategies reflect American Rivers’ core values: collaboration and trust, equity and
justice, delivering results, and helping staff and volunteers thrive.

This position supports people managers and team members by offering expertise in talent
acquisition, employee relations, performance management, and coaching. With deep
knowledge of employment law within the region and a strong commitment to equity, this
individual helps create a supportive environment where all team members feel valued and
empowered to grow.

PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

Strategic HR Partnership:

Serve as a collaborative partner to regional leadership to align People & Culture
practices with organizational and team goals.
Foster an environment of trust, inclusion, and open communication by building
strong relationships across teams.
Help lead regional implementation of HR initiatives such as onboarding,
engagement, recognition, and development.

Equity-Driven Policy & Compliance Support:

Provide clear, accessible guidance on organizational policies with an equity lens.
Monitor and apply relevant federal and state employment laws within the
assigned region.
Partner with General Counsel and Senior Director, People and Culture to
maintain compliance and adapt policies as needed.

Talent Acquisition & Onboarding:

Collaborate with hiring managers to build inclusive, values-aligned hiring
processes that attract diverse talent.
Manage the full recruitment life cycle for regional roles, ensuring a welcoming
and mission-forward candidate experience.
Support smooth onboarding and early engagement of new team members.

Coaching, Performance, & Manager Support:

Coach people managers to lead with empathy, clarity, and accountability.
Provide tools and guidance for effective performance feedback, development
planning, and team growth.
Assist in resolving employee relations matters in a way that builds trust and
reinforces organizational values.

HR Operations & Systems:

Leverage Smartsheet and other tools to support workforce planning, recruitment
tracking, and HR metrics reporting.
Maintain accurate and confidential records in alignment with data privacy
practices.
Analyze trends and provide insights that drive continuous improvement and
team well-being.
Update and maintain AR’s organization chart and regionally assigned state
employment law policies.
Responsible for employment correspondence and digital recordkeeping for
assigned region.
Develop and launch training and development modules through AR’s
learning management system, completed by monthly roundtable
discussions tailored for staff-level employees.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Personal commitment to American Rivers’ mission and core values.
Bachelor’s degree in human resources, business administration, or related field; master’s degree a plus.
Current HR certification (SHRM-CP or PHR) required.
At least 7 years of progressive HR experience, with 3+ years in a generalist or HR business partner role supporting multi-state teams.
Strong working knowledge of employment law and HR practices in the western U.S. region.
Demonstrated success in recruitment, employee coaching, policy interpretation, learning and performance management.
Familiarity with Smartsheet or similar workflow/project management systems preferred.
Demonstrates a high level of discernment, discretion, and maturity in managing sensitive and complex HR matters, ensuring confidentiality and sound judgment in all interactions.
Proficiency with a HRIS and report writing.
Commitment to equity, inclusion, and justice in all aspects of HR work.
Experience in a nonprofit or values-driven organization preferred.
Excellent communication, collaboration, and organizational skills.

WORK ENVIRONMENT & TRAVEL

This remote role is based in California or nearby with occasional travel to local offices, headquarters (DC)and/ or staff gatherings.
Requires comfort with virtual communication tools and the ability to build relationships in a distributed work environment.

LOCATION
Preference given to candidates based in California or those with extensive experience in California employment law and HR practices.

COMPENSATION
American Rivers offers marketable compensation that reflects the qualifications and experience of the selected candidate. The salary range for this position is $84,012- $91,659 annually depending upon qualifications and experience. We provide a comprehensive Total Rewards package to our full-time, regular employees, including:

Health and Wellness: Medical, dental, vision, long-term and short-term disability, and life insurance.
Financial Security: After one year of service, American Rivers begins contributing a 3% employer contribution. There is no vesting schedule for employer contributions as employees are 100% vested upon participation.
Time Off: Four weeks of paid leave, eleven paid holidays, three floating holidays, and sick leave.

At American Rivers, we are committed to supporting our employee’s well-being, professional growth, and financial security, ensuring they can thrive both at work and in life.

COMMUNITY AND OPPORTUNITY
At American Rivers, our core values drive everything we do – we Lead with Collaboration and Trust, Infuse Equity and Justice, Deliver Results, and Ensure Staff and Volunteers Thrive. We are committed to fostering a workplace where employees feel valued, supported, and empowered to make a difference.

Our culture prioritizes work-life thriving through Focus Fridays (no internal meetings), professional development opportunities, a home office stipend and our comprehensive leave policies, including sabbatical leave (every seven years) and paid parental leave (six weeks w/ one year of service).

We also ensure leadership stays connected to staff needs through an internal advisory group, fostering open communication and continuous improvement.

At American Rivers, our people are our strength, and we are dedicated to building a thriving, inclusive workplace where everyone can grow and contribute to our mission.

Click Here To Apply

American Rivers is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. To request this document in an alternate format or to request reasonable accommodation, please contact the Human Resources department at 202-243-7040 or recruitment@americanrivers.org. Please note that one week’s advance notice is preferred.

Applicant must be legally allowed to work as an employee in the United States. American Rivers is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Candidates of all personal and professional backgrounds are encouraged to apply.