Washington, DC

Vice President of Talent & Equity – The Forum for Youth Investment

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The Forum for Youth Investment (the Forum) is seeking a Vice President of Talent & Equity (Vice President), who will play an integral role in building organizational capacity and standing up a new Human Resources function. In partnership with the Chief Operating Officer (COO) and executive leadership team, the Vice President will lead and be accountable for the entire HR function across the organization in support and advancement of the Forum’s mission and strategic goals.

The Organization

Founded in 1998, the Forum for Youth Investment (the Forum) is a national nonprofit, nonpartisan “action tank” committed to changing the odds that all children and youth are ready for college, work, and life. The Forum connects leaders to ideas, services and networks that can help them make more intentional decisions that are good for young people, even in the face of limited resources. It helps leaders who are trying to improve and align policies, plan and partner for impact, as well as strengthen programs and adult practice across all the systems and settings where young people spend time.

The Forum is a thriving organization with a budget of $11 million, a staff of 50, and headquarters in Washington, DC. The Forum overall is funded by a mix of foundations, corporations, and a fee-for-service contract base. For more information on the Forum, please visit www.forumfyi.org.

The Position

Reporting to the COO, the Vice President serves as the lead advisor and subject matter expert in human resources for the organization.  Accountable for the entire HR function, the Vice President serves as a partner to the executive leadership team comprised of the CEO, COO, and Executive Vice Presidents.  The partnership will entail leading and implementing initiatives, developing policies and procedures, ensuring legal compliance, and advancing systems and best practices with a DEI lens to recruit, develop, train, and retain a diverse and high-performing workforce.  The Vice President will lead a human resources management strategy that aligns with and achieves the organization’s vision, mission, and strategic goals and creates value for its customers and stakeholders.

Priorities for the Vice President include:

  • Attract, develop, and retain high quality diverse talent to achieve organizational excellence by creating systems, processes, and trainings.
  • Develop workforce-planning strategies to align organizational structure and roles with the organization’s functions and strategy.
  • Lead the creation, implementation, and management of the organization’s DEI initiatives, goals, strategies and metrics for success or improvement.
  • Serve as a strategic HR business advisor by collaborating with executive and senior management teams for each business unit regarding organizational and HR management issues.
  • Develop and implement best-in-class talent management processes and systems for recruitment, hiring, onboarding, performance management, professional development, and employee engagement.

Key Priorities and Responsibilities

The VP will oversee and monitor specific responsibilities in the following areas:

Talent Acquisition

  • Oversee recruitment strategies to effectively and efficiently source and select highly qualified diverse candidates and develop policies, procedures, and metrics, using a DEI lens.
  • Lead onboarding processes that effectively connect new employees to the Forum’s mission, values, and strategy, and clarify the employees’ respective roles in relation to organization vision and functions led by each unit in the organization.

Talent Management & Equity

  • Lead the strategic plan’s talent management work stream.
  • Provide infrastructure to advance internal DEI priorities, including utilizing a DEI lens in overseeing compensation and benefits philosophy and employee handbook policies.
  • Implement initiatives to increase staff retention and productivity, including action plans to enhance employee engagement, leadership, and staff development.

Performance Management & Engagement

  • Manage employee relations, organizational culture, and other initiatives to build employee retention and engagement; implement surveys and other feedback mechanisms to support a healthy organization culture that reflects the Forum’s  values.
  • Develop and implement a new performance management system, including position descriptions with clear links to functions and capabilities and creating a data-driven approach to evaluations.
  • Mitigate legal risk to the organization through proactive training and education, implementation of clear systems and processes, overseeing the HR vendor’s investigations of complaints or other grievances, and liaising with the Forum’s employment counsel.

Compensation and HRIS

  • Design and implement a competitive compensation system and benefit package to attract and retain staff; periodically review compensation and benefits trends, and proactively address issues.
  • Manage benefits broker resources and benefits enrollment process; manage the HR vendor responsible for leave administration and the payroll function.
  • Design and implement a strategy to optimize and integrate HR technology, enabling managers and employees to easily perform people-related transactions (e.g., benefits enrollment and renewal).

Department Leadership 

  • Lead and build the HR function across the organization, including budgets, forecasts, staffing, culture & climate, compensation, and performance management to ensure organizational targets are met. 
  • Communicate regularly with the CEO, COO, and executive leadership regarding critical HR matters; educate and advise senior leaders on HR-related best practices for conflict resolution, performance management, and legal and regulatory matters.
  • Maintain current knowledge and application of relevant employment laws and regulations at the local, state, and federal level to ensure compliance.
  • Align HR programs, practices, and policies with best practices and regulations; document, communicate, and enforce policies and standard operating procedures.
  • Securely maintain confidentiality of employee files and records.

Experience and Attributes

Successful candidates for this position will bring a variety of experiences and attributes to the Forum, including:

  • 7+ years of experience as HR manager, non-profit experience is a plus
  • Demonstrated ability to support and enhance desired changes in organizational culture, performance management, and workforce retention
  • Experience in designing, training, and implementing DEI initiatives 
  • Working knowledge of employment laws and compliance trends in multiple states and at the federal level
  • Ability to operate effectively at the macro and micro levels and provide thoughtful, progressive, and strategic guidance to leadership and staff at all levels
  • Strong business acumen and core leadership abilities, including critical decision making, project management, and process improvement abilities
  • Exceptional communication and relationship-building skills; active and inquisitive listener; ability to establish trust and build relationships with people at all levels of the organization
  • Outstanding judgement, sensitivity, and high discretion
  • Experience partnering with third party vendor implementing action plans and systems for talent management, compensation and benefits, and HR technology
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and HRIS applications
  • SPHR or SHRM-SCP certification preferred
  • Non-profit experience is a plus

Compensation & Working Environment

The starting salary for this exempt, executive-level leadership position is targeted between $117K and $125K, dependent upon experience and qualifications, with a comprehensive benefits package. Flexibility is required to adapt to the dynamic work environment of a non-profit “action tank” that has national clients and exposure during a key inflection point in the organization’s development.  Ability to lead and advise on change management initiatives is essential. The Vice President will be based in the Forum’s Washington, DC office.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The Forum for Youth Investment is committed to creating a diverse work environment and is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer and drug-free workplace, and to comply with ADA regulations as applicable. All applicants are considered for all positions without regard to race, religion, color, sex, gender, sexual orientation, pregnancy, age, national origin, ancestry, physical/mental disability, severe/morbid obesity, medical condition, military/veteran status, genetic information, marital status, ethnicity, alienage, or any other protected classification, in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. We encourage individuals of all backgrounds to apply.

Application Process

To apply, upload a Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF resume and cover letter, which conveys your interest in this leadership opportunity, to our Application Form. For other inquiries, contact Adrienne O’Rourke. Resume reviews begin immediately.

If you are a qualified candidate with a disability, please also email Adrienne O’Rourke you require a reasonable accommodation to complete your application.