HR Director, Employee Experience

Spear is seeking an HR Director to lead the strategy and execution of programs that create an exceptional employee experience throughout the entire team member lifecycle. This leader will oversee employee relations, HR operations, compliance, culture, and engagement while partnering closely with business leaders to foster a high-performing, values-driven workplace. Reporting to the VP, HR, you'll lead initiatives that strengthen organizational culture, enhance manager capability, ensure consistent HR practices, and deliver an outstanding employee experience from onboarding through offboarding. This is a highly visible leadership role for someone who is passionate about building scalable HR programs, developing leaders, and driving continuous improvement across the organization. The ideal candidate will be able to commit to a hybrid in office schedule at our mid-town Manhattan office, and travel to field sites as needed. Core Responsibilities Champion Spear's culture and values while helping translate them into clear expectations for how we lead, work, and make people decisions. Lead the employee experience strategy across the full employee lifecycle. Lead, mentor, and develop the HR Generalist team, ensuring clear expectations, accountability, strong business partnership and professional growth Serve as a trusted advisor to operational and functional leaders on organizational challenges and complex people decisions Partner with leaders to support organizational growth and change, including new locations, evolving team structures, joint ventures, and other business initiatives. Build manager capability by equipping leaders with tools, coaching, and confidence to effectively lead teams, deliver feedback, manage performance, and navigate employee issues. Oversee employee relations, investigations, performance management, and conflict resolution. Coach and support leaders on performance, policy interpretation, and employee matters. Ensure consistent execution of onboarding, offboarding, employee transactions, and HR service delivery while identifying opportunities to simplify, automate, and improve processes. Develop and maintain HR policies and practices while ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws. Lead employee engagement, recognition, communication, and culture initiatives. Establish HR operational standards and use data, trends, and employee feedback to evaluate effectiveness and drive continuous process improvement. Maintain a strong connection to the field, regularly engaging with leaders and team members to understand the realities of the business and translate those insights into HR priorities and solutions. Additional Impact Areas Lead employee engagement surveys, translate findings into meaningful insights, and partner with leaders on action planning. Develop programs that improve employee retention, recognition, and the overall employee experience. Partner with Learning & Development and Talent Acquisition to create a seamless employee journey. Monitor and analyze workforce trends and recommend initiatives that improve engagement and organizational health. Support audits, compliance reporting, and employment-related risk mitigation. Success Metrics Employee engagement and retention Employee relations outcomes and issue resolution Compliance and audit readiness Manager effectiveness and satisfaction HR service delivery and operational efficiency Successful execution of culture and recognition initiatives Ideal Profile 8+ years of progressive HR experience, including leadership in HR business partnership, employee relations and HR operations. Must have experience supporting a multi-site, distributed, or frontline workforce ; healthcare, hospitality, retail, fitness, or other service-oriented environments are preferred. Experience working in a high-growth or scaling organization, with a track record of building and evolving HR practices, processes, and infrastructure as the business grows in size and complexity. Strong knowledge of employment law and HR compliance. Strong business acumen and demonstrated ability to understand operational priorities and translate them into practical people solutions. Proven experience coaching HR teams and Operational leaders and managing complex employee relations matters. A builder’s mindset with demonstrated ability to build scalable HR programs and improve employee experience. Excellent communication, influence, relationship-building, and change management skills. Data-driven mindset with the ability to translate workforce insights into action. Passion for creating an engaging, inclusive, and high-performing workplace. Curious, proactive, and solutions-oriented, with a natural instinct to ask why , challenge legacy practices thoughtfully, and continuously look for better ways to support the business and its people.