Director Employee Relations and Organizational Development

Loyola University Maryland Main Campus

Job Type

Full time

Benefits at Loyola

https://www.loyola.edu/department/people-culture/benefits/

Compensation Range

Final compensation offers are determined by a variety of factors, including but not limited to job-related experience, internal equity, and alignment with organizational budget.

$136,160.00 - $170,200.00

Anticipated Start Date

Monday, August 10, 2026

Position Duties

The Director, Employee Experience is responsible for developing, executing, monitoring, and evaluating human resources strategies, programs, and services across the employee life cycle to attract, engage, develop, and retain a highly competent and diverse workforce. This role serves as a strategic leader and change agent who translates organizational priorities into workforce capability by shaping how the institution invests in people, develops leaders, and delivers on its employee value proposition. The Director builds and scales staff and leadership development initiatives, oversees HR Partner functions related to talent acquisition, employee relations, organizational development, and employee transitions, and creates solutions that foster a fair, respectful, inclusive, and high-performing culture. Through organizational development, benchmarking, workforce analytics, and purpose-driven development practices, this position strengthens employee engagement, leadership effectiveness, institutional productivity, and mission alignment across the organization.

Essential Functions

Employee Experience Strategy, HR Partnership & Culture Leadership. Partner with the Chief People & Culture Officer (CPCO)/Assistant Vice President, Human Resources (AVPHR) to develop and execute strategies that enhance the employee experience across the employment lifecycle while ensuring compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and institutional policies. Provide strategic leadership and consultation on complex employee relations, organizational effectiveness, workforce planning, and people-related matters while fostering a fair, respectful, diverse, and high-performing culture aligned with institutional mission and values. Oversee HR Partner functions related to talent acquisition, employee transitions, employee relations, investigations, corrective actions, and workplace concerns. Assess workplace culture and organizational health through climate surveys, employee feedback mechanisms, workforce data, and organizational assessments to identify opportunities that strengthen engagement, retention, and employee satisfaction. Lead employee engagement, recognition, and culture initiatives that reinforce organizational values, enhance belonging, and support a positive employee experience. Serve as deputy Title IX Coordinator for faculty, staff, and administrators and oversee administration of employee reporting systems and related processes.

Leadership Development, Organizational Development & Talent Strategy. Lead organizational development and talent strategies that strengthen leadership capability, workforce effectiveness, and institutional performance. Build and scale staff and leadership development programs that align employee growth with organizational priorities and support purpose-driven development across the institution. Partner with leadership to assess organizational structures, workforce capabilities, and future talent needs while designing solutions that enhance effectiveness and employee engagement. Develop and implement programs related to leadership development, succession planning, career pathways, performance management, onboarding, learning and development, compliance training, supervisory effectiveness, and workforce planning. Promote a culture of continuous learning that equips employees and leaders to contribute their best in support of the institution's mission. Oversee enterprise learning and development initiatives, including employee onboarding and orientation experiences, required compliance education, leadership learning programs, and professional development opportunities that ensure employees have the knowledge, skills, resources, and institutional understanding needed to succeed, grow, and contribute meaningfully throughout the employee lifecycle. Design onboarding experiences that strengthen connection, accelerate integration into organizational culture, and reinforce the institution's mission, values, and employee value proposition from day one.

Policy, Governance & Compliance. Lead the review, development, implementation, and communication of staff and administrator policies and procedures in partnership with the CPCO/AVPHR. Ensure policies remain compliant with local, state, and federal regulations while supporting an employee-centered and mission-aligned workplace. Monitor emerging employment legislation and workforce trends and recommend updates to policies, practices, and processes accordingly.

Analytics, Reporting & Resource Stewardship. Analyze employee experience, organizational effectiveness, and workforce trends to inform recommendations and decision-making. Prepare reports, dashboards, and recommendations related to employee engagement, talent development, organizational health, and workforce metrics. Develop, manage, and monitor budgets and resources within assigned areas of responsibility.

Non essential: Performs all other duties and responsibilities as assigned or directed by the supervisor. This may include attendance of and participation in required training for role.

Physical/Environmental Demands

Office environment/no specific or unusual physical or environmental demands.

Education Required

Bachelor's degree

Required Certifications/Licensures

Title IX Coordinator certification or ability to obtain certification within a designated timeframe following hire.

Work Experience

8 - 10 years

Describe Required Experience

• At least eight years of progressively responsible human resources leadership experience required, including a minimum of five years leading functions related to employee relations, organizational development leadership, talent strategy, employee experience, learning and development, or workforce effectiveness, and three years supervisory experience.
• Demonstrated experience developing and implementing strategies that enhance employee engagement, workplace culture, leadership effectiveness, and organizational performance within complex organizations.
• Strong knowledge of employee relations practices, including workplace investigations, corrective actions, conflict resolution, and the ability to support and defend employment-related decisions in grievance processes, mediation proceedings, and other formal employment matters.
• Demonstrated experience designing, implementing, and scaling leadership development, staff development, onboarding, compliance training, organizational development, and employee engagement initiatives.
• Strong knowledge of employment laws and regulations impacting the workplace, including but not limited to FLSA, FMLA, ADA, Title VII, EEO, and related federal and state employment regulations, and the ability to apply legal and regulatory requirements in workplace decision-making.
• Experience utilizing employee feedback mechanisms, climate surveys, workforce data, and organizational assessments to inform decision-making and drive continuous improvement initiatives.

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Strong leadership, communication, interpersonal, facilitation, and relationship-building skills with the ability to influence, collaborate, and build trust across all organizational levels.
• Demonstrated strategic thinking, analytical, problem solving, and business acumen skills with the ability to translate organizational priorities into people strategies and measurable outcomes.
• Strong knowledge of employee relations, organizational development, leadership development, talent management, change management, and employee experience practices.
• Ability to assess organizational culture and workforce needs using employee feedback, climate surveys, workforce data, and organizational assessments to drive continuous improvement and organizational effectiveness.
• Demonstrated ability to lead change initiatives, navigate complex organizational dynamics, and influence decision-making in a collaborative and mission-driven environment.
• Strong project management and organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities, lead cross-functional initiatives, and execute complex programs simultaneously.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality, exercise sound judgment, and manage sensitive and complex employee matters with professionalism and discretion.
• Commitment to fostering an inclusive, respectful, and equitable workplace culture that supports employee engagement, belonging, and institutional success.
• Ability to understand, support, and advance the mission and values of Catholic Jesuit higher education while supporting institutional goals related to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.

Final compensation offers are determined by a variety of factors, including but not limited to, job-related experience, internal equity, and alignment with organizational budget.

Successful candidates for any staff, faculty, or administrative position at Loyola University Maryland will be subject to a pre-employment background check. Note: Experience and/or education may be substituted for requirements.

Employment Eligibility

All candidates must be eligible to work in the United States and complete employment eligibility verification by the first day of employment at Loyola University Maryland, as required by law (e.g., Form I-9). Unless explicitly stated otherwise in the job description or job advertisement, Loyola University Maryland does not sponsor employment visas for this position.

University Description

Founded in Baltimore, Maryland in 1852, Loyola University Maryland is a Jesuit, Catholic university and the first institution of higher learning in the United States to bear the name of the founder of the Society of Jesus, Saint Ignatius Loyola. The University inspires students to learn, lead, and serve in a diverse and changing world.

At Loyola, the ideals that have guided Jesuit universities for nearly 500 years-academic excellence, care for the whole person, service, justice, diversity, and integrity, among others-continue to mold the academic, social, and spiritual experiences we offer our roughly 5,000 undergraduate and graduate students, the programs we pursue, and the relationships we build with our surrounding communities. Loyola offers a variety of undergraduate, graduate, and certificate programs through its three schools: the Sellinger School of Business and Management, the School of Education, and Loyola College, the University's school of arts and sciences.

The benefits of Loyola's Jesuit, liberal arts experience lead to a life-long approach of learning, questioning, and critical analysis that prepare our alumni for-and set them apart in-the workforce and the world.

The Wall Street Journal ranked Loyola No. 19 overall in the nation in its 2026 "Best Colleges" list. Loyola was also ranked No. 5 in the nation for career preparation, No. 22 in the nation for student experience, and No. 65 in the nation for impact on graduate salaries. U.S. News & World Report has ranked Loyola among the top 10 universities in the North Region for more than a decade. The Princeton Review named it one of the nation's top institutions for undergraduate higher education and one of the best Mid-Atlantic colleges for 2027. It is among Washington Monthly's top master's universities nationally and is listed among the "best value" private colleges in Kiplinger's Personal Finance.

Learn more about some of the prestigious rankings and notable accolades that Loyola University Maryland has earned from major national, international, and regional reports, studies, and surveys.

Diversity Statement

Loyola University Maryland strongly values the benefits that diversity brings to the workplace. In accord with its Ignatian values, the University is committed to creating and promoting a community that recognizes the inherent value and dignity of each person. Loyola University Maryland does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, color, national or ethnic origin, age, religion, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, military status, or any other legally protected classification. The University recruits, hires, and promotes in accord with this policy and its Core Values.

Loyola University is a dynamic, highly selective, Jesuit Catholic institution in the liberal arts tradition and is recognized as a leading independent, comprehensive university in the northeastern United States. Located in a beautiful residential section of Baltimore with Graduate Centers in Timonium and Columbia, Loyola enrolls over 3,200 students in its undergraduate programs and 3,000 students in its graduate programs. The University welcomes applicants from all backgrounds who can contribute to its educational mission. Loyola is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer, seeking applications from underrepresented groups. Additional information is available at www.loyola.edu.