VP of People and Culture (Head of HR)

Career Stage: Vice President 

Travel: 20%

Organizational Summary

Upstream USA is a fast-growing, national nonprofit working to expand opportunity by reducing unplanned pregnancy across the U.S. We envision a future where patient-centered contraceptive care is an integral part of primary care in all settings, for all people. In this future, patients are screened for their contraceptive needs; are offered patient-centered contraceptive counseling, free from bias and coercion, provided by knowledgeable providers and support staff following evidence-based guidelines; and can receive any contraceptive method of their choosing, during the same visit if they want, without logistical barriers.

Upstream promotes health equity by partnering with health centers to provide training and technical assistance to increase access to contraception, and address disparities and biases in contraceptive care. Surveys of patients getting care at Upstream-trained health centers consistently show that patients feel listened to, heard, and are able to access the contraceptive method of their choice. Our work empowers patients to decide if and when they want to become pregnant, a critical step towards improving maternal health, as well as positive outcomes for parents, children, and their families.

Upstream is growing rapidly and is well positioned for national scale and impact. After launching our program in Delaware in 2014, we have since partnered with health centers in Washington state, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Texas, Mississippi and Missouri. By 2023, Upstream will have partnered with health centers that serve over one million women of reproductive age annually across these states and more. Our work has been independently evaluated and has led to significant changes, including a 25% reduction in births from unplanned pregnancies in Delaware in just three years. 

Upstream is funded primarily through philanthropic individuals and foundations, and does not accept funding from pharmaceutical companies. Upstream’s budget has grown from $1.7 million just four years ago to approximately $40 million in 2022. Upstream’s work has also garnered attention from many leading publications including The New York Times, Washington Post, The Atlantic, CNN, Vox, Forbes, and Marie Claire.

Position Summary

As Head of our People Team, the Vice President of People and Culture is a vital leader within the organization overseeing all aspects of human resources and our talent strategy, positioning Upstream as an Employer of Choice. This strategic leader is customer-centric and will create a best-in-class people experience through progressive HR programming and talent management strategies including; but not limited to the following portfolio:  talent development, talent mobility, blended (hybrid) learning, performance management, culture development, recruitment and retention, labor and employee relations, human resource information systems and total rewards compensation and benefits, in compliance with multi-state labor laws and regulations.

We’re looking for an energetic leader with strong business experience who understands how to build and map talent to our mission, readying the organization to meet future workforce and market demands. This leader has a proven track record of helping organizations integrate strategy, policy, communications and best practices of equity, diversity and inclusion into operational excellence. The role will serve as a trusted strategic advisor and is ultimately responsible for developing and executing HR strategies that helps the organization reach its organizational goals and KPIs while building a trusting, compassionate, mission-driven and effective team who feel invested and satisfied in their work.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Define, oversee and continue to refine the organization’s talent strategy.
• Continue to build, lead and develop the People Team as an integral partner and subject matter expert for a comprehensive portfolio of HR services; delivering results through people strategies, policies and processes that align with organizational goals, priorities and core values.
• Provide high-level HR support and direction for the organization’s senior and operational leadership team
• Maintain the pulse of the organization in order to identify and shore up gaps in our current approach to the various stages of the employee employee life cycle from recruitment through alumni status.
• Create and maintain a blended (hybrid) learning program with scalable learning and development solutions for employees at all levels of the organization to improve knowledge, competencies and skill capabilities
• Design a talent mobility compass with career pathways to drive organizational effectiveness, create growth opportunities for employees and equip teams with proactive succession and contingency planning.
• Champion and cultivate Upstream’s core values and drive a culture of teaming, transparency, accountability, and performance in a high-growth, fast-paced environment.
• Understand and anticipate the organization’s needs working in a rapid change environment; proactively develop HR strategies, formulate policies and make data-driven decisions through the development of people-centric benchmarks, metrics, and analytics.
• Provide legal interpretation of employment related matters utilizing legal counsel for more complex issues, and ensure organizational compliance with federal, state, and local regulations.
• Operates with an equity, diversity and inclusion lens, continuously refining the organization’s total rewards philosophy, strategy, and programs to stay competitive with the market.
• Lead, develop and mentor a team of tenured HR professionals with 4 direct reports.

Required Education, Experience, Knowledge, Skills and Ability

Upstream celebrates and fosters an inclusive work environment and encourages people of all identities, perspectives and backgrounds to apply.

• Professional degree in Human Resources or a business-related discipline
• Certification from an HR professional organization (PHR, SHRM)
• Comprehensive knowledge of core areas of Human Resources, to include expertise in talent acquisition, talent management, talent development, employee relations, learning & development, total rewards compensation and benefits, and organizational development
• 10+ years of blended HR experience with minimum of 5 years of senior leadership, including operational oversight of budget and vendor relations
• Excellent consulting, influencing, collaboration and partnering abilities with business executives/leaders and HR partners
• Progressive leadership experience as a people manager
• Possesses the ability to be a nimble agent for change; agile
• Demonstrated excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills with the ability to present and discuss complex information in a concise way that informs others and enhances understanding at all levels
• Engaging, respectfully assertive and self-confident leader with executive presence; acts with urgency and passion while remaining calm under pressure
• Sound judgment, analytical, critical thinking skills; exercises discretion with demonstrated ability to develop creative and innovative solutions to organizational issues
• Highly organized, collaborative and accountable, with the ability to prioritize and maintain a high level of productivity, effective communication and stellar internal customer service
• Possesses a wide breadth of success stories around how you’ve fostered an equitable, inclusive and diverse work culture
• High technical proficiency minimally with Microsoft suite; Google Suites highly preferred as our current business platform
• Upstream USA’s COVID-19 Vaccine Policy requires employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 unless a medical or religious exemption is approved. As a condition of employment, newly hired employees must provide proof of their COVID-19 vaccination.
• All Upstreamers must also be able to attend work-related in-person meetings and functions as needed
• In our hybrid work environments, there is a basic expectation that our Upstreamers will ensure that their work from home setups will have reliable access to phone and Internet to ensure connectivity to their teams.
• At Upstream we gather for moments that matter for training, teaming and connection. Our teams come together for occasional in person meetings and organizational retreats.
• As part of our hybrid work practices, this travel expectation will be applicable for all Upstreamers, even those based remotely.

Attributes:

The ideal candidate will embody and embrace our core values which serve as our operating principles:

• We keep our mission at the center; our mission to expand opportunity by reducing unplanned pregnancy guides our decisions, actions and purpose
• We trust each other; we are reliable, empathetic, compassionately direct, and confident in each others’ ability to do the same
• We work every day to build an equitable, diverse and inclusive culture; we respect the backgrounds contexts and experiences of individuals, teams and partners in our interactions
• We bring joy to our work; we create opportunities to celebrate, connect and strengthen relationships with one another.

Travel Requirements

This role will require up to 20% of business travel. All Upstreamers can expect a minimum of 8 days of business travel per year to attend two annual organizational retreats and two annual team/department meetings.

Upstream Benefits

Upstream USA offers a comprehensive benefit package including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, long and short term disability, 401K with a match, generous vacation, personal, sick and holiday time off, parental leave, professional development and a fitness and cell phone allowance for all full time employees and part time employees who work a minimum of 24 hours per week.  

Hiring Range

The hiring range for this role is $170,000 to $200,000. Final offers for this position will be based upon several factors including the scope of the role, market compensation analysis, position requirements, candidate’s experience level and capabilities, specific candidate geographic location, internal pay equity considerations and will be made within the parameters of Upstream USA's compensation framework and philosophy.

Hiring Process

Candidates who advance in our preliminary review process will have an opportunity to discuss the position, their employment background and lived experience with a member the Nonprofit HR Executive Search team via Zoom meeting.  Those who advance to subsequent steps in our interview process may participate in up to three rounds of meetings by Zoom or in person and in a thought exercise/case study assignment. Each round could consist of multiple meetings with various Upstreamers.

Upstream Careers

At Upstream, we embrace diversity. We nurture it and we thrive on it because it benefits our organization, our partners, and our community. Our goal is to attract, develop and retain exceptional people, and to create a work environment that is dynamic, rewarding and enables each of us to realize our potential.  Upstream is committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, genetic information, gender identity or Veteran status. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know. Learn more  about working at Upstream, our values, and our commitment to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. Upstream USA participates in E-Verify.

Upstream Headquarters:

2 Oliver Street, Suite 402, Boston, MA 02109

www.upstream.org

No phone calls please.

Be advised that we do not ever conduct hiring interviews via text or email. Please protect yourself by learning more about our hiring practices and common red flags to look out for.