Director, People Transformation

At the Wikimedia Foundation, people are our most important asset. The innovative work of our People department is critical to identifying, developing and supporting the policies, systems and practices of the Foundation to provide a remote work environment and people culture that will advance the Foundation's mission. The Director of People Innovation & Transformation role will work side-by-side with the Chief People Officer, the VP of People Experience, VP of People Growth & Belonging and the Director of Recruiting to develop and implement strategies that impact the Foundation's ways of working while supporting our mission and organization culture.

In this role, you will be driving culturally- and values-aligned HR investments that enable a stellar employee experience and position Wikimedia as an employer of choice in the global nonprofit, technology, and advocacy fields. You will lead a team that is responsible for overseeing a variety of key projects. The Director of People Transformation's scope will include: (1) Leading People Department systems updates and innovations, these systems include but are not limited to: compensation and total rewards, performance management, HR information systems, vendor management and data analytics & reporting. Once systems are developed/ re-freshed, this leader will work closely with People Department peers to drive a seamless transition process for the system into its logical, long-term sub-department home. (2) Representing the People Department in cross-department projects and working groups. Current projects include, but are not limited to: Location Strategy and the Annual Planning Process (APP) and (3) Ensuring efficient cross-departmental collaboration and execution by managing the People department budget.

This position requires an individual who can act as a strategic thinker to the business, build and execute a strong integrated HR strategy, as well as manage and develop cross department relationships to support the socialization and implementation of the policies, processes and initiatives. The ideal candidate must demonstrate a combination of strong business and consulting acumen -- acquired within a large (hundreds of staff), complex (multi-program/initiative), global and geographically dispersed organization -- and a significant human resource functional track record across compensation/benefits, people operations and HRIS, and with the knowledge to guide the development of effective HR strategies, policies and practices.

The role also requires the individual to provide a pragmatic perspective based on business and organizational transformation, active collaboration, agility, and the ability to successfully partner with and advise senior leaders at the Foundation. You will be a forward thinker with the ability to assume responsibility without direct supervision, exercise initiative and judgment, and make decisions within the scope of assigned authority. We need you to take a "roll up your sleeves" approach to day-to-day work, and also act as a strategic advisor to the senior leadership team in furthering the organization's goals. You should definitely pay high attention to detail, be a great multitasker, and quickly adapt to a changing work environment.

Additionally, this role will be a member of the People Leadership Group and, together with the VP People Experience and VP Belonging & Growth, will advise the Chief People Officer on defining the direction of the People department in support of the organizational mission, vision, and values and support internal communications throughout the Foundation and on company-wide organizational development and change initiatives

Please note: This is a fully remote position. The selected candidate must be available to work core hours of 16:00-00:00 UTC to ensure collaboration across teams. The role will also require travel approximately 46 times per year for team gatherings, leadership meetings, or organization-wide events.

Main Responsibilities

Refresh Current Policies and Processes and Innovate New Policies and Processes: Complete an in-depth review of current policies and process; lead a refresh process for those that are identified as in need of change. Anticipate and identify future policy needs and develop policies that support the Foundation's growth and global footprint. Design and implement new HR policies and processes to improve operational efficiency and employee experience.
Performance Management: In collaboration with the VP, People Growth & Belonging and the VP, People Experience, develop and implement performance management processes and systems that align with organizational goals and support employee development.
HRIS Implementation: Oversee the improvements and additions to the implementation of WMF's HR Information Systems (Dayforce) to streamline operations and enhance data management. Investigate, acquire and implement additional HRIS that will "future-proof" the People organization.
People Analytics: Develop and leverage client-facing workforce analytics to support business decisions and track progress against performance expectations. Work with the CPO and department leads to develop strategic, data-based action plans at the department level.
Annual Work Scoping & Budgeting: Lead the annual scoping of the People Department's work as part of the Foundation's Annual Planning Process (APP) to ensure alignment with strategic priorities. Translate strategic priorities into operational reality, leading to the execution of robust plans which yield measurable and sustainable results. Prepare and manage the annual budget and expenses of the People Department in line with the annual work.
Continuous Improvement Projects: Lead and coordinate internal improvement initiatives within the People Team, in collaboration with sub-team leads.
Cross-Department Projects: Serve as the People Team Lead on cross-departmental projects, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and values.
Change Management: Establish and implement change management frameworks and best practices to support the Foundation's need to scale efficiently while maintaining our core values and culture. Create department-wide best practices that can be used by all sub-teams to effectively roll out and implement small and large-scale change
Team Management: Lead, develop and manage the team to deliver on the different initiatives and projects. Support the team's development through ITCs and other managerial channels.

Required Skills and Experience

10+ years of experience in management consulting or project management.
Proven leadership in innovation, strategy design and implementation, with a track record of influencing organizational culture.
Expertise in project management and creating compelling arguments through written and visual aids.
Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills, particularly in mission-driven, global organizations.
Experience coaching and managing multicultural teams.
Ability to balance strategic vision with hands-on programme execution.
Familiarity with learning technology platforms and data-driven approaches to measuring impact.
Strong communication skills, with fluency in English and the ability to craft compelling narratives and build consensus.
Commitment to Wikimedia's values and the free knowledge movement.
Ability and willingness to travel as needed.

Desired Skills and Experience

Familiarity with the free knowledge / open source movement.
Experience working in an async and/or remote-first organization.
Experience in tech and/or not-for-profit organizations.
Experience working across different sociopolitical and cultural contexts.

About the Wikimedia Foundation

The Wikimedia Foundation is the nonprofit organization that operates Wikipedia and the other Wikimedia free knowledge projects. Our vision is a world in which every single human can freely share in the sum of all knowledge. We believe that everyone has the potential to contribute something to our shared knowledge, and that everyone should be able to access that knowledge freely. We host Wikipedia and the Wikimedia projects, build software experiences for reading, contributing, and sharing Wikimedia content, support the volunteer communities and partners who make Wikimedia possible, and advocate for policies that enable Wikimedia and free knowledge to thrive.

The Wikimedia Foundation is a charitable, not-for-profit organization that relies on donations. We receive donations from millions of individuals around the world, with an average donation of about $15. We also receive donations through institutional grants and gifts. The Wikimedia Foundation is a United States 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization with offices in San Francisco, California, USA.

As an equal opportunity employer, the Wikimedia Foundation values having a diverse workforce and continuously strives to maintain an inclusive and equitable workplace. We encourage people with a diverse range of backgrounds to apply. We do not discriminate against any person based upon their race, traits historically associated with race, religion, color, national origin, sex, pregnancy or related medical conditions, parental status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, genetic information, or any other legally protected characteristics.

The Wikimedia Foundation is a remote-first organization with staff members including contractors based in 40+ countries. Salaries at the Wikimedia Foundation are set in a way that is competitive, equitable, and consistent with our values and culture. The anticipated annual pay range of this position for applicants based within the United States is $161,678 to $241,569 with multiple individualized factors, including cost of living in the location, being the determinants of the offered pay. For applicants located outside of the US, the pay range will be

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Director, People Transformation