Director of HR & Operations

Application Timeline: Rolling, position open until filled

Location: Remote

Reports to: CFO

Direct reports: 1

Employment Status: Full time

Salary: $114,000 - $150,000, depending on experience

Preferred Start Date: As soon as possible; priority application deadline Friday 7/19

About Blue Forest

Blue Forest is a conservation finance non-profit whose mission is to accelerate the pace and scale of ecological restoration. Since 2018, Blue Forest has managed investor capital through its flagship financial product, the Forest Resilience Bond (FRB), which deploys private capital to finance forest restoration projects on private and public lands to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires. More recently, Blue Forest has also established Blue Forest Asset Management (BFAM), an investment management platform connecting investors to compelling, mission-aligned opportunities in a broader set of asset classes beyond FRB projects, such as private equity and private credit investments.

Blue Forest is an interdisciplinary team of scientists, engineers, foresters, finance and communications professionals. We are harnessing financial innovation and building partnerships with investors, non-profits, private companies, and the public sector to design sustainable solutions to systemic climate resilience challenges faced by vulnerable communities and ecosystems. As we grow and develop new financial solutions to pressing environmental problems, we are committed to promoting social equity and amplifying historically excluded voices in the burgeoning field of conservation finance.

Position Summary

The Director of HR & Operations’s principal responsibilities are leading the HR administration, hiring, performance management, and IT functions at Blue Forest. Primary goals of this position include the following: (1) serve as an internal subject matter expert and advisor to Blue Forest’s Executive team and people managers on all things related to HR and personnel; (2) continuously improve Blue Forest’s operations policies, practices, and systems to support the company’s growth and programmatic effectiveness while also meeting the significant compliance requirements of a multi-state, federally-funded 501(c)(3) organization; and (3) oversee deployment and configuration of the foundational software tools that enable Blue Forest’s remote work environment. 

Responsibilities & Duties

HR Administration & Compliance (35%)

• Oversee all elements of human resources administration and compliance, including policies & procedures, employee and consultant information, benefits, and time & attendance

• Maintain HR documentation and employee information system (currently Gusto)

• Manage Blue Forest’s employee benefits program, including ownership of benefits policies (e.g. Employee Handbook) and ownership of relationship with third-party benefits broker

• Maintain business registrations and state tax accounts in US states where Blue Forest operates

• Design and implement employee HR training programs

• Co-own time & attendance system (currently ClickTime) with Accounting, and administer time-related policies (e.g. leaves of absence) and support resource planning

• Create and document HR compliance policies, including with respect to the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Title 2

Hiring, Recruiting, & Professional Development (20%)

• Lead recruiting and hiring functions, utilizing software platform via recruitee

• Oversee and continuously improve staff onboarding and offboarding

• Partner with the Executive Team to develop and implement professional development initiatives across the company and individual teams

• Manage Blue Forest’s presence in talent sourcing and recruiting channels, such as internship programs, colleges/universities, and job boards

• With support from Head of Talent & Equity, oversee DEI and culture-focused initiatives

Performance Management & Employee Relations (20%)

• Drive Blue Forest’s strategy for performance management; own the quarterly cycle and software application (currently Lattice) for staff reviews

• Implement and strengthen the company’s employee leveling framework and system for role expectations

• Serve as HR advisor to Executive Team; facilitate performance-related discussions (internally and with the involvement of third-party advisors, as relevant)

• Mediate conflict, respond to complaints, and perform other employee relations functions in accordance with Blue Forest policies

• Oversee Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) implementation 

IT & Administration (20%)

• Oversee deployment and configuration of core company software in a remote work environment (e.g. Google Suite, Zoom, Slack), including management of third-party IT service providers as relevant

• Manage IT onboarding and offboarding, software and hardware

• Coordinate third-party service provision of website hosting, information security, and other IT functions

• Own knowledge management platform (currently Slab)

• Manage virtual mailbox

Other (5%)

• Assist Blue Forest department leaders with strategic software selection and deployment

• Identify and lead other miscellaneous cross-functional projects