Director, People and Culture

World Central Kitchen, Inc. (WCK) seeks a talented and committed Director, People and Culture to provide leadership for our entire global team. Part of a growing People team, the successful candidate must be a true expert in people relations and culture building management, experienced in implementing strategic plans that build proactive strategies, solutions, and guidelines that ensure the people's experience and leadership effectiveness are at its peak.

This is an exciting opportunity for an individual with a strong background in people relations, performance, and talent development, who also has experience in supporting teams in challenging, fast-paced, and ever-changing environments. The ideal candidate should have a passion for guiding and leading innovative and socially responsible people practices, alongside excellent communication and interpersonal skills. They will need to oversee sensitive and confidential information with utmost discretion while fostering a positive, high-performance culture. Experience in sectors such as military, emergency response, culinary, humanitarian, or event management, where adaptability and resilience are key, is highly desirable. This role will focus on ensuring that teams are equipped to navigate complex and evolving operational demands.

This new role will report to the Chief People Officer (CPO) and work in concert with the People team and senior leaders across our growing global organization. This role requires a sincere commitment to WCK’s mission and the expertise and empathy to provide effective leadership while promoting and enabling a fair and inclusive workplace.

This position is for a full-time exempt hybrid role, located in Washington DC. The role will require onsite presence at our headquarters office for a minimum of 3 days per week.

Key Duties & Responsibilities: 

• Provide expert-level guidance, advice, and support to People colleagues, executives, and people managers across WCK.
• Foster a culture of inclusion and drive engagement through the design and implementation of innovative and impactful initiatives as a trusted adviser with all levels of leadership in providing continuous training and development regarding how to encourage positive staff interactions and communication.
• Innovate and execute the annual cycle of goal setting, career and development planning, ongoing performance check-ins, and mid-year and year-end performance assessments and our feedback.
• Design and deliver learning and development programs and initiatives, including leadership development programs, to build a pipeline of effective leaders at all levels of the organization, fostering a culture of continuous learning and development.
• Collaborate with leadership to champion organizational change, workforce planning, and succession planning.
• Utilize data-driven insights and analytics to assess talent trends, identify areas for improvement, and make data-informed decisions to optimize talent management programs and processes.
• Champion diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and best practices, integrating DEI principles into all aspects of talent management to foster a diverse and inclusive workplace.
• Lead change management efforts related to talent management initiatives, ensuring effective communication, stakeholder engagement, and organizational readiness for change.

Other Duties: This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive list of activities, duties, or responsibilities for the position. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice. All positions are required to perform any additional tasks assigned by the supervisor.

Requirements

• Minimum of 8-10 years of People experience required in a global organization, demonstrating a track record of progression.
• Proven expertise in successfully establishing and expanding culture-building initiatives globally.
• Demonstrated strong knowledge of global People practices, employment laws, and regulations.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to maintain confidentiality and sensitivity.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to gather and evaluate information from various sources.
• Strategic mindset with the ability to identify global people trends and propose innovative solutions and optimize existing systems.
• Ability to multitask and prioritize in a fast-paced and dynamic environment.
• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Human Resources or a related field. SPHR, SHRM-SCP certified preferred.
• A roll-up-your-sleeves, can-do attitude to do what it takes to get the job done.
• Valid passport and the ability to travel globally at short notice.
• Valid US employme