People and Culture Specialist

The human resources (HR) team plays a vital role in identifying, developing, and implementing strategic initiatives and systems that maximize The Strong’s greatest asset—its museum staff, volunteers, and interns. The People and Culture Specialist supports a broad range of HR functions, working closely with the VP of People and Culture to ensure timely and thoughtful responses to all inquiries while upholding The Strong’s guest service values and standards. This position is instrumental in enhancing employee engagement, promoting inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility (IDEA), and driving a positive workplace culture. It requires a strategic, empathetic, and data-driven professional who can effectively collaborate across teams to improve retention, foster a sense of belonging, and ensure alignment with organizational goals.

This is a regular part-time position with a schedule of 25 hours per week.

Essential Duties:

• Assist the VP of People and Culture in designing and implementing a recruitment strategy that aligns with the organization's Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA) principles, ensuring a diverse and inclusive workforce.
• Design and implement programs to improve employee engagement and satisfaction.
• Conduct stay interviews, exit interviews and focus groups to gather actionable feedback and insights.
• Establish and manage recognition initiatives to celebrate employee contributions and foster a positive workplace culture.
• Lead employee engagement surveys, analyze results, and collaborate with leadership to develop and implement action plans.
• Develop and implement strategies to reduce employee turnover and enhance retention.
• Assist the VP of People and Culture in designing and implementing Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) and Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA) committees, and collaborate with these groups to develop impactful, inclusive programs.
• Organize cultural events and workshops that foster belonging, inclusion, and community within the organization.
• Lead the wellness program by collaborating with the HR team to create impactful initiatives.
• Assist in developing and delivering training programs on IDEA, wellness, and other relevant topics to enhance staff awareness and engagement.
• Track and analyze key metrics related to IDEA, retention, and employee engagement to identify trends and inform decision-making.
• Translate data insights into actionable recommendations for leadership and stakeholders.
• Utilize advanced Excel skills and other tools to support HR data analysis, reporting, and strategic planning.
• Research and benchmark HR best practices from other organizations to inform strategy and program development.
• Apply critical thinking skills to identify challenges, develop innovative solutions, and improve HR processes for greater efficiency and impact.
• Stay updated on industry trends and best practices in engagement, retention, and IDEA to ensure the organization remains competitive.
• Attend relevant seminars and conferences to stay current on HR functions and emerging trends.
• Participate in HR team meetings, general staff meetings, and other organizational events as needed.

 Minimum Qualifications:

• Associate degree in business administration, human resources management, or closely related field.
• 3-5 years of professional HR experience. 
• Strong ability to be proactive and excellent follow up skills.
• Ability to quickly and effectively learn the human resource information system (HRIS) ADP, and similar computer applications.
• Strong project management skills and proficiency in survey platforms and HRIS systems.
• Certifications in HR or DEI (e.g., SHRM-CP, PHR, or a DEI-specific certificate) are a plus.
• Integrity: Extensive access to confidential information requires extreme security, sensitivity, and discretion to protect the museum and its employees and volunteers.
• Interpersonal Tact: Frequent contact with individuals within and outside the museum in situations where considerable tact and initiative are needed to impact business results. Excellent listening skills, a high degree of diplomacy and maturity, and the ability to balance empathy and objectivity.
• Organization: Remain highly organized and pay close attention to each detail to ensure all communications and documentation contain appropriate and accurate information. 
• Process Improvement: Pursue and implement more efficient processes to optimize results. Demonstrate resourcefulness and identify ways to better allocate time and resources, where applicable, to improve HR services.
• Collaboration: We work in a team-oriented environment, so it is vital that our employees maintain effective interpersonal relationships. Team members must be good at active listening, conflict management, cooperation, facilitation, negotiation, and be open to feedback.
• Empathy: Demonstrates a strong ability to understand, connect with, and support employees from diverse backgrounds, fostering an inclusive and supportive workplace. Actively listens to concerns, shows cultural sensitivity, and creates solutions that address individual and collective needs, contributing to a positive employee experience.
• Creativity & Innovation: Develops and implements innovative programs and creative solutions that enhance the overall employee experience. Proactively identifies opportunities for improvement, thinks outside the box to address challenges, and introduces impactful initiatives that drive engagement, retention, and organizational growth.
• Communication: Our employees should always communicate and act in a respectful manner when working with others, including those from outside the museum. The ability to handle difficult and stressful situations with professional composure is vital for this position. This job requires the ability to communicate effectively in both oral and written form using the English language.
• Guest Service: All museum employees provide extraordinary service to our guests. People are filled with anticipation when they visit. When they leave, they feel enriched, are glad they came, and look forward to returning. The HR team’s work should contribute to these sentiments every day.
• Problem-Solving: Things don’t always go as planned. Ability to handle situations independently and provide timely solutions.
• Computer Proficiency: This position requires substantial work on a computer, in databases, and with related equipment. A high degree of comfort and proficiency with computer technology and Microsoft Office programs, especially Excel, is important.  The ability to quickly and effectively learn the HRIS (ADP), Adobe Acrobat, and new system