Director of Employee Engagement

ORGANIZATION OVERVIEW

Founded in 1980, Urban Resource Institute (URI) is the nation’s largest provider of domestic violence shelter and support services and a leading provider of housing and services for families experiencing homelessness. Across 24 shelters in New York City, URI provides safe housing for nearly 4,000 individuals and their pets every night and serves more than 40,000 people annually.

URI’s work is grounded in survivor-centered, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive care. In addition to emergency and transitional housing, URI delivers a robust continuum of Justice Initiatives—including economic empowerment, legal education and advocacy, prevention and youth programming, and abusive partner intervention—designed to break cycles of violence, instability, and poverty. URI also develops permanent affordable and supportive housing, advancing long-term pathways to safety, healing, and stability for families and communities.

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Director of Employee Engagement is a leader within People & Culture responsible for advancing a high-performing, inclusive, and mission-driven workplace culture across a complex human services organization.

This hybrid role leads enterprise-wide strategies that strengthen employee engagement, belonging, recognition, retention, and workforce wellbeing—particularly within high-demand, frontline, and trauma-exposed environments. The Director partners closely with program leadership, HR Business Partners, Learning & Development, and executive leadership to ensure that engagement strategies align with our mission, values, and Organization of Choice goals.

Salary: $85,000 – $90,000

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Engagement Strategy & Culture Leadership

• Design and implement a comprehensive employee engagement strategy tailored to a human services workforce, including frontline, residential, clinical, and administrative staff.
• Lead and evolve the organization’s Rewards & Recognition program to reinforce mission alignment, performance excellence, and lived values.
• Strengthen systems that foster belonging, equity, and inclusion across all levels of the organization.
• Support the integration of equity-informed and trauma-informed practices into recruitment, onboarding, supervision, development, and retention efforts.

Workforce Wellbeing & Retention

• Partner with program leadership to address workforce challenges common to human services settings, including secondary trauma, compassion fatigue, turnover, and staffing shortages.
• Develop initiatives that support employee wellbeing, resilience, and work-life sustainability.
• Collaborate with Learning and HRBPs to ensure engagement strategies complement compliance, labor relations, and regulatory requirements.

Employee Voice & Feedback Systems

• Lead employee engagement surveys, pulse checks, listening sessions, and feedback mechanisms including annual Employee Engagement Survey.
• Ensure frontline voices are meaningfully included in organizational decision-making.
• Partner with leadership to translate survey results into action plans with clear accountability.
• Monitor Employee Resource Group (ERG) effectiveness and ensure alignment with organizational priorities and equity goals.

Metrics, Reporting & Accountability

• Develop and monitor Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
• Analyze workforce data to identify trends across sites, programs, and roles.
• Provide quarterly reports and actionable recommendations to executive leadership.

Cross-Functional & External Partnership

• Partner with Learning & Development, HRBPs, Talent Acquisition, Finance, Communications, and Program Leadership to ensure alignment of engagement initiatives.
• Align engagement initiatives with organizational compliance and accreditation standards where applicable.

SPECIFICATIONS FOR EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS/LICENSES

• Bachelor’s degree in human resources, organizational development, social work, public administration, or related field.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

• Minimum 5 years of progressive experience in employee engagement, organizational development, DEIB, or employee relations within a human services, nonprofit, healthcare, or mission-driven organization.
• Proven success designing data-driven engagement strategies that improve retention and culture outcomes.
• Excellent analytical, facilitation, and communication skills.
• Ability to influence senior leaders and drive change across complex systems.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite.

SPECIFICATIONS FOR PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Will be required to sit for long periods.
• Will be required to read information on computer screen.
• Will be required to use computer keyboard and mouse.
• Will be required to look at computer screen for long periods of time.
• May occasionally have to lift up to 10 pounds.
• Will be required to occasionally travel to program sites within New York City (Bronx, Harlem, Queens & Brooklyn).
• May be required to work some evenings and weekends.