Human Resources Director

New England Conservatory is a cultural center, built on 150 years of innovation, that pushes the boundaries of making and teaching music. NEC is renowned for its dedicated faculty, gifted students, and contributions to the cultural landscape, past, present, and future. NEC educates and trains musicians of all ages from around the world, drawing on the talent and deep reservoir of experience of our distinguished faculty.

At NEC, music is both tradition and transformation. Our community includes world-class faculty, passionate staff, and extraordinary students who believe in the power of music to shape lives, challenge perspectives, and strengthen communities. We are mission-driven, collaborative, and committed to creating an environment where creativity, belonging, and excellence thrive together.

Position Summary

The Director of Human Resources serves as a strategic and operational partner to leaders, faculty, and staff across NEC. Working closely with the CHRO, this role leads core people initiatives including employee relations, leadership coaching, talent acquisition strategy, talent development, and compensation consultation.

This leader is a visible and trusted resource who brings strong people instincts, sound judgment, compliance expertise, and operational follow-through. The Director helps NEC strengthen a respectful, inclusive workplace while supporting leaders in building high-performing teams aligned with NEC’s mission and culture.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership & Management Coaching

• Build trusted partnerships with leaders, faculty leadership, and managers
  
  

• Coach leaders on organizational development, team effectiveness, and leadership capability
  
  

• Support leaders in navigating complex people situations
  
  

Talent Acquisition & Employer Brand

• Partner with HR Operations to strengthen and modernize hiring processes and tools
  
  

• Support managers in equitable, effective hiring practices
  
  

• Advance NEC’s talent brand to attract high-quality, mission-aligned candidates
  
  

• Strengthen NEC’s presence across job boards and candidate platforms
  
  

Talent Management & Development

• Identify development needs across emerging and high-potential talent
  
  

• Design and implement learning and development programs supporting individual and organizational growth
  
  

• Build sustainable development processes that balance equitable access with personalized growth pathways
  
  

Employee Relations & Workplace Practices

• Lead NEC’s employee relations strategy and day-to-day workplace practices
  
  

• Coach managers through performance management and workplace concerns
  
  

• Support employees through consultation and resolution of workplace issues
  
  

• Ensure compliance with employment laws and institutional policies
  
  

• Promote respectful workplace practices across faculty, staff, and administrative populations
  
  

Compensation & Pay Transparency

• Partner with the CHRO, HR Operations, and Finance to apply compensation frameworks
  
  

• Consult with managers on pay decisions and compensation strategy
  
  

• Support employee understanding of compensation practices
  
  

• Contribute to pay transparency communication strategies
  
  

Leadership & Interpersonal Style

• Collaborative, approachable, and consistent across all levels
  
  

• Makes decisions grounded in facts, fairness, and values
  
  

• Exercises strong judgment in complex or high-pressure situations
  
  

• Strong listener who partners effectively with senior faculty and administrative leadership
  
  

• Balances strategic thinking with execution and follow-through
  
  

• Operates with trust, integrity, and a fundamental belief in people
  
  

Experience & Background

• 5+ years of progressive HR leadership experience, typically at the Director level or senior HR Business Partner equivalent
  
  

• Strong expertise in employee relations and leadership coaching
  
  

• Experience in complex, multi-stakeholder environments; higher education, arts, or mission-driven nonprofit experience preferred
  
  

• Foundational knowledge of compensation practices and talent development strategy

• Demonstrated ability to influence without authority and work across diverse populations

NEC is an Equal Opportunity Employer that recruits and hires qualified candidates without regard to race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, disability, or veteran status.

Annual Clery Report

In accordance with the federal Clery and Campus SaVE Acts, New England Conservatory of Music (NEC) commits to providing all current and prospective students and employees with access to the annual Campus Security and Fire Safety Report. This report will provide the reader with a record of statistics regarding crimes that were reported in the NEC community during the previous three years as well as College policies and procedures, in compliance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act. This report may be accessed here. A paper copy can be requested by contacting NEC's Director of Public Safety at 290 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02115.