Job Title: Human Resources Director

Work Type: Full-Time | Exempt

Location: Princeton, NJ, On-Site Five Days

Reports to: CEO

Salary Range: $145K - $160K, plus bonus

Practice Introduction:

Princeton Orthopaedic Associates (POA), a division of OrthoNJ, is a Community of Extraordinary Care professionals serving Central New Jersey since 1974. With 28 physicians, including 18 Orthopaedic surgeons, across 7 office locations, urgent care centers, and surgical center, POA operates as an outcome-focused orthopaedic practice that combines extraordinary talent, advanced techniques, and cutting-edge tools with compassionate service. As part of New Jersey's largest independent orthopaedic group practice, POA physicians work collaboratively to provide personalized, patient-centered care while maintaining the values and autonomy of the private practice model.

Princeton Orthopaedic Associates is built on a foundation of compassion, patient focus, quality, collaboration, honesty, and excellence. We are a community where every team member—regardless of role—is expected to embody these values in their daily work, hold themselves and colleagues accountable to high standards, and speak up when behavior falls short of our expectations. We foster a culture of continuous improvement where feedback is welcomed, mistakes become learning opportunities, and successes are celebrated together.

As a member of our team, you'll be expected to contribute ideas, mentor new colleagues, and actively participate in creating an environment where both patients and staff thrive.

Job Description:

The HR Director serves as a strategic business partner and member of the leadership team, responsible for developing and executing the comprehensive vision for the Human Resources function across the practice's multiple locations. The HR Director provides strategic HR leadership that aligns human capital activities with business objectives guaranteeing consistency in how employees are hired, evaluated, recognized, promoted, and compensated throughout the practice.

The HR Director leads the HR department and oversees all aspects of people management, including employee relations, recruitment, workforce planning, compensation and benefits, and performance management programs that support the practice's growth and commitment to excellence. Key responsibilities include managing the HR budget, developing and maintaining organizational policies through the employee handbook, creating standardized job descriptions and interviewing processes, and implementing unified performance management systems.

This role serves as the authoritative voice to the Board on non-medical workforce matters, managing compensation structures, bonus programs, and promotion decisions to ensure equity across all locations. The HR Director investigates complex employee relations issues, consults with external counsel when appropriate, and provides strategic guidance to the leadership team and board about performance concerns. The HR Director ensures that human capital strategies drive organizational success and maintain the practice's culture of excellence.

Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership & Business Partnership

Create and execute the strategic vision for the HR function aligned with POA's business goals and values.
Serve as a member of the leadership team, actively participating in strategic planning and organizational decision-making that translates into HR strategy and programs that align with business objectives.
Develop long-term workforce planning initiatives (3–5-year planning horizon) to support practice growth and evolution.
Lead organizational design efforts and restructuring initiatives as practice scales.
Drive cultural initiatives that reinforce POA's values of compassion, quality, collaboration, and excellence.

Organizational Consistency & Program Development

Establish and maintain consistency across the organization for how employees are evaluated, promoted, and compensated.
Design and implement a unified performance management program that ensures fairness, transparency, and alignment with organizational goals.
Create equity and consistency in HR practices across all locations and departments.
Establish clear criteria and processes for hiring, promotions, merit increases, and advancement opportunities.
Design and oversee total rewards philosophy and compensation strategy to ensure market competitiveness and internal equity for clinical and administrative functions

Workforce Planning & Talent Strategy

Lead comprehensive workforce planning to forecast staffing needs across clinical and administrative functions.
Analyze workforce demographics, turnover trends, and labor market conditions to inform strategic decisions.
Partner with department leaders to build talent pipelines for future organizational needs.
Develop succession planning programs for key leadership and specialized clinical roles.
Create talent acquisition strategies for hard-to-fill positions (specialized clinical staff, etc.).
Implement retention strategies targeting high-performers and critical roles.

Employee Relations & Organizational Development

Provide strategic oversight and direct involvement in complex employee relations issues.
Conduct or oversee sensitive workplace investigations involving leadership or complex matters.
Advise senior leadership on employee relations risks, conflict resolution, and organizational dynamics.
Develop strategies to enhance employee engagement, satisfaction, and workplace culture.
Design and implement change management initiatives during organizational transitions.
Foster a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and open communication.

HR Operations & Team Leadership

Lead and develop the HR team, including direct supervision of HR Manager.
Establish HR policies, procedures, and best practices that support a compliant and high-performing workplace.
Oversee compliance with federal and state employment laws across all locations.
Manage HR budget and resource allocation.
Ensure effective use of HRIS systems (Paylocity) and HR technology to drive efficiency and data-driven decision-making.
Review and approve HR metrics, analytics, and reporting to leadership.

Performance Management System

Design and implement a unified performance management program that brings consistency to evaluations across the organization.
Establish clear performance standards, competencies, and evaluation criteria for all roles.
Train managers on effective performance conversations, goal setting, and feedback delivery.
Create calibration processes to ensure fairness and reduce bias in performance ratings.
Link performance outcomes to compensation decisions, promotions, and development opportunities.
Implement continuous feedback mechanisms and regular check-ins to supplement annual reviews.

Leadership Development & Training

Develop leadership training programs for physicians, managers and key non-medical team members.
Create learning and development initiatives that build organizational capability.

Experience/ Qualifications:

10+ years of progressive HR leadership experience, with at least 5 years in a strategic HR leadership role.
Proven experience creating and executing HR strategy in growing organizations (200-500 employees).
Deep knowledge of federal and state employment laws (NJ-specific experience required).
Healthcare or medical practice environment experience a preference.
Demonstrated success implementing organization-wide performance management and compensation programs.
Experience managing multi-location workforce across diverse functions.
Strong business acumen with ability to partner effectively with senior leadership.
Proven ability to handle complex employee relations matters with sound judgment.
Experience leading and developing HR teams.
Knowledge of healthcare compliance, credentialing, and regulatory requirements, a plus.
Experience implementing HRIS systems and leveraging HR analytics.

Education/Certification:

Bachelor’s degree in human resources, business administration, organizational development, or related field.
Senior-level HR certification (SHRM-SCP or SPHR), a preference.
Master's degree (MBA, MHRM, or related advanced degree), a plus.
Additional certifications in organizational development, change management, or compensation, a plus.

Competencies:

Strategic Thinking: Ability to create long-term vision and translate it into actionable plans aligned with business objectives.
Executive Presence: Professional credibility and influence as a member of the leadership team.
Business Partnership: Skill in partnering with physicians and practice leaders to achieve organizational goals.
Change Leadership: Proven ability to lead organizational change and navigate complexity.
Systems Thinking: Capability to design consistent, scalable processes across multiple locations.
Communication Excellence: Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, including executive-level presentations.
Analytical Mindset: Strong ability to use data and metrics to drive decisions and demonstrate HR impact.
Emotional Intelligence: High level of interpersonal awareness and ability to navigate sensitive situations.
Integrity & Judgment: Demonstrates sound judgment in handling confidential and complex matters.
Leadership Development: Commitment to developing others and building organizational capability.

Princeton Orthopaedic Associates, P.A.

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