SENIOR DIRECTOR, HUMAN RESOURCES

Job Summary

The Senior Director of Human Resources serves as the company's senior HR leader and strategic business partner to the Executive Leadership Team. Reporting to the SVP of Operations & Planning, this role is responsible for aligning people strategy with business objectives while leading all aspects of the HR function across Lindblad Expeditions' shoreside and shipboard operations.

This leader will partner closely with executive leadership to guide organizational design, leadership development, succession planning, culture, change management, employee relations, compensation strategy, and talent initiatives that support continued business growth. The ideal candidate combines strategic thinking with a hands-on leadership style and thrives in an environment focused on building the foundational people processes and infrastructure needed to support scalable growth, while coaching and developing leaders to build high-performing teams and a strong organizational culture.

Hybrid Schedule: This position follows a hybrid work model with 3 days per week in office at the listed location and 2 days per week working remotely.

Essential Duties

• Executive Partnership & Business Strategy: strategic advisor to ELT; align people strategy to business objectives; organizational design; workforce planning; challenge and influence leaders.
• Leadership & Organizational Development: executive coaching, succession planning, talent reviews, leadership development, performance management.
• Change Management: lead enterprise change initiatives, communications, adoption, organizational effectiveness.
• Employee Relations & Risk: oversee investigations, partner with Legal, coach leaders, mitigate employment risk.
• HR Operations: compensation, benefits, talent acquisition, compliance, HRIS, policies, SOX, maritime compliance.
• Financial Leadership: Crew wage and expense budgets, workforce planning, organizational cost optimization, KPI reporting.

• Lead compensation and bonus structure strategy for all employees balancing pay competitiveness, internal equity and alignment with business performance.
• Own the design and ongoing optimization of employee benefit programs, balancing cost management with competitive offerings that support recruiting, retention and engagement.
• Develop and foster continued collaborative work with all land-based companies. 

Required Qualifications

• BA/BS degree in Human Resources, Business or related field
• 15+ years progressive HR leadership.
• Executive business partner experience with ELT.
• Organizational design and change management.
• Executive coaching and leadership development.
• Employee relations/investigations.
• Budgeting and workforce planning.
• Experience leading high-performing HR teams.
• Periodic Travel required (approximate 10%)

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting hospitality, travel, cruise, leisure, or other service-intensive organizations.
• Experience working within both entrepreneurial and larger, more complex organizations.
• Experience supporting rapid organizational growth or business transformation.
• Demonstrated career progression with increasing scope and executive responsibility.
• Experience partnering directly with CEOs, Presidents, or Executive Leadership Teams.
• Experience supporting multi-location and/or geographically dispersed workforces.
• Maritime or cruise industry experience preferred.