Director, Talent & Culture

At the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, we first listen to the communities we serve, tap into our learnings and relationships, and bring everyone together to build and support programs that improve education, boost entrepreneurship, and help Kansas City thrive.

Director, Talent & Culture

The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation is a private, nonpartisan foundation that provides access to opportunities that help people achieve financial stability, upward mobility, and economic prosperity – regardless of race, gender, or geography. The Foundation uses its grantmaking, research, programs, affiliates, and initiatives to support the start and growth of new businesses, a more prepared workforce, and stronger communities. Our work is grounded in the principles of racial equity, diversity, and inclusion and is consistent with the aspirations of our founder, Ewing Marion Kauffman.

Based in Kansas City, Missouri, the Kauffman Foundation is one of the largest foundations in the United States with an asset base of approximately $3 billion. While striving to have national impact and global reach, the Foundation is deeply committed to Kansas City, as evidenced by work on initiatives that reach into neighborhoods and enrich the community and quality of life in the region. For more information about the Foundation, please visit the website at www.kauffman.org.

The Director, Talent & Culture is a strategic Talent and Culture (T&C) leader responsible for providing oversight and direction for the organization's Benefits and Wellness, Talent Acquisition, and Employee Relations functions. Reporting directly to the Chief People Officer (CPO), this role partners closely with leadership to execute people strategies that support organizational goals while ensuring compliance with applicable employment laws and benefit regulations.

The Director, Talent & Culture serves as a collaborative business partner, providing expertise in benefits administration, retirement plans, employee relations, talent acquisition, compliance, and T&C operations. This position also leads cross-functional T&C initiatives, develops meaningful workforce metrics and reporting, and drives continuous improvement of T&C processes and programs. Ideal candidate will know how to lead, follow, execute and oversee.

Essential Responsibilities

Strategic T&C Partnership

• Partner with the Chief People Officer to execute the organization's people strategy and T&C priorities.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to leaders on T&C matters, balancing employee needs with organizational objectives.
• Lead and manage special T&C projects and strategic initiatives that improve employee experience and organizational effectiveness.
• Identify opportunities to improve T&C policies, processes, and service delivery through continuous improvement and data-driven decision-making.
• Serve as a strategic partner to the Chief People Officer by proactively communicating progress, emerging issues, risks, and opportunities within assigned functional areas. Provide timely reporting, data-driven insights, and recommendations that enable informed decision-making and ensure the Chief People Officer is fully prepared for executive leadership, Board, and other strategic discussions.

 

Benefits, Wellness & Retirement Administration

• Provide strategic oversight of all employee benefit programs, including medical, dental, vision, disability, life insurance,  wellness initiatives, and retirement plans.
• Ensure compliance with all applicable federal and state regulations, including ERISA, COBRA, ACA, HIPAA, Section 125, FMLA, and other employee benefit requirements.
• Partner with brokers, vendors, and third-party administrators to optimize benefit offerings, employee experience, and cost management.
• Oversee annual open enrollment planning and execution.
• Evaluate benefit utilization, market trends, and employee feedback to recommend enhancements to benefit and wellness programs.
• Oversee retirement plan administration and collaborate with fiduciary partners to ensure regulatory compliance and sound governance.

 

Talent Acquisition

• Provide leadership and oversight for talent acquisition strategies, ensuring effective recruitment processes that attract diverse, high-quality talent.
• Partner with hiring managers and T&C staff to improve recruitment effectiveness, candidate experience, and time-to-fill metrics.
• Monitor recruiting metrics and workforce trends to support workforce planning.
• Ensure recruiting practices comply with employment laws and organizational policies.

 

Employee Relations

• Provide advisory support for employee relations matters, policy interpretation, and conflict resolution.
• Ensure consistent application of employment policies and practices across the organization.
• Coach managers on employee relations best practices and effective leadership approaches.
• Partner with legal counsel and executive leadership as appropriate on complex employment matters.

 

Compliance & T&C Operations

• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations.
• Develop, maintain, and monitor T&C policies and procedures.
• Oversee T&C audits, reporting, and documentation to ensure compliance and operational excellence.
• Identify organizational risks and recommend proactive solutions.

 

T&C Analytics & Reporting

• Develop and maintain T&C dashboards and key performance indicators (KPIs) to support strategic decision-making.
• Analyze workforce trends and provide actionable recommendations to the Chief People Officer.
• Ensure accurate reporting and data integrity within T&C systems.

 

T&C Leadership & Team Development

• Provide leadership, direction, and supervision to assigned T&C staff, fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, continuous learning, and exceptional customer service.
• Coach, mentor, and develop team members by establishing clear performance expectations, providing ongoing feedback, conducting regular performance evaluations, and supporting professional growth and career development.
• Promote accountability by monitoring individual and team performance, ensuring work is completed accurately, efficiently, and in alignment with organizational goals and service standards.
• Delegate responsibilities appropriately while empowering staff to make informed decisions and continuously improve processes.
• Build a high-performing T&C team through effective hiring, onboarding, training, succession planning, and talent development.
• Foster an inclusive and positive team environment that encourages innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Ensure consistency in T&C practices, compliance with policies and procedures, and adherence to legal and regulatory requirements across all assigned functional areas.
• Share organizational updates, remove barriers to success, and strengthen cross-functional collaboration.
• Partner with the Chief People Officer to assess organizational needs and align team resources, priorities, and capabilities to effectively support the organization's strategic objectives.

 

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field.
• 10 or more years of progressively responsible Human Resources experience and,
• At least 5 years of HR leadership experience.
• Demonstrated expertise in employee benefits administration, retirement plans, and HR compliance.
• Strong working knowledge of talent acquisition, talent management and employee relations practices.
• Experience managing complex HR projects and organizational initiatives.
• Strong analytical skills with experience developing HR metrics, dashboards, and reports.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and collaboration skills.
• Ability to influence and build strong partnerships across all organizational levels.

 

Preferred

• Master's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field.
• Experience with HRIS reporting and workforce analytics tools.

 

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Extensive knowledge of employment laws and HR compliance requirements.
• Expertise in benefits administration and retirement plan governance.
• Strong project management and organizational skills.
• Excellent problem-solving and critical thinking abilities.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound judgment.
• Skilled at balancing strategic priorities with operational execution.
• Demonstrated ability to lead through influence and foster collaboration.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office and HR information systems.
• Strong presentation and executive communication skills.

 

Leadership Competencies

• Strategic Thinking
• Collaboration and Relationship Building
• Business Acumen
• Integrity and Ethical Judgment
• Data-Driven Decision Making
• Continuous Improvement
• Accountability
• Change Leadership
• Customer Service Orientation

 

Success Measures

Success in this role will be demonstrated through:

• High levels of benefits compliance and operational excellence.
• Effective execution of HR strategic initiatives.
• Strong employee relations outcomes and consistent policy application.
• Efficient and compliant talent acquisition processes.
• Accurate HR reporting and actionable workforce analytics.
• Strong partnerships with leaders across the organization.
• Continuous improvement of HR programs and employee experience.

NON-DISCRIMINATION

The EMKF provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, or any other protected category under applicable law.

TO APPLY

Interested applicants can apply for this position by submitting a cover letter and resume. Job posting will be removed at 5:00 pm CT on November 6, 2026.

Please note that this role is Kansas City, MO based and associates must reside in the Kansas City metropolitan area.

** The Kauffman Foundation is partnering with Bell Oaks Executive Search Firm for this role. Please contact Cynthia Moreland with questions regarding this search. **