Barnes & Noble is the leading book retailer in the United States, with roots dating back to 1873 and a long history of growth through innovation and expansion. Today, under CEO James Daunt and private ownership by Elliott Advisors, Barnes & Noble operates approximately 700 bookstores nationwide, serves over 700 communities across all 50 states, and maintains a robust digital presence through BN.com, NOOK® eBooks and audiobooks, and educational resources such as SparkNotes. The company also includes complementary retail brands such as Paper Source, Books Inc., Tattered Cover, and B. Dalton, further strengthening its market reach. Following a period of revitalization, Barnes & Noble is experiencing strong momentum, with plans to open approximately 60 new stores in 2026, underscoring renewed confidence in physical retail and local bookselling. Combining expansive store networks, curated selections, enhanced in-store experiences, and growing omnichannel capabilities, Barnes & Noble remains the #1 bookseller in the U.S. and a trusted, evolving partner within the publishing and retail ecosystem.
As a Director of Human Resources, you will support the development and execution of the Company’s HR strategy and key initiatives, with primary responsibility for the NYC Home Office population and additional support for teams located across multiple locations. Reporting to the Vice President of Human Resources, the Director will be a trusted advisor to senior leaders across the organization. This role combines strategic partnership with hands-on execution, translating business priorities into practical and effective people solutions. You will operate as a proactive advisor to the leadership team, identifying and communicating issues, trends, organizational risks, while partnering with leaders and the broader HR team to develop thoughtful and effective solutions.
In this role, you will provide leadership across employee relations, performance management, talent development, organizational effectiveness, succession planning and talent acquisition. You will also partner with other members of the HR team and leaders throughout the organization on select field and store-related matters.
What You Do:
- Serve as a strategic thought partner to the VP of HR and collaborate with leaders across the organization to understand business priorities and develop HR strategies that support organizational goals.
- Build strong relationships with senior leaders and provide proactive counsel on organizational effectiveness, talent, employee relations, and leadership capability.
- Lead organizational and talent review discussions with leaders, assessing team capabilities, organizational structure, leadership needs, talent risks, and development opportunities to ensure teams are positioned for success.
- Provide strategic day-to-day HR leadership for designated Home Office functions across locations with a focus on succession planning, leadership development, performance management and employee relations.
- Partner with leaders to develop proactive succession plans and build a strong pipeline of talent for critical and future roles. Promote internal mobility by identifying high-performing and high potential employees and creating meaningful opportunities for continued growth and development.
- Partner with Learning & Development team to identify organizational and individual development needs and implement programs that strengthen leadership capability, and employee skills.
- Oversee recruitment, onboarding and retention strategies for designated functions and positions. Conduct full-cycle recruitment for key roles and partner with hiring managers to develop effective sourcing, selection, interviewing and onboarding strategies.
- Coach hiring managers throughout the recruitment and onboarding process, ensuring a thoughtful, consistent, and effective candidate and new-hire experience.
- Provide guidance and counsel on employee relations matters. Guide leaders toward appropriate resolutions while promoting consistency, fairness, and alignment with Company policies and practices.
- Identify emerging employee relations themes and workplace trends and partner with leaders and the HR team to develop proactive solutions, programs and practices that strengthen employee engagement, recognition and retention.
- Take an active role in shaping the Home Office employee experience by listening to employees, identifying opportunities to strengthen connection and engagement, and bringing forward creative, practical ideas that encourage collaboration.
- Analyze exit interview data and other employee feedback to identify trends, communicate areas of concern, and develop targeted strategies to address recurring themes and improve retention.
- Support the implementation and rollout of the new Dayforce system, partnering with the HR team and other stakeholders on project activities as needed. This may include system testing, process review and design, data validation, training support and other implementation activities to help ensure a successful rollout and adoption of the new platform.
- Work as part of a task force team to develop and maintain HR policies including but not limited to the Employee Handbook.
Knowledge and Experience:
- Sound understanding of all HR and people processes.
- Makes thoughtful and correct decisions.
- Influence others resulting in appropriate action and decisions.
- Communicate effectively and comfortably across all levels of the business both internally and externally in support of strategies and delivering expected results.
- Build collaborative working relationships across all levels of the business both internally and externally.
- Can understand and empathize.
- Can deliver honest and constructive feedback.
- Demonstrated ability to thrive in a hands-on, fast-paced and evolving environment, with a willingly to move seamlessly between strategic thinking and day-to-day execution.
- Strong judgment, discretion, and the ability to handle highly sensitive and confidential matters appropriately.
- Knowledge of federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations with the ability to apply sound judgment to complex employment matters.
- Experience with HR technology and HCM systems required; experience with Dayforce is a plus.
- 10+ years of progressive Human Resources experience, including experience in senior HR leadership, HR Business Partner, or similar role supporting senior leaders and complex organizations.
- Bachelor’s degree.
Expected Behaviors:
- Genuine passion to deliver better bookshops through our people.
- Understand the business goals and how they apply to each area.
- Customer service focused and passionate about the employee experience.
- Can coach and influence others to achieve potential.
- Comfortable with ambiguity and makes excellent people decisions.
- Ability to negotiate and has a high level of empathy for both sides of a discussion.
- Ability to diffuse tense situations and remain calm under pressure.
- Anticipates issues and is a problem solver.
- Collaborative and considerate.
- Results driven.
- Adaptable, positive, and proactive.
- Reactive and balanced.
- Discrete and unbiased.
- Is learning agile.
An employee in this position can expect an annual starting rate between $170,000 - $200,000 depending on experience, seniority, geographic locations, and other factors permitted by law.
Benefits for those who are scheduled to work less than 20 hours per week include Employee Discount, EAP and Sick Pay. For those scheduled to work between 20 and 29.99 benefits include Employee Discount, EAP, Sick Pay and Paid Time Off including paid Maternity and Parental Leave, Company Paid Holidays, Transit and 401(k) with Company Match. For those scheduled to work 30 hours or more benefits include Employee Discount, EAP, Sick Pay and Paid Time Off including paid Maternity and Parental Leave, Company Paid Holidays, 401(k) with Company Match, Comprehensive Health Benefits (Medical, Dental and Vision), Healthcare and Dependent Care Spending Accounts, Healthcare Spending Account, Disability Benefits, Life Insurance, Transit, and Tuition Reimbursement. All benefits provided are in accordance with the terms of the current plan and may be subject to future change. Benefit may vary depending on location/state regulations. More information can be received by the recruiter or Human Resources.
