Director of People & Talent - Human Resources
Lead how Kalispel Tribal Economic Authority attracts, engages, and rewards its workforce, reporting to the Executive Director of Human Resources. Full job description below.
Summary of Functions
The Director of People & Talent leads the enterprise talent lifecycle and team member experience for the Kalispel Tribal Economic Authority. They organize how KTEA attracts, supports, engages, and rewards its workforce across all business units. The role owns talent acquisition and workforce planning, HR business partnering and generalist support, team member relations and engagement, and compensation strategy, translating KTEA's people strategy into consistent, compliant, business-aligned execution. Partnering with the Executive Director of Human Resources and operational leaders, the Director advances the shift of HR from problem-solving to leader coaching.
As one of two Human Resources pillar leaders, the Director of People & Talent is accountable for the workforce KTEA builds, the experience it delivers, and the pay strategy that sustains it, while the Director of Human Resources Strategy & Development owns talent development, benefits, and risk. Success is measured by the quality and speed of hiring, manager and team member experience and engagement, consistent and defensible employee relations, and a compensation structure that is competitive and equitable.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Talent Acquisition & Workforce Planning
- Direct enterprise talent acquisition strategy across KTEA business units, ensuring hiring meets workforce needs, timelines, and the Tribe's Indian Preference commitments.
- Partner with operational leaders on workforce planning, pipeline development, and hiring-manager effectiveness.
- Advance a lean, generalist-forward staffing model, reducing reliance on specialized roles while maintaining sourcing capability sized to demand.
- Monitor time-to-fill, quality-of-hire, and retention signals, focusing recruiting effort where it most affects the business.
- Partner with and provide functional HR support to Kalispel Tribal Government (KTI) HR, respecting the distinct KTEA and KTI entities.
HR Business Partnering & Generalist Support
- Lead HR business partnering and generalist support for KTEA business units, providing consistent, business-aligned HR guidance.
- Operationalize the shift of HR from problem-solving to leader coaching, building manager capability and accountability so people issues resolve close to the business.
- Ensure HR practices, policies, and decisions are applied consistently and equitably across properties.
- Serve as a senior escalation point for complex people matters, engaging the Executive Director of Human Resources and counsel when warranted.
Team Member Relations & Engagement
- Own the enterprise team member relations function — conduct, grievances, investigations, and corrective action — ensuring fair, timely, and well-documented outcomes.
- Ensure employee-relations practices align with KTEA policy, tribal sovereignty, and the standards the organization elects to follow.
- Coach leaders on performance and conduct management, escalating higher-risk matters appropriately.
- Support and partner on team member engagement and experience efforts that strengthen culture and retention, with scope to take on broader engagement ownership as that function develops.
Compensation Strategy
- Own KTEA compensation strategy — pay structure, ranges, and market competitiveness — in partnership with the KTEA Workforce Level Architecture.
- Lead the compensation cycle, pay-equity review, and salary and offer decision guidance for the enterprise.
- Partner with HR Systems for compensation configuration, data, and reporting; analytics execution resides in HR Systems.
- Ensure compensation decisions are consistent, defensible, and aligned to fiscal guidelines and governance.
Talent Management & Internal Mobility
- Lead talent management and internal mobility processes that strengthen retention and career movement across KTEA.
- Partner with the Director of Human Resources Strategy & Development to connect acquisition and mobility with development and succession.
- Support role clarity and workforce architecture in partnership with HR leadership.
- Champion KTEA's commitment to tribal member employment and advancement within talent processes.
Supervisory Responsibilities
- Directs the People & Talent function — talent acquisition, HR business partnering, team member relations and engagement, and compensation strategy — leading its staff directly and through subordinate managers and supervisors. Team structure and direct reports are established and adjusted based on business needs.
- Holds full people-management authority for the function: hiring and selection, work assignment, performance evaluation, and corrective action up to and including recommendation for termination.
- Prepares and manages the function's operating budget and labor costs.
- Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with KTEA policy and applicable law.
Education
Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field required; advanced degree preferred.
Experience
- Eight (8) to ten (10) years of progressive Human Resources experience, including at least three (3) to five (5) years in a leadership role.
- Demonstrated breadth across talent acquisition, employee relations, and compensation.
- Experience leading HR in a multi-unit or enterprise environment; hospitality, gaming, or tribal enterprise experience preferred.
- Experience building or leading an HR business partner / generalist model preferred.
- Professional certification (SHRM-CP/SCP or HRCI PHR/SPHR; a compensation credential such as CCP a plus) strongly preferred.
Skills & Abilities
- Strategic HR leadership across talent acquisition, employee relations, engagement, and compensation, with the ability to align people strategy to business goals.
- Strong employee-relations judgment, including investigations, corrective action, and appropriate risk escalation.
- Knowledge of compensation acumen — pay structure, market benchmarking, pay equity, and job/workforce architecture.
- Proven ability to build manager capability and move issue resolution from HR to leaders (coaching model).
- Sound knowledge of employment practices and the standards the organization elects to follow, and of tribal and gaming employment context.
- Excellent communication, influence, and change management skills across all levels of the organization.
- Proficiency using HRIS/HCM data (e.g., Dayforce) to inform talent, engagement, and compensation decisions.
- Ability to lead through subordinate managers and manage competing priorities across a multi-unit enterprise.
Other Requirements
- Ability to obtain and maintain Tribal Gaming License
- Ability to work nights, weekends, and holidays when required by business needs
- Ability to maintain consistent, regular attendance
- Valid driver’s license and insurability if operating a Tribal vehicle
Physical Demands
The physical demands described below are representative of those required to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made in accordance with applicable law.
- Frequently requires sitting for extended periods while performing computer-based work.
- Constantly requires use of hands and fingers for typing, data entry, and operating standard office equipment.
- Requires close vision and the ability to adjust focus when reviewing detailed data, reports, and documents.
- Occasionally requires standing and walking within office and operational areas.
- Occasionally requires reaching, bending, or carrying light materials up to 15 pounds.
Work Environment
The work environment characteristics described below are representative of those encountered while performing the essential functions of this position.
- Primary work is performed in a professional office environment with frequent computer-based work.
- Occasional presence in casino, hotel, golf, retail, and other operational environments.
- Exposure to environmental conditions typical of gaming and hospitality settings, including secondhand smoke, moderate to high noise levels, and large crowds.
Travel Requirements
Occasional local travel between Tribal and enterprise locations. Infrequent out-of-state travel may be required for professional development, conferences, or training, typical duration generally less than a week.
Hiring Preference
The Kalispel Tribe of Indians is an Equal opportunity employer. Consistent with federal law, the Kalispel Tribe of Indians applies Indian preference in employment. It is the policy of the Kalispel Tribe of Indians to give preference in hiring, promotions, and transfers into vacant positions to qualified applicants in the following order: 1) Kalispel Tribal Members; 2) Spouses of an enrolled Kalispel Tribal Member; 3) enrolled members of other Indian Tribes; 4) all other applicants.
General Sign-off & Disclaimers
The employee is expected to adhere to all company policies.
At-Will Employment: Employment with the Kalispel Tribe of Indians is at-will and can be terminated with or without cause, and with or without notice, at any time, either at the option of the employee or the Kalispel Tribe of Indians.
Drug Testing: The Kalispel Tribe of Indians is a drug free workplace. All applicants are subject to drug testing at the time of hire and at unannounced times during employment.
Background Investigation: All candidates and employees may be subject to a background investigation.
The duties and responsibilities described in this job description are intended to represent the general nature and level of work performed. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, or skills required.
Responsibilities may be modified, expanded, or reassigned based on business needs, organizational changes, regulatory requirements, or direction from leadership.
Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.
