Imperative Recruiting is a 3rd-party recruiting agency working on behalf of Cortex:

POSITION SUMMARY

Cortex believes that to meet its mission of accelerating inclusive economic growth in St. Louis, our team must be committed to working through our organizational values, continuously learning and supporting one another. As we continue to grow, we are seeking a dynamic and experienced Vice President of Organizational Effectiveness to join our leadership team and drive our human resources and organizational development initiatives. This new position is a full-time, salaried position with benefits.

The Vice President of Organizational Effectiveness will lead and manage all aspects of human resources and organizational culture and effectiveness. This role will be instrumental in shaping the work environment, building on a strong foundation of employee engagement, and ensuring we have the correct systems and evaluation strategies to implement our strategic plan. The ideal candidate will be a dynamic strategic thinker with a passion for people, is in full alignment with accelerating inclusive economic growth in St Louis and demonstrates the ability to foster an inclusive and innovative workplace that ensures all employees can succeed in their roles.

Since 2021, Cortex has significantly transformed its approach and systems related to human resources; organizational diversity, inclusion and equity; professional development; internal technology and evaluation. While those systems have been built, or are in the process of being built, Cortex is looking for someone who can formalize a human resources function while ensuring the full integration of all systems necessary to support the team.

ABOUT CORTEX

Cortex is a vibrant space serving as an inclusive economic engine for St. Louis. Cortex creates equitable economic impacts by leveraging high-quality facilities, developing programs that build knowledge and networks, and convening strategic partnerships that attract and support emerging and established companies. Founded in 2002 through a collaboration of Washington University in St. Louis, BJC HealthCare, the University of Missouri – St. Louis, Saint Louis University, and the Missouri Botanical Garden, the Cortex Innovation District (CortexSTL.org) is an internationally recognized hub of innovation and entrepreneurship with a mission to accelerate inclusive economic growth in the St. Louis region. Cortex’s current 5-year strategic plan can be found here.

ORGANIZATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS

• Reports to: Senior Vice President, Equitable Economic Impact

• Supervises: (1) Team Capacity Manager, (2) Strategic Initiatives Manager, and (3) Executive Assistant

• Collaborates with: All staff; Cortex Board of Directors; Inclusion Committee of the Board; Consultants

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES

• Strategic Leadership

• Develop and implement HR strategies aligned with Cortex’s mission and goals.

• Provide direction to organizational capacity building work, including evaluation, internal work management tools, and others.

• Ensure the integration of systems and processes to streamline employee experiences.

• HR Operations and Talent Management

• Provide leadership and guidance on all aspects of human resources, including talent acquisition, retention, development, and succession planning.

• Ensure compliance with all federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations.

• Oversee compensation and benefits programs, ensuring they are competitive, equitable, and aligned with the organization's goals.

• Manage employee relations and provide guidance on conflict resolution and disciplinary actions.

• Enhance existing performance management systems and professional development programs.

• Provide coaching and support to managers and leaders to improve their effectiveness.

• Culture and Employee Engagement

• Foster a positive and inclusive organizational culture that reflects our Values in Action statement.

• Enhance employee engagement, satisfaction, productivity, and retention through internal programs and initiatives.

• Lead efforts to build internal capacity to deliver work through a diversity, equity, and inclusion lens, in line with Cortex’s consultants and Values in Action statement.

• Organizational Development and Evaluation

• Lead change management initiatives to support organizational growth and transformation.

• Conduct regular assessments of organizational effectiveness and recommend improvements.

• Oversee on-going departmental evaluation work to ensure progress toward the strategic plan.

• Provide oversight in developing internal technology platforms to support staff strategic-operational dashboards, monday.com CRM and monday.com work management boards.

• Leadership Development

• Design and implement leadership development programs to enhance the skills and capabilities of current and future leaders.

REQUIRED SKILLS, ABILITIES, AND ATTITUDE (We understand not all applicants will have the following skills and abilities. We are hoping for candidates with a subset.)

• Experience:

• Minimum of 10 years of related experience, preferably in human resources.

• At least 5 years in a leadership role, including supervision responsibilities.

• HR Expertise:

• Proven track record in developing and implementing inclusive HR strategies and programs.

• Strong understanding of employment laws and regulations.

• Leadership and Change Management:

• Demonstrated ability to lead and manage organizational change effectively.

• Experience in building and nurturing high-performing teams.

• Communication and Interpersonal Skills:

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.

• High degree of emotional intelligence.

• Problem-Solving and Decision-Making:

• Strong problem-solving and decision-making abilities.

• Ability to navigate complex situations and provide strategic solutions.

• Commitment to DEI:

• Strong commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

• Experience in creating and maintaining an inclusive workplace environment.

• Additional Desirable Experience:

• Experience in economic and community development is highly desirable.

• Experience working with current Cortex online platforms including Insperity, monday.com, Sage Intact and/or Gorilla Expense.

DIVERSITY, INCLUSION, AND EQUITY

Cortex actively seeks to increase the diversity of its workforce. Cortex is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, gender, age, veteran status, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status or disability (in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act) with respect to employment opportunities.

COMPENSATION

The hiring salary range for this position is $120,000-$130,000 a year. Cortex employees also receive a benefits package that includes health insurance, 10 holidays, 20 days of PTO a year, 10% 401K matching after 6 months, and others. Work location can be hybrid, with a minimum of 3 days at the office per week.

HOW TO APPLY

To apply, please submit your resume and a cover letter detailing your experience and qualifications to recruiting@imperativerecruiting.com. We will interview until the position is filled, but we prefer submissions by the end of business on August 30, 2024.