Vice President of Human Resources (Hornets Sports & Entertainment)
Charlotte, NC
Hornets Sports & Entertainment (HSE) owns the Charlotte Hornets and Greensboro Swarm and operates Charlotte’s Spectrum Center. The Charlotte Hornets are a member of the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) Southeast Division. Owned by NBA Legend Michael Jordan, the Hornets organization strives to deliver a relentless attack on the court, an unmatched experience in the stands, and a positive impact throughout the community. The Greensboro Swarm are the G League affiliate of the Charlotte Hornets and began playing November 2016 at the renovated fieldhouse at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex. Spectrum Center is the premier destination for sports and entertainment in the Carolinas, hosting over 150 sporting events, concerts and family shows annually.
Between the three entities, HSE employs 200+ full-time team members and 600+ part-time team members who are responsible for all aspects of HSE business including, arena management, marketing, ticket sales, sponsorships, basketball operations, finance, human resources, event booking and more.
Our mission is to achieve greatness in sports and entertainment. We operate under four fundamentals: we have synergy, we are focused, we are accountable, and we are inspired.
We work in a dynamic industry and our culture reflects this. We pride ourselves on our strong consistent results, as well as, our competitive and fun spirit. We strive to build a diverse workforce and provide opportunities throughout the year to engage with each other in fun ways.
About the Position
The Vice President of Human Resources will lead the HR function of HSE. You will be a thought leader on people and culture while bringing a passion for strategic thinking and delivering tactical, results-oriented solutions. You will serve as a member of the executive team and be a trusted partner and advisor, who collaborates with leadership on a variety of people-related initiatives, including performance and talent management, organizational development, talent acquisition, succession planning, compensation and benefits, diversity & inclusion, and overall strategies tied to people.
Responsibilities
- Plan, develop, organize, implement, train, direct and evaluate HSE’s organizational and people-related strategy
- Establish long range HR strategies to promote a collaborative and results driven company culture.
- Provide HR leadership and project management expertise in the following areas: talent acquisition, employee relations, performance management and coaching, benefits and compliance, compensation, and learning and development
- Collaborate and communicate across the organization; advise all employee levels, address conflicts quickly and fairly, communicate openly and inform others
- Evaluate and implement employee relations practices to promote a high level of employee morale, satisfaction and engagement
- Establish a framework for a great corporate culture through recruitment, policy, teambuilding, culture, employee events and collaboration with all departments.
- Co-lead the design and implementation of annual compensation planning and performance management planning initiatives
- Conduct a continuing study of all HR policies, programs and practices to keep management informed of new developments; formulate and recommend policies and objectives for the organization to support strategic business objectives.
- Drive management’s ownership of developing their own people (e.g., individual development plans, performance management, coaching, succession and talent management, key employee retention, and change management)
- Communicate with General Counsel and Ownership on all executive employment topics, insurance related topics, employment agreements and strategic objectives
- Plan and recommend budgets, manage expenditures, and report on budget variances
- Serve as HR team liaison to the NBA, and partner with league representatives to deliver and execute on league mandated programs and initiatives, including monthly NBA Team HR calls, all Team HR gatherings and league meetings
- Effectively prepare managers and leaders to execute change within their business units (e.g., acquisitions, restructuring, etc.) by using a consistent strategy
- Provide guidance and input on business unit restructures, workforce planning and succession planning
- Identify solutions to recurring workplace issues or concerns by collecting/analyzing data as well as relying on personal observation as input into this process Assist in interpreting major HR initiatives in collaboration with other HR functional areas (i.e., Salary Planning, Performance Management Processes, Employee Engagement)
- Generate internal diversity and inclusion management strategies and integrate with talent strategies.
Required Skills, Experience, and Abilities
- Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree or equivalent advanced degree preferred
- Professional certification at PHR level
- 10+ years HR experience, including demonstrated success working as a member of a team in a senior leadership role
- Demonstrated success in organizing a company for improved efficiency, while planning for the future management needs of a high growth, collaborative, and performance-based environment
- Proven HR leadership in the following areas: talent acquisition, employee relations, performance management and coaching, data analysis, benefits and compliance, compensation, learning and development
- A passion for new technology tools and platforms
- A willingness to embrace change and to adapt strategies on the fly
- Ability to work independently as well as lead, train and inspire large teams of employees from cross-departmental backgrounds
- Highly effective communication skills.
- Ability to balance multiple competing client interests, and demonstrate business acumen, organizational savvy and credibility while challenging senior clients to deliver superior employee and organizational results
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills. Ability to analyze data, understand trends and develop recommendations for action based on analysis and surveys
- Highly organized, process and detail oriented; strong project management skills with focus on analytics/reporting and associated story-telling
- Strong working knowledge of NC employment law, including hiring practices, wage and hour, labor relations, etc. is preferred
- Embodies executive presence and interacts with all levels of organization and external contacts while maintaining the highest level of confidentiality
- Available to work a variable schedule, including holidays, nights, weekends, and Hornets games
Interested in applying to this career opportunity?
Please email Taylor Frank, [email protected], and include Hornets Sports & Entertainement–Vice President of Human Resources in the subject line.
About the NBA
At the NBA, we’re passionate about growing and celebrating the game of basketball. Through the intensity of the game and the amazing athletic skill of our players, we deliver excitement to hundreds of millions of fans around the world.
As a global sports and media business, the NBA is so much more. While Basketball Operations runs the league’s on-court activities, other departments manage relationships with television and digital media partners, develop marketing partnerships with some of the world’s most recognizable companies, oversee the licensing of NBA merchandise, and handle a wide range of responsibilities that drive the NBA’s success.
Off the court, we’re also deeply committed to social responsibility. NBA Cares leads the league’s involvement in addressing important social issues by working with internationally recognized youth-serving organizations that support education, youth and family development, and health-related causes.
