Situation Overview:

ZRG has been engaged to recruit an Associate Director, Human Resources for The Conference Board, a nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank and business membership organization with more than a century of history serving the public interest. Founded in 1916, The Conference Board is recognized for delivering a robust portfolio of research and insights dedicated to advancing the greater good.

About the conference board:

The Conference Board’s areas of expertise include economic indicators, sustainability, corporate philanthropy, social responsibility, education, diversity and inclusion, and sustainable capitalism through centers of expertise.

The Conference Board convenes conferences, forecasts, assesses trends, and publishes the economic indicators for the United States, United Kingdom, Spain, Australia, Mexico, Japan, and Korea. They also produce the Consumer Confidence Index, Help-Wanted Index, and corporate economic management reports.

The Conference Board focuses on issues that include corporate citizenship, corporate governance, economics, human resources, marketing and communication, and strategy and planning The company’s members include more than 2,000 companies.

They have strategic alliances with The Center for Creative Leadership, The Conference Board of Canada, Corpedia, and Families and Work Institute.

The organization is based in New York City, with additional offices in India, Belgium, Denmark, France, and Switzerland.

The Conference Board has led the effort to ensure that a more prosperous, resilient world emerges from tough times by providing “Trusted Insights for What's Ahead™”.

Societal Impact  

The Conference Board helps the world's leading organizations thrive at the intersection of business performance and societal advancement. As a nonpartisan, nonprofit entity, they support their members across a spectrum of expertise.

Position:

The Conference Board is conducting a retained search for an Associate Director, Human Resources based in their New York City office. This search is occasioned by the departure of a valued and long-tenured Human Resources leader who will be moving out of the area. The role represents a meaningful opportunity for a results-driven HR professional to step into a highly trusted, operationally central position within a tight-knit, award-winning organization.

Reporting directly to the Chief Human Resources Officer, the Associate Director, Human Resources will serve as the operational leader of The Conference Board's lean but high-performing Human Resources (HR) team supporting approximately 250 employees in the US and working closely with the International HR team (100 employees).The Associate Director, Human Resources will ensure successful execution of the organization's day-to-day HR operations while also engaging regularly with employees and executive leadership on talent strategy, compensation, and employee relations matters.

The ideal candidate is a seasoned HR generalist who has thrived in a small-team, fast-paced environment whether in a startup, entrepreneurial company, or mission-driven nonprofit and who brings a business partner mindset, exceptional maturity of judgment, and the ability to operate with both hands-on pragmatism and strategic perspective.

Above all, The Conference Board is looking for someone who combines rare emotional intelligence, absolute discretion, intellectual agility, and a genuine alignment with the organization's mission. Compensation consists of a base between $150,000 to $160,000 plus bonus, and the role requires a strong in-office presence (four-plus days a week) in New York City.

Key Responsibilities:

• Run the day-to-day HR team operations, directing a small U.S.-based team that includes a Senior HR Associate, a Generalist, and an HR Coordinator, partner with and guide International HR team;
• Manage complex employee relations cases, serving as a credible and objective resource for employees and business leaders across the organization;
• Partner with the CHRO on compensation planning, including maintaining and updating internal compensation banding, supporting annual cycles, pay transparency inquiries, and developing recommendations for compensation decisions;
• Participate in talent review processes, succession planning conversations, and workforce strategy discussions alongside the CHRO and Executive Committee;
• Support, and in some cases, lead difficult conversations with senior leaders, including Executive Committee members, with diplomacy and sound judgment;
• Oversee recruiting, onboarding, HR reporting, and data integrity, working across largely manual and legacy systems;
• Lead and deploy the HR team during high-volume or time-sensitive periods, conducting regular stand-up meetings to prioritize and coordinate;
• Manage internal communications and change management initiatives in partnership with the CHRO and the marketing/communications team;
• Contribute to HRIS and process improvement efforts, particularly as the organization continues building out AI capabilities and modernizing its systems;
• Not a strict 9-to-5 mentality for this exempt position; responsive when needed.

Must have the following qualifications:

Experience & background

Experience working directly with or presenting to senior leadership, including C-suite executives:

• Ten+ years of progressive HR generalist experience; most important is the breadth, depth and quality of experience demonstrated;
• Background in a lean, small-team environment - startup, entrepreneurial, nonprofit, or fast-growth organization strongly preferred;
• Prior exposure to a mission-driven or nonprofit organization is a plus, though candidates with for-profit backgrounds who are motivated by mission are equally welcome;
• Some people management experience; formal title at manager level or above not required if the scope of work demonstrates equivalent responsibility.

Skills & Competencies

True HR generalist depth: employee relations, compensation, talent management, recruitment, onboarding, and HR administration:

• Mature mindedness - objectivity, sound judgment and the ability to maintain absolute confidentiality;
• Ability to deliver difficult messages to senior leaders and hold firm under pressure, with diplomacy and respect;
• Comfort operating in a manual, Excel-based environment where automation is limited and resourcefulness is essential;
• Exceptional attention to detail and commitment to accuracy;
• Strong prioritization skills; able to manage high volumes of work and shift priorities quickly;
• Strategic thinker who proactively brings recommendations and analysis, not just data;
• “Player-coach,” hands-on work ethic combined with the ability to operate strategically and look downstream at impacts;
• Openness to leveraging AI and technology to improve HR processes with limited budget.

Culture Fit  

Collaborative business partner mentality - trusted, credible, and respected by business leaders displays confidence without arrogance:

• Accountable - owns mistakes, learns from them, and moves forward without excuses;
• Aligned with The Conference Board's mission and values;
• Able to work in a highly collaborative, open-plan office environment.

Position Description

Senior Management:

Jennifer Tarlow

Chief Human Resources Officer

Jennifer Tarlow is the Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) at The Conference Board. Serving as a strategic business partner and thought leader, Jennifer advises senior leadership on organization design, change management, and how to best align“people” initiatives to sustain a culture that supports The Conference Board in achieving its business objectives. She brings her robust experience in change advocacy to bear, expanding The Conference Board profile as a premiere workplace and best practices role model for organizations and firms worldwide.

An accomplished talent management and organizational development professional, Jennifer is responsible for driving, designing, and supporting successful internal talent initiatives that strengthen The Conference Board approach to people development and culture. She serves as a senior coach on all aspects of human resources as well as creating and enhancing programs and processes; some of these include leadership development, succession planning, performance and risk management, attracting and retaining diverse talent, and team-based learning. A sought-after advisor and skilled facilitator adept at addressing sensitive HR issues, Jennifer engenders trust among global staff, providing a safe culture in which to confidentially discuss business issues related to talent, development, and culture.

She also manages and provides leadership to a team of HR professionals that ensures department objectives are accomplished.

Jennifer received an MBA in Human Resources Management and a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the State University of New York at Binghamton. She is a member of the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) as well as SHRM’s network for executives and thought leaders in the human resources field. Additionally, she is a member of the Human Resources Professional Association of Nonprofit Organizations. Jennifer is a strong advocate for animal rights, nature conservancy, and the arts.

Why is this a compelling position?

While it's serious work to operate a global business think tank, it's also fulfilling – and fun. Their people enjoy what they do and know their ideas matter. At The Conference Board, they encourage everyone to take personal ownership for outcomes: they collaborate, share a purpose, and commit to each other and to their Members. It's all about doing their very best – which means they succeed as their Members succeed. Together, they improve society.

Position description  

Interview process:

ZRG provides our global Clients with a rigorous and patented assessment platform grounded in data and analytics. Our interview process includes the following:

1. Initial interviews with ZRG
2. ZRG presentation of candidates to Client for calibration and discussion; Client selects candidates for consideration and initial interviews
3. Candidates complete ZRG's on-line assessment
4. Finalist candidates advance to second and third round interviews with broader leadership team
5. Formal referencing
6. Offer extended

About ZRG:

ZRG is a global talent advisory firm that is changing the way companies hire and manage talent. ZRG’s data-driven approach to executive and professional search has been changing the way clients think about how to find top talent. The company’s digital Zi platform combines talent intelligence, candidate insights, and process improvement to dramatically deliver executive searches quicker and with proven better results.

Wendy Murphy

Managing Director

wmurphy@zrgpartners.com

+1.203.703.9378

Wendy joined ZRG Partners in June of 2018 to launch and lead the Global Human Resources Officers Practice. Wendy was previously a Managing Director at RSR Partners (Russell Reynolds second company) for seven years, where she founded, built, and led the firm’s Human Capital Practice and served as a key member of the Women On Boards Initiative. Prior to RSR Partners, Wendy led the Global Human Resources Officers Practice at Heidrick & Struggles for the last six of her ten years at HSII.

Wendy has been involved in executive search and management consulting for over 25 years and has personally completed over 600 senior-level executive searches. Prior to executive search, Wendy spent 10 years as a consultant with ODI, a global management consulting and training company where she was a key member of the Healthcare Practice.

Link to complete bio for Wendy Murphy.

Davonne Helmer

Managing Director

dhelmer@zrgpartners.com

+1.646.939.6342

Davonne Helmer, a senior member of ZRG Partners' Human Resources Officers Practice (and former Practice Leader 2021-2024), works across industries on a wide array of search engagements, including CHRO/Chief People Officer, Chief Talent Officer, Vice President of Talent Acquisition and Data and Workforce Analytics, Board Directors, Lean Leaders and President roles. A 20-year veteran of professional services, Davonne possesses sector expertise in healthcare, hospitality, consumer products, insurance, industrial, retail and luxury, energy, technology, financial services and transportation.

Davonne has held leadership roles in benefits administration outsourcing, talent, business process consulting, and growth at Towers Perrin (now Willis Towers Watson). She was a member of the Practice Leadership Team in one of the fastest growing businesses within the company, and managed quality, learning, and recruiting for various client teams across various lines of business across North America. More recently in executive search at RSR Partners, Davonne was a leader the firm’s Human Capital Practice as well as its Diversity Consulting and analytics initiatives. She was also a member of the firm’s Hospitality, Sports, and Healthcare Practices.

Link to complete bio for Davonne Helmer.