Senior Employee Experience & Culture Specialist in New York, New York at Community Resources For Justice, Inc.

Community Resources for Justice (CRJ) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to changing lives and strengthening communities through direct service, advocacy, and innovation. We operate across four core service lines:

• Community Strategies (CS): Supporting adults with developmental disabilities to live independently and thrive in their communities. Providing a range of top-quality residential and non-residential programs for men and women with intellectual or developmental disabilities in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Our programs offer individual and group treatment and are geared toward promoting independence and improving life skills. Clients also receive support with job development, on-the-job coaching, and educational opportunities.
• Reentry Services (RS): Supporting people leaving incarceration to make positive, sustainable life transitions. We firmly believe that change is possible and attainable for all that we serve. With a strict focus on outcomes, the Reentry Services Division is committed to delivering contemporary and evidence-based services to the individuals in our care. Through delivering innovative programming and collaborating with community agencies, we provide hope and support to our clients as they make safe and successful transitions into their communities.
• Crime & Justice Institute (CJI): Driving bold, transformative improvements in adult and youth justice systems by working with working with local, state, and national criminal justice organizations to improve public safety and the delivery of justice. The CJI team brings decades of experience developing evidence-based, data-driven policies, managing complex processes with diverse stakeholders, and driving systems-level organizational change. Our energetic staff and network of consultants come from a variety of backgrounds.
• Family Reentry (FRE): At Family Reentry, we address the often-intertwining problems of behavioral health, domestic violence, reentry, recidivism, and risks to youth by offering evidence-based interventions to provide support and effect positive change. We offer a holistic approach by working to connect clients to basic needs and offering support to create change and increase stronger coping and life skills.

CRJ is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We value diversity in all its forms and encourage candidates of all backgrounds, identities, and lived experiences to apply.

Ready to make a difference? Apply today and be part of the change!

Job Summary:

The Senior Employee Experience & Culture Specialist is a key contributor responsible for designing, implementing, and continuously improving programs that strengthen employee experience, employee relations, internal communications, and community and culture across Community Resources for Justice (CRJ). Reporting to the Chief Human Resources & Culture Officer, this role translates organizational people priorities into practical, high-impact initiatives that enhance the employee experience, engagement, recognition and retention.

This role combines program ownership with analysis of employee feedback and workforce data to identify opportunities and drive improvements in the employee experience. The Senior Specialist partners closely with HR & Culture colleagues and service lines leaders and staff to design and deliver programs, align initiatives with organizational needs, and ensure consistent application of people practices across the CRJ.

Working cross-functionally, this role supports change management efforts through communication and engagement strategies, uses data and input to drive measurable improvements, and ensures programs align with CRJ’s values, policies, and community and culture commitments. Through effective communication, consultation, and culture-building efforts, this role helps deliver a consistent, inclusive, and positive experience for employees across CRJ.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• None

Essential Duties/Responsibilities:

Employee Experience/Employee Relations

• Provide coaching and guidance on employee experience best practices, policy application, and inclusive leadership behaviors.
• Lead the review and resolution of employee relations matters, including investigations, conflict resolution, and performance concerns, ensuring fair, consistent, and compliant practices for assigned service lines/programs.
• Analyze trends in employee relations matters to identify systemic issues and recommend proactive solutions that strengthen culture, engagement, and trust.
• Coordinate and process unemployment claims for assigned service lines/programs.

Engagement

• Develop and implement engagement, recognition, and wellbeing initiatives that strengthen culture and team effectiveness.
• Analyze engagement data and employee feedback to identify trends and collaborate with service lines/programs on targeted action plans.
• Lead the development, administration, and analysis of employee surveys to generate actionable insights.

Community & Culture

• Lead and support initiatives that strengthen community and culture, fostering an inclusive, respectful, and engaging workplace.
• Partner with organizational leaders to assess policies, programs, and employee experiences, identifying opportunities to enhance community and culture.
• Analyze workforce data and employee feedback to identify trends and recommend actions that improve culture and engagement outcomes.
• Collaborate with HR & Culture teams and leadership to embed community and culture principles into employee lifecycle programs.
• Stay informed on best practices and apply insights to continuously enhance organizational culture initiatives.

Internal Communications

• Develop and execute an internal communications strategy that delivers clear, timely, and consistent messaging aligned with organizational priorities.
• Partner with leaders and cross-functional teams to translate business initiatives, changes, and policies into effective, employee-centered communication.
• Enhance employee awareness, engagement, and connection to CRJ’s mission, values, and key initiatives through targeted communication approaches and experience programs.
• Support development and maintenance of core communication resources (e.g., employee handbook), ensuring clarity, accessibility, compliance, and cultural alignment.
• Leverage employee feedback and workforce data to inform communication strategies, support change management, and drive continuous improvement across programs and practices.

Measures of Success

• Leaders demonstrate accountability for employee relations and the employee experience and actively apply strong inclusive leadership practices.
• Employees experience stronger support, engagement, and overall workplace satisfaction.
• Employees report improved clarity, consistency, and effectiveness of internal communications.
• Increased employee sentiment around feeling valued and recognized.
• Measurable improvement in engagement, wellbeing, and retention metrics.
• Employee feedback is consistently translated into visible actions and sustained improvements.

Required Skills/Abilities:

• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret data and translate insights into action.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience with employee engagement platforms, survey tools, and HR systems.

Required Education and Experience:

• 5+ years of experience in HR, employee experience, employee relations, or related roles.
• Demonstrated experience leading or supporting engagement, culture, and organizational change initiatives.
• Ability to build relationships and influence without direct authority.

Preferred Education and Experience:

• HR certification (PHR, SPHR, SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP).
• Experience working with multi-site/distributed workforce including working with remote staff.

Travel requirements:

• Travel to CRJ offices and programs as needed to support the successful implementation of initiatives.

Other duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice based on business needs.