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Director of People Operations

Walker-Miller Energy Services
Detroit, MI
Company Overview

Walker-Miller Energy Services is a 25-year-old Detroit-based, core-values driven company committed to changing lives through energy efficiency. We create and manage customized energy waste reduction programs that help electric and gas utilities meet mandated energy savings goals.

Our experience driven philosophy of energy efficiency as economic development helps families and businesses save energy and save money. Through innovative, inclusive initiatives, we help build communities by creating local jobs, producing equitable energy savings for all rate payers, and spurring the growth of diverse local businesses.

Our operating philosophy is reflected in our core values. We refer to them as BEHIVE .

B - Boldly Go

E – Embrace Equity

H - Humble Confidence

I - Inclusive Stewardship

V - Value Reputation

E - Extraordinary Experience

Position Summary

We are seeking a dynamic, strategic, and values-aligned Director of People Operations to help lead and evolve our People & Culture function. This role will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of People operations, including payroll, benefits, talent acquisition, compliance, compensation, team member relations, learning and development, and culture-building initiatives. The ideal candidate is a mission-driven leader who thrives in a fast-paced, purpose-led environment and is passionate about building inclusive, high-performing teams.

Essential Responsibilities: This list of duties and responsibilities is not all-inclusive and may be expanded to include other duties and responsibilities, as management may deem necessary from time to time.

  • Embrace and operate within our core values.
  • Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing People Operations team aligned with W-M’s core values with a focus on Inclusive Stewardship.
  • Serve as a strategic advisor to senior leadership on organizational design, workforce planning, and talent strategy.
  • Champion a culture of psychological safety, ensuring equity and belonging are embedded in all people practices.

Talent Acquisition & Workforce Planning

  • Design and execute innovative, inclusive recruitment strategies to attract top talent across all levels.
  • Partner with hiring managers to forecast workforce needs and build robust talent pipelines.
  • Leverage data and technology to optimize the candidate experience and hiring efficiency.

HR Operations & Compliance

  • Oversee all HR systems, processes, and policies to ensure operational excellence and legal compliance.
  • Maintain up-to-date knowledge of federal, state, and local employment laws and ensure company-wide adherence.
  • Lead HR audits, risk assessments, and continuous improvement initiatives.
  • Leverage data & analytics

Compensation & Total Rewards

  • Develop and manage equitable compensation structures and benefits programs that attract and retain talent.
  • Conduct market benchmarking and pay equity analyses to ensure fairness and competitiveness.
  • Partner with Finance on workforce budgeting and forecasting.
  • Oversee payroll and benefits administration

Learning & Development

  • Build and scale learning programs that support team member growth, leadership development, and organizational capability.
  • Implement performance management systems that foster continuous feedback and development.
  • Promote a culture of lifelong learning and internal mobility.

Talent Management & Team Member Engagement

  • Lead succession planning, career pathing, talent reviews and high-potential talent development initiatives.
  • Design and implement team member engagement strategies that drive retention and satisfaction.
  • Use data-driven insights (e.g., engagement surveys, turnover metrics) to inform people strategies.

Team Member Relations & Culture

  • Serve as a trusted advisor on team member relations matters, ensuring fair and consistent resolution practices.
  • Foster a culture of trust, transparency, and psychological safety.
  • Lead initiatives that reflect our commitment to inclusive excellence and community impact.

Technology, Data & Innovation

  • Leverage people analytics and HR metrics (e.g., turnover, engagement, performance, etc.) to inform strategic decisions and drive continuous improvement.
  • Implement and optimize HR technologies (e.g., HRIS, ATS, LMS) to streamline workflows, enhance team member experience, and improve data integrity.
  • Champion the use of automation and AI-driven tools to reduce administrative burden and increase HR team productivity.
  • Develop dashboards and reporting tools to provide real-time insights to leadership on workforce trends and organizational health.
  • Use predictive analytics to anticipate talent needs, identify retention risks, and support proactive workforce planning.
  • Evaluate and integrate emerging HR tech solutions that align with business goals and enhance scalability.
  • Foster a culture of data-driven decision-making across the People Operations team.

Minimum Qualifications

  • 10+ years of progressive HR leadership experience, including 3+ years in a director-level role.
  • Proven experience managing cross-functional HR teams in a mission-driven or growth-oriented organization
  • Demonstrated experience leading recruiting and/or talent management function.
  • Deep knowledge of employment law, HR best practices, and HRIS systems (e.g. ADP and Workday).
  • Strong analytical, communication, and change management skills.
  • Demonstrated commitment to equity, inclusion, and social impact.
  • Proven ability to successfully manage multiple projects at a time while paying strict attention to detail and deadlines; to include development and implementation of new processes.
  • Demonstrated ability to develop and execute strategy to achieve business outcomes
  • Demonstrated ability to communicate, present and influence credibly and effectively at all levels of the organization.
  • Demonstrated experience with all aspects of human resource management including performance management, talent reviews, investigations, employee relations, compensation, learning and development, onboarding and offboarding.
  • Proficiency with Human Resources Information Software (HRIS) systems.

Required Knowledge, Skills And Abilities

  • High emotional intelligence (EQ)
  • High relational intelligence
  • Excellent listening, negotiation, and presentation skills.
  • Excellent verbal and written communications skills.
  • Self-motivated and able to thrive in a results-driven environment.
  • Natural relationship builder with integrity, reliability, and maturity.
  • Ability to prioritize among competing tasks.
  • Critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
  • Encourage a positive work environment and culture for all team members.
  • Strong employee relations expertise and natural employee advocate.
  • Strong influencing skills.
  • Natural team player and collaborator.
  • Strong service and customer orientation.
  • Strong project management experience

Why Join Us?

At Walker-Miller Energy Services, You’ll Be Part Of a Team That’s Not Only Transforming Energy Systems—but Also Transforming Lives. We Offer

  • Competitive compensation and benefits
  • A collaborative, inclusive culture
  • Opportunities for growth and leadership
  • A chance to make a real difference in the communities we serve

Travel Requirements

  • Up to 25%

Physical Demands and Work Environment

  • Required to sit, stand, walk; talk and hear; and ability to touch and handle tools and/or controls
  • The team member is frequently required to stand, walk, kneel, crouch, and/or crawl
  • Ability to lift up to 30 pounds
  • Noise level is typically low to moderate

Note: Reasonable accommodations may be made for individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position.

The above information describes the general duties and requirements necessary to perform the principle functions of the position. This shall not be construed as a detailed description of all the duties and requirements that may be necessary in this position.

Walker-Miller Energy Services is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

At Walker-Miller Energy Services, we Embrace Equity by encouraging qualified candidates from all backgrounds and identities to apply for open positions! We have several optional questions about candidates’ demographics, but they do not impact hiring decisions. In fact, all candidate demographic data is anonymized for compliance purposes and to reduce unconscious bias in the hiring process, so none of the information collected here will be attached to your individual application. We ask for this information because Walker-Miller is committed to inclusive recruitment practices, so we hold ourselves to a high standard in developing a candidate pool that is diverse in background, experience, and perspective.

Walker-Miller Energy Services participates in E-Verify. Which confirms employment authorization of all newly hired employees and most existing employees through an electronic database maintained by the Social Security Administration and Department of Homeland Security. For new hires, the E-Verify process is completed in conjunction with the Form I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification on or before the first day of work. E-Verify is not used as a tool to pre-screen candidates. For up-to-date information on E-Verify, go to and click on 'E-Verify' located near the bottom of the page.

E-Verify Notice

E-Verify Notice (Spanish)

Right to Work Notice

Right to Work Notice (Spanish)
Posted 2025-07-25

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