Director of Human Resources

Company Overview

Barnes & Noble is the premier book retailer in the United States, with a legacy beginning in 1873. The company, led by CEO James Daunt and owned privately by Elliott Advisors, operates nearly 700 stores nationwide and serves over 700 communities across all states. It also has a significant digital footprint through BN.com, NOOK® eBooks and audiobooks, and educational resources like SparkNotes. Barnes & Noble's portfolio includes related retail brands such as Paper Source, Books Inc., Tattered Cover, and B. Dalton, enhancing its market presence. After a revitalization period, the company is witnessing strong momentum and plans to launch about 60 new stores in 2026, reaffirming their confidence in physical retail and local bookselling. Through an extensive store network, curated selections, enriched in-store experiences, and expanding omnichannel capabilities, Barnes & Noble remains the top book retailer in the U.S. and a valued partner in publishing and retail.

Role Overview

The Director of Human Resources will play a critical role in shaping and implementing the company’s HR strategy and key initiatives, focusing primarily on the NYC Home Office team and supporting additional teams across various locations. Reporting to the VP of Human Resources, this position serves as a trusted advisor to senior management. The role balances strategic collaboration and hands-on execution, translating business objectives into impactful people-centered solutions.

Key Responsibilities

• Act as a strategic partner to HR leadership and collaborate with organizational leaders to align HR strategies with business priorities.
• Develop strong relationships with senior leaders, providing proactive guidance on organizational design, talent management, employee relations, and leadership development.
• Lead comprehensive organizational and talent reviews to evaluate team capabilities, structure, leadership requirements, risks, and growth opportunities.
• Provide ongoing HR leadership for Home Office functions, emphasizing succession planning, leadership growth, performance optimization, and employee relations.
• Collaborate on succession plans to ensure a robust pipeline for critical future roles.
• Encourage employee mobility by recognizing high performers and facilitating their professional development.
• Work with Learning & Development to address organizational and individual growth needs and deploy programs aimed at enhancing leadership and employee skills.
• Manage recruitment, onboarding, and retention strategies for designated roles.
• Lead full-cycle recruitment for key positions, partnering with hiring managers to develop recruitment and onboarding best practices.
• Coach hiring managers to ensure a seamless and effective candidate and new employee experience.
• Advise on employee relations cases, guiding leaders toward fair, consistent solutions aligned with company policies.
• Monitor emerging workplace trends and collaborate with HR and leadership teams to design initiatives that boost employee engagement, recognition, and retention.
• Enhance the Home Office employee experience through listening initiatives and innovative ideas that promote collaboration.
• Analyze employee feedback, including exit interview data, to identify patterns and formulate strategies that address retention challenges.
• Contribute to the implementation of the Dayforce HR system by supporting testing, process redesign, data validation, training, and adoption efforts.
• Participate in task force efforts to create and maintain HR policies, including the Employee Handbook.

Qualifications

• Comprehensive knowledge of human resources processes and best practices.
• Ability to make sound and informed decisions.
• Strong influencing skills to drive appropriate actions and outcomes.
• Effective communication across all organizational levels, internally and externally, supporting strategic goals and results.
• Proven record of building collaborative relationships across business units.
• Empathy, with capability to deliver honest and constructive feedback.
• Ability to excel in a fast-moving, evolving environment, shifting fluidly between strategy and execution.
• Excellent judgment, discretion, and capability to manage confidential matters appropriately.
• Knowledge of applicable federal, state, and local employment laws, with the ability to apply them to complex HR situations.
• Experience with HR technologies and human capital management systems; Dayforce experience is advantageous.
• Over 10 years of progressive HR experience, including senior leadership or HR business partner roles supporting senior management and complex organizations.
• Bachelor's degree required.

Desired Behaviors

• A genuine commitment to enhancing bookstores through excellent people management.
• Understanding of business objectives and how they translate across functions.
• Customer service orientation with an emphasis on positive employee experience.
• Coaching skills to help others realize their potential.
• Comfort with ambiguity and aptitude for making sound people decisions.
• Strong negotiation and empathy skills for balanced discussions.
• Capability to de-escalate tense situations and maintain composure under pressure.
• Proactive problem-solving and anticipation of issues.
• Collaborative, considerate, results-driven, adaptable, positive, and proactive personality.
• Balanced responsiveness, discretion, and impartiality.
• Agility in learning and development.

Compensation

The anticipated annual salary range for this position is between $170,000 and $200,000.