Senior Director, People & Culture - Washington, DC

Join McKissack & McKissack's team! We have an immediate opening for a Senior Director, People & Culture in Washington, D.C. or Chicago, IL. Apply now for this exciting opportunity!
McKissack & McKissack offers opportunities to grow your career while working on transformative projects in program and construction management, architecture, and interior design. We combine technical expertise and creative vision to deliver exceptional results. Our culture values diversity, professional development, and performance. We seek team players who are humble, hungry, and smart, with strong academic or professional experience, integrity, and a client-focused mindset. Join a team that invests in your success and rewards ambition, integrity, and collaboration.
McKissack & McKissack is seeking a Senior Director of People & Culture to build, strengthen, and scale our people function as the firm continues to grow. This is a highly handson role for a leader who has stood up or rebuilt HR departments in startup, highgrowth, or evolving consulting environments, particularly within construction, engineering, or professional services. This role is about creating structure, clarity, and consistency where they are still forming, while staying deeply connected to daytoday realities of the business. The ideal candidate is comfortable working closely with leadership, managers, and employees alike and is willing to step in wherever needed to keep the organization moving forward.
‍‍Responsibilities

Personally own and execute the full scope of the people function, including HR operations, employee relations, compliance, and performance management and talent development
Act as a visible, approachable leader who is comfortable working alongside teams, solving real issues as they arise
Balance strategic thinking with daytoday execution, ensuring people programs are practical, clear, and consistently applied

Design and implement core HR systems, processes, and policies that support a growing construction consulting organization
Build structure that supports both officebased and projectbased teams
Create scalable solutions without overengineering, prioritizing what is needed now while planning for growth

Develop career paths, progression frameworks, and role clarity that resonate in a consulting and projectdriven environment
Lead a performance management process that sets clear expectations, supports accountability, and drives professional growth
Partner with managers to strengthen people leadership and supervisory effectiveness

Strengthen a culture rooted in accountability, teamwork, problemsolving, and mutual respect
Use workforce data, feedback, and direct employee engagement to identify retention risks and implement solutions
Build trust by being present, consistent, and responsive to employee needs

Ensure compliance with all employment laws and HR best practices across multiple jurisdictions
Oversee benefits administration, employee relations, and HR operations in partnership with external vendors
Leverage HR metrics and analytics to support workforce planning and decisionmaking

Manage and optimize HR systems, including Deltek Vantagepoint
Partner effectively with a PEO provider (e.g., Insperity) while maintaining strong internal ownership of the people function

Qualifications

10–15 years of HR experience, with significant time spent in a startup, scaleup, or evolving organization
Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field (Master’s preferred)
Strong working knowledge of employment law, compliance, and HR best practices
Experience using HR metrics and workforce data to inform decisions
Demonstrated experience building or significantly reshaping an HR function, not just operating within an established one
Experience in construction consulting, engineering, architecture, or professional services strongly preferred
Comfort supporting a workforce that includes technical professionals, project teams, and fieldadjacent roles

Highly handson and executionoriented, comfortable stepping in wherever needed
Practical, grounded approach to HR that values clarity, fairness, and followthrough
Able to earn credibility with leaders and staff through presence, responsiveness, and consistency
Comfortable navigating ambiguity and making progress without perfect information

Salary range: $170,000 to $200,000 (dependent on years of experience, competency, location)
‍Employee Benefits:

Medical Insurance
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
Health Savings Account (HSA)
Dependent Care
Commuter Benefits
Tuition Assistance
Adoption Assistance
Matching 401k Plan
Company-paid holidays
Paid-Time-Off (PTO)
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Life Insurance
Short and Long-Term Disability Insurance
Marketplace Perks-at-Work

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

McKissack & McKissack is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants. We prohibit discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic under federal, state, and local laws.
This statement applies to all employment practices, including recruitment, hiring, promotion, compensation, benefits, training, and termination. Salary ranges will be disclosed where required by law (e.g., CA, CO, NY, MA). Applicants needing reasonable accommodation during the application or interview process should contact HR@mckinc.com
Our aim is for the company to be representative of all sections of society and that each employee feels respected and able to give their best. We are committed to a policy of treating all our employees and job applications equally.