Vice President, Human Resources – Remote
Ensemble Performing Arts is a high-growth, mission-driven owner and operator of music- and dance-related businesses across the U.S. We are seeking an experienced people leader to join as Vice President, Human Resources, a strategic partner to the COO and executive team, and the architect of the talent systems, culture, and HR infrastructure that will carry Ensemble through its next phase of growth.
This is a full-time, remote position.
The Role
You’ll operate as a business leader first and an HR expert second: partnering with senior leaders to solve real organizational problems, building talent systems that compound over time, and stewarding a culture that is one of Ensemble’s most important competitive advantages. The role is intentionally weighted toward people strategy — talent acquisition, development, engagement, and retention — while also owning the HR operations, compliance, and employee relations work that keeps a multi-state, multi-site business running well.
Key Responsibilities
Talent & Culture (~70%)
- Design and lead a proactive talent acquisition strategy: building pipelines for frontline roles and leadership positions, developing compelling employer value propositions, and establishing structured, bias-aware hiring processes
- Build and oversee an enterprise learning and development strategy covering onboarding, role-specific skill building, leadership development, and continuous growth
- Define, articulate, and steward Ensemble's culture and values, ensuring they are embedded in hiring, onboarding, performance management, and leadership behavior
- Lead the annual engagement survey and action planning cycle; surface early signals of engagement risk and recommend interventions
- Develop and manage a comprehensive retention strategy addressing compensation competitiveness, career pathing, manager quality, and working environment
- Design and administer the performance management framework (goal setting, feedback, reviews, and calibration) that drives accountability and development in equal measure
- Lead succession planning for critical roles across the organization
HR Operations (~30%)
- Oversee total rewards programs, including base pay, variable incentives, and benefits, including annual compensation reviews, market benchmarking, and pay equity analysis.
- Ensure HR practices and employment decisions comply with applicable federal, state, and local law (FMLA, ADA, FLSA, EEO, OSHA) across a multi-state operating environment
- Work with Legal & Compliance to maintain the employee handbook, policies, and standard operating procedures, and partner with Legal and/or outside counsel on escalated employment matters
- Oversee workplace investigations - such as harassment, discrimination, and policy violations - with objectivity and timely resolution
- Oversee HRIS platforms, workforce data integrity, and reporting accuracy
- Equip managers with the skills and confidence to address employee issues early, fairly, and consistently
Qualifications
- 15+ years of progressive HR leadership experience, with at least 5 years in a senior HR role (VP, Director, or equivalent) with broad functional accountability
- Demonstrated HR leadership in service-oriented industries, such as hospitality, healthcare, education, retail, logistics, professional services, or similar; anywhere where workforce quality directly drives customer experience
- Proven track record building talent acquisition functions in high-volume and/or multi-site environments
- Hands-on experience designed L&D programs and retention strategies with measurable outcomes
- Solid experience managing total rewards, employee relations, and multi-state HR compliance
- Strong business judgement; connects people strategy to business outcomes and communicates in business language
- Drives change through persuasion, relationship-building, and credibility, rather than policy enforcement
- Excellent communication skills at all levels, from frontline employees to executive stakeholders
- Highly organized and able to prioritize and execute in a fast-paced, distributed environment
Preferred
- Experience supporting M&A activity and integrating acquired businesses and their people
- Familiarity with arts education, performing arts, or mission-driven organizations
- Proficiency with HRIS platforms (e.g., Workday, paycor, UKG, Dayforce/Ceridian) and workforce analytics
- SHRM-SCP, SPHR, or equivalent senior HR certification
Compensation & Benefits
This role is full-time and remote, with an expected base salary of $130,000 - $150,000 annually, plus bonus eligibility. Ensemble offers a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, and vision, 401(k) with employer match, and more. Join a supportive, mission-driven arts organization with significant opportunity for professional impact as Ensemble scales.
About Ensemble Performing Arts
Ensemble Performing Arts, a three-time Inc. 5000 award winner, is an owner and operator of performing arts schools and businesses, powered by passionate educators and supported by a team committed to preserving what makes each business special. Since its founding in 2019, Ensemble has grown to 130+ locations across 30+ states. Our mission is excellence in arts education through excellence in administration.
Our Values:
- Stewardship: We support local arts communities by making it easy for educators to focus on teaching
- Growth: We invest in our team and partners to build a brighter future in arts education
- Stagehands: We work behind the scenes so teachers and students can shine on stage
To learn more about Ensemble, visit ensembleschools.com.
Ensemble Performing Arts is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, protected veteran status or disability status, or genetic information.