Career Center

This is a pivotal moment to join TPAC as Vice President of Human Resources. As the organization prepares for transformational growth with the development of a new East Bank campus, the VP of Human Resources is being reimagined from a traditional administrative function into a strategic architect of organizational design. This leader will serve as the organization’s most important champion of culture, talent, and human capital by guiding TPAC’s staff through this period of exciting and complex evolution. The VP of Human Resources reports to the Managing Director and works in close partnership with the President & CEO, CFO, and senior leadership team. This is a full-time, exempt position requiring three days per week in the downtown Nashville office with up to two days of remote work.  

Key Responsibilities  

Strategic HR Leadership & Organizational Design 20% of Time 

The VP of Human Resources serves as the primary architect of a future-ready organizational structure as TPAC scales toward its new East Bank campus. 

• Partner with senior leadership to evaluate and design departmental frameworks and workforce models that support a larger, more complex multi-venue campus  

• Lead a cross-departmental initiative to document and standardize institutional knowledge, translating legacy operations into formal, scalable Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) 

• Develop and maintain a robust succession planning program to strengthen leadership continuity and institutional stability  

• Serve as a strategic advisor to the President & CEO, Managing Director, CFO, and department directors on all matters of personnel, organizational structure, and people strategy 

• Facilitate organizational clarity, accountability, and communication across a complex hierarchy that includes administrative, production, education, and front-of-house staff  
• Stay current on workforce trends, future-of-work research, and best practices in nonprofit arts administration  

Employee Relations & Culture 45% of Time 

Serving as a transparent, approachable, and trusted leader, the VP of Human Resources will  

actively steward TPAC’s distinctive organizational culture and strengthen the trust between staff and leadership. 

• Manage and guide employee relations matters with consistency, confidentiality, and  compassion, ensuring HR is experienced as a genuine safe space  

• Coach and develop vice presidents, directors and managers in interpersonal leadership  skills, conflict resolution, and effective communication  

• Design and facilitate staff engagement initiatives and social connection opportunities  

• Lead or oversee organizational culture studies and ensure findings are acted upon with transparency and accountability  

• Champion work-life balance for staff with intention, particularly for technical operations teams who navigate the unique rigors of intensive show schedules  

• Ensure equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging (EDIB) as a core organizational priority, cultivating a culture of radical transparency and mutual respect while ensuring staff composition authentically reflects the community TPAC serves  

Talent Strategy, Development & Workforce Pipeline 20% of Time 

The VP of Human Resources will lead TPAC with a strategic, forward-looking approach to talent, helping the organization anticipate workforce needs and build the people, systems, and capacity to support continued growth and evolution  

• Design and implement structured formal mentorship and internal leadership development programs  

• Develop annual training programs encompassing compliance, technical skills, harassment prevention, and leadership development in partnership with the Talent Relations Manager  

• Proactively build workforce pipelines for specialized, mission-critical positions.  

• Oversee and improve recruitment, onboarding, and new hire orientation processes to set staff up for success from day one  

• Strengthen internal promotion pathways and support professional development across all departments  

• Build an HR-specific knowledge hub or learning site on the TPAC intranet to support ongoing staff development and growth  

• Manage and mentor HR department team (two full-time staff members), providing clear direction and opportunities for professional growth within the team  

Compensation, Benefits & Compliance 10% of Time 

The VP of Human Resources will ensure TPAC’s total rewards strategy is competitive, equitable, and attentive to the evolving needs of a diverse workforce. Develop and maintain the annual HR budget with fiscal responsibility and strategic  intentionality  

• Oversee and administer TPAC’s comprehensive benefits programs, including health, dental, vision, retirement, short-term and long-term disability, and supplemental offerings  

• Conduct a comprehensive evaluation of benefits to enhance the well-being of all team members.  

• Conduct and maintain regular salary analysis to ensure TPAC remains competitive in the market  

• Ensure organization-wide compliance with ADA, EEO, FLSA, FMLA, OSHA, and all applicable employment law and regulation  

• Develop, interpret, and enforce company policies and practices; maintain the TPAC H.R. Manual and communicate all updates clearly to staff  

• Work alongside the Director of Payroll, Benefits & HRIS to oversee biweekly payroll processing and benefit plan administration  

HR Operations & Data 5% of Time 

The VP of Human Resources will serve as TPAC’s internal champion for leveraging data and  organizational efficiency. 

• Alongside TPAC’s IT team, audit and optimize administrative workflows by implementing automation and AI-driven solutions for routine inquiries, data entry, and reporting to enhance operational efficiency and allow staff to focus on higher-impact work.  

• Leverage ADP Workforce Now and other HRIS tools for workforce planning, EDIB data tracking, and organizational analytics  

• Oversee and maintain accurate human capital records and HR documentation in compliance with applicable regulations  

• Participate in Finance and Human Capital board committee as an H.R. representative. Establish key HR metrics and dashboards  

• Identify and implement opportunities for HR process improvement and operational efficiency across the full employee lifecycle 

Required  

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Organizational Development, Business Administration, or a related field  

• Minimum of 6 years of experience in a senior HR leadership role  

• Proven experience managing HR for a multi-faceted and complex organization  

• Strong knowledge of employment law and compliance requirements  

• Experience developing and administering benefits programs and conducting compensation analysis  

• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills  

• Passion for the mission and cultural life of the performing arts  

Preferred  

• Master’s degree (MBA, MA in Human Resources Management, or Organizational Development) Senior professional designation: SHRM-SCP or SPHR  

• Prior experience within a performing arts center, museum, major entertainment venue, or similar multi-department arts organization  

• Nonprofit organization experience  

• Experience supporting organizational design and planning for large-scale facility or campus transitions  
  Proficiency with HRIS platforms; experience with ADP Workforce Now 

• Familiarity with the Nashville nonprofit or arts community  

• Experience building workforce pipelines for technical or specialized roles

About Tennessee Performing Arts Center

About Tennessee Performing Arts Center Tennessee Performing Arts Center (TPAC) has been the cultural cornerstone of Nashville since 1980. Operating four major performance venues in the heart of downtown, TPAC presents a wide-ranging season of Broadway productions, curated dance, theatre, and family programming alongside the work of its three resident companies: Nashville Ballet, Nashville Opera, and Nashville Repertory Theatre. Over four decades, TPAC has welcomed more than 14 million audience members and served over 2 million students, teachers, and adults through one of the nation's largest performing arts education programs.

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