Director of People & Culture

Build the people, culture, and learning & development systems that will shape how Appalachia Advisory grows.

This is a part-time, volunteer leadership opportunity with Appalachia Advisory, a chartered non-profit corporation connecting students and young professionals with underserved small businesses across Appalachia through pro bono consulting.

As a Director of People & Culture, you will own the development and growth of a new organizational function at Appalachia Advisory. Working closely with organizational leadership and a team of People & Culture Analysts, you will build the strategy, systems, processes, and culture that determine how Appalachia Advisory attracts, develops, engages, and supports its people as we grow.

You will have significant ownership over defining what People & Culture looks like at Appalachia Advisory, establishing priorities for the function, and translating those priorities into initiatives that can scale with the organization.

Your work may span talent acquisition, university partnerships, learning & development, AI and professional upskilling, organizational culture, and cross-organization engagement.

Key Responsibilities

• Build the People & Culture function: Own the development of the function's strategy, priorities, operating model, systems, and processes, establishing a foundation that can scale as Appalachia Advisory grows.
• Develop people strategy: Identify the organization's highest-priority people and organizational needs and translate them into actionable initiatives and programs.
• Lead talent acquisition strategy: Build and oversee recruiting processes, university partnerships, virtual events, outreach, and recruitment programs that strengthen Appalachia Advisory's talent pipeline.
• Design learning & development initiatives: Develop and implement frameworks for onboarding, training, professional development, upskilling, and AI enablement across the organization.
• Shape organizational culture: Develop initiatives that foster connection, engagement, accountability, and a strong sense of community across a distributed organization.
• Lead team engagement programming: Develop and oversee organization-wide calls, events, and initiatives designed to strengthen communication, connection, and member engagement.
• Improve the member experience: Use feedback, research, and organizational insights to identify gaps across the member lifecycle and develop solutions to improve how members experience the organization.
• Lead and mentor People & Culture Analysts: Set priorities, delegate responsibilities, provide feedback, and create opportunities for Analysts to take meaningful ownership of initiatives.
• Partner with organizational leadership: Collaborate with the Executive Team and functional leaders to ensure People & Culture initiatives support Appalachia Advisory's broader organizational strategy and growth.
• Build scalable infrastructure: Document processes, create repeatable systems, and establish institutional knowledge that future People & Culture teams can build upon.

Ideal Candidates

Strategic, people-oriented post-graduates and young professionals who are excited by the opportunity to build something from the ground up. We are specifically seeking individuals who are passionate about our mission, supporting small businesses, and advancing social impact initiatives that create meaningful change in marginalized communities.

Ideal candidates should be comfortable operating with significant autonomy, defining priorities in an environment where systems are still being developed, and turning ambiguous organizational challenges into structured solutions. Strong candidates will combine strategic thinking, structured problem-solving, strong communication, and genuine interest in people and organizational development.

Candidates should also be comfortable leading others, managing multiple priorities, and taking ownership of initiatives from idea through implementation.

Experience in recruiting, human resources, organizational development, education, consulting, program management, people operations, or team leadership is valued but not required.

What You'll Gain

• Organizational design experience: Define and build the strategy, scope, and operating model of a new organizational function
• People strategy experience: Develop systems that directly shape how a growing organization attracts, develops, engages, and supports talent
• Leadership experience: Lead and mentor Analysts while owning the direction and execution of People & Culture initiatives
• Learning & development experience: Design training, onboarding, upskilling, and professional development programs
• Culture & engagement experience: Help shape the member experience and culture of a growing, distributed organization
• AI & emerging technology exposure: Explore how AI can support talent development, productivity, and organizational capabilities
• Meaningful ownership: Take ownership of initiatives that directly shape how Appalachia Advisory operates and grows
• Professional network: Collaborate with students, young professionals, advisors, and industry professionals across the U.S.

About Us

Gain real experience with real community impact.

Appalachia Advisory is a chartered non-profit corporation in the State of Tennessee connecting students and young professionals from across the U.S. with small businesses throughout Appalachia.

Through ~8 week pro bono consulting engagements, our teams provide strategic support in areas such as marketing, strategy, operations, growth, and organizational enablement.

As Appalachia Advisory grows, our People & Culture function will build the infrastructure behind our people — from how we recruit and develop talent to how we create a connected, high-performing organization.

Because this is a new function, the Director of People & Culture will have an unusual opportunity to design the systems, processes, and culture that future members will inherit. Rather than stepping into an established People function, you will help determine what that function should look like and build the foundation for it to scale.

Our work is entirely pro bono for clients, providing meaningful professional experience for our members while creating tangible value for underserved communities.

What You'll Get

• Build from the ground up: Establish and define a new organizational function rather than stepping into an existing structure
• Real organizational impact: Shape how Appalachia Advisory recruits, develops, engages, and supports its people
• Leadership experience: Lead Analysts and own the execution of high-priority organizational initiatives
• Technical & professional development: Build skills in people strategy, organizational development, program design, training, and project management
• A diverse professional network: Collaborate with students and young professionals from across the U.S. alongside experienced mentors and industry leaders
• Career resources: Access recruiting resources and career advancement opportunities through our network of advisors and industry professionals

Position Details

Job Title: Director of People & Culture
Position Type: Part-Time / Volunteer Leadership Experience
Location: Remote
Schedule: Part-Time
Expected Time Commitment: Approximately 6–8 hours per week
Compensation: Unpaid
Work Authorization: U.S. work authorization not required

Recommended Candidate Background

School Year: Post-Graduate / Alumni

Relevant Majors / Backgrounds:
Business Administration & Management, Consulting, Finance, Economics, Business Analytics, Marketing, Management Science, Data Science, Entrepreneurship, Human Resources, Organizational Development, Education, Psychology, or related fields

Application closes September 16, 2026 11:59 pm