HR Director

The HR Director for Employee Experience will develop, lead and execute strategies to retain and grow our employees. This role will lead and manage new and existing employee engagement initiatives, partner with marketing as needed and monitor and drive the success of these programs through defined performance measures. This position will collaborate with stakeholders at the operational and shared services levels to collect feedback, analyze metrics, and develop actionable plans to continuously foster engagement. Given the level of collaboration across the enterprise, the person in this role will have demonstrated knowledge and experience successfully navigating diverse organizational cultures and will be proficient in tailoring initiatives, communications, and actions accordingly.

At Kovach, we believe in sharing our success with the people who make it possible. Our employees are the driving force behind everything we achieve, which is why we proudly offer an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). This program allows you to become an owner of the company, giving you a direct stake in its growth and prosperity. As the company continues to succeed, so does the value of your shares—offering you a powerful opportunity to build wealth and benefit from our long-term success. With an ESOP, your contributions directly impact both your future and the company’s future, creating a true partnership in our continued growth.

Our Mission

Kovach’s mission is crystal clear: to cultivate a thriving and profitable company that stands as a beacon of growth and opportunity. We are steadfastly dedicated to fostering an environment where individuals not only succeed but flourish. In doing so, we aim to strike a harmonious balance between robust financial health and a nurturing space for all our team members.

Our Core Values

• Positivity: Easy to work with, trusting, team player, and good communicator.
• Own It: Reliable, responsible, follows through, trustworthy, thorough.
• Expertise: Intelligent, innovative, and coachable.
• Grit: Tough, strong work ethic, and finds a way to get it done.

Employee Experience Core Responsibilities

• Coordinate and conduct orientation and onboarding programs for new hires. Promote an open-door policy and positive employee relations that support a direct, transparent workplace culture.
• Plan, manage, and track employee recognition and incentive programs. Coordinate and lead employee engagement champions to deliver meaningful activities for employees and the community.
• Partner with Talent Development to strategize and implement new team member engagement programs.
• Plan and host company events including (but not limited to):
• Wellness field days
• Kovach’s annual leadership retreat
• Community-giving events
• Company outings
• Appreciation days
• Industry events
• In-person training
• Work closely with Kovach leadership regarding team member communications.
• Partner with managers and leaders regarding employee relations concerns and performance management:
• Review Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs) and Corrective Actions as needed
• Help resolve conflicts as needed
• Partner with Learning & Development regarding career pathing and professional development opportunities.
• Act as a trusted advisor to the business; build strategic business partner relationships and credibly lead organizational change initiatives.
• Drive employee engagement through facilitation of employee surveys, focus groups, and impact planning processes.
• Conduct facility-based organizational needs analysis and identify ways to improve people’s processes and reengineer support systems; propose site-level HR best practices that support the business mission and goals and align with the HR functional organization.
• Provide coaching and assistance to management on employee relations issues; assist in equitable resolution of issues while ensuring Kovach’s business ethics and core values are maintained at all times.
• Support our recruiting efforts and team to drive timely hiring and ensure smooth onboarding to set new hires up for success.
• Coordinate administration of performance review and pay-for-skills processes:
• Monitor quality of reviews
• Counsel evaluating supervisors
• Ensure employees’ pay remains competitive as skills and performance progress
• Serve as the onsite labor relations management expert:
• Provide guidance on grievances
• Consult on investigations
• Assist management with tracking Kovach Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and assist with calculating Pay-for-Performance (PFP) bonuses on a quarterly and annual basis.
  

What success in the First 12 Months would look like -

First 90 Days

• Build strong relationships with executive leadership, operations leaders, and shared services teams across all locations.
• Gain a deep understanding of Kovach’s culture, ESOP structure, workforce demographics, and business objectives.
• Assess the current state of employee engagement, onboarding, recognition programs, and communication channels.
• Review existing HR policies, performance management processes, and employee relations practices for consistency, effectiveness, and alignment with core values.
• Establish baseline metrics for engagement, turnover, onboarding effectiveness, and participation in employee programs.

Months 4–6

• Develop and present a clear Employee Experience roadmap aligned with company strategy and growth goals.
• Implement targeted improvements to onboarding, orientation, and early-tenure engagement.
• Strengthen employee recognition and incentive programs with defined ownership, cadence, and success metrics.
• Partner with leadership to enhance communication strategies that reinforce transparency, accountability, and ESOP ownership mindset.
• Provide coaching and guidance to managers on employee relations, performance management, and leadership behaviors.

Months 7–12

• Demonstrate measurable improvements in key employee engagement and retention indicators.
• Successfully lead company-wide engagement initiatives, events, and feedback cycles with strong participation.
• Embed consistent employee experience practices across locations while respecting site-specific needs.
• Serve as a go-to advisor for leaders on organizational change, workforce planning, and talent decisions.
• Ensure performance review, pay-for-skills, and pay-for-performance processes are well understood, consistently applied, and viewed as fair and transparent.
• Deliver an annual assessment of employee experience outcomes, lessons learned, and recommended priorities for the following year.

Additional Responsibilities

• Benefit Analysis/Research
• Partner with management and relevant department leaders to create interview/hiring plans
• Conduct compensation analysis and review performance-based bonus structures
• Create job descriptions and job performance scorecards
• Analyze areas of need for new positions
• Employee Engagement / Feedback Plans
• Policy & Procedure Updates
• Performance Review Management
  

About Kovach

Founded on strong client and vendor relationships, Kovach boasts a unique and influential organizational culture. With approximately 350 employees across multiple states, we emphasize professional growth while having fun and making an impact. Our annual sales are approximately $100 million, with growth expected in the years ahead. Our partnerships with the nation’s biggest general contractors have helped shape landmarks—from Phoenix Suns Arena Airport and ASU campuses to $50M Hangar’s for Nasa.

Job Type

• Full-time

Benefits Offered

• 401(k) matching
• Comprehensive dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Generous paid time off
• Vision insurance

Kovach is an equal opportunity employer that values diversity and inclusiveness in its workforce. We invite candidates who are eager to grow, contribute, and be a part of our success story.