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Green-Wood is hiring. Discover ways to work with us!
We seek outstanding candidates to help us serve our community as a working cemetery and place of memorialization, a National Historic Landmark, an arboretum, and a cultural institution.
Mission Statement
Green-Wood is a living cemetery that brings people closer to the world as it is and was, by memorializing the dead and bringing to life the art, history, and natural beauty of New York City.
CURRENT OPENINGS
Chief Operating Officer (Full-Time Role)
Position: Chief Operating Officer
Reports to: President
Location: The Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn, NY
FLSA Status: EXEMPT
Work Schedule: FULL-TIME ROLE
Compensation: $260,000 – $280,000 (commensurate with experience)
Date: February 24, 2026 – until filled
BACKGROUND
Green-Wood is one of the oldest continually operating institutions in New York City. It was founded in 1838 and predates Central Park, Prospect Park, the Brooklyn Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and all but two of the City’s cultural institutions. As an early example of the Rural Cemetery Movement, Green-Wood became the area’s most prestigious cemetery within two decades of its founding. Both historically and at present, Green-Wood has offered burials that accommodate many different rituals, customs, and religions. Green burials and other natural memorials are recent additions to its commemorative options.
Today, Green-Wood is a multi-use venue that reaches well beyond its traditional role as a burial ground. The grounds are open 365 days a year, and admission is always free. Over the past decade, Green-Wood has become well-known for its cultural programs, including walking and trolley tours, site-specific art installations, an artist-inresidence program, and classical music and jazz concerts in the Catacombs, to name just a few offerings. Innovative programs in death education have gained a significant constituency in recent years. Green-Wood’s environmental initiatives, including climate resilience measures, a massive stormwater abatement program, and fellowships in urban ecology, have garnered national attention. Collectively, these programs have been instrumental in expanding the ways Green-Wood connects with its community and has experienced explosive growth in popularity over the past few years.
POSITION
The inaugural chief operating officer (COO), responsible for shaping Green-Wood’s long-term operational, financial, and organizational growth, will serve as a strategic thought partner and advisor to the President and an essential member of the senior leadership team. Leading a team of over 70 staff, this role drives enterprise-wide planning, ensures strong financial stewardship, advances innovative revenue strategies, and builds the operational foundation needed to support Green-Wood’s next chapter.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Entrepreneurial Leadership
- Partner with the President to guide Green-Wood’s long-term vision and institutional direction.
- Lead the development and execution of major planning initiatives, including the Strategic Plan, 20-Year Capital Plan, and Five-Year Operational Plan.
- Conduct rigorous analysis of economic, operational, and land-use impacts across cemetery, horticulture, and resilience functions, including green burials and beyond, innovations in green-space management, emissions and energy-reduction strategies, major capital project planning, and leveraging new exhibition and event venue.
Building Systems/Processes and Operational Oversight
- Work with the President and across departments to convert manual and siloed operations into an integrated system, including cemetery sales, administration, and inventory systems alignment, developing data stories to support fundraising, bookkeeping, and budgeting, and land management.
- Lead complete IT overhaul, focused on upgrading and consolidating databases to provide one central portal for information, inquiry and transactions.
- Oversee Green-Wood’s administrative domains, including IT, security, and facilities.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams to establish performance indicators and metrics to measure the effectiveness of core Green-Wood initiatives. Prepare and present results through an internal tracking dashboard and high-level progress reports for the senior leadership team and Board.
- Maximize Green-Wood’s buying power through facilities and inventory management, and procurement.
- Lead the evaluation of internal systems, business processes, and use of technology resources to ensure continuous innovation, efficiency, and responsiveness to Green-Wood’s growing and changing organizational needs.
Revenue Innovation and Business Development
- Lead revenue modeling for new ventures that will support Green-Wood’s long-term financial sustainability, such as natural organic reduction (NOR) and the Green-House.
- Evaluate and model the optimal balance between mission-driven public programming and revenue-generating initiatives.
- Develop a detailed understanding of the profit and loss of every aspect of the Green-Wood enterprise, including the Cemetery and Cultural Services.
- Partner with the President to make strategic investments in revenue-generating opportunities that support the cemetery’s mission.
Executive Management
- Lead and manage five direct reports across IT, Facilities, Security, Operations, and Finance and a total team of 70 staff.
- Assess roles and functions as needed to ensure alignment with Green-Wood’s core mission and strategic priorities.
- Communicate priority goals to all staff, resulting in coordinated work products.
QUALIFICATIONS
Experience – Required
- Bachelor’s degree in business administration, public administration, finance, or related field.
- 15 years of senior leadership experience in public sector or large, complex nonprofit organizations in NYC, with at least 7 years at the C-suite level with responsibility for organizational/business planning, budgeting, strategy, and/or infrastructure/capacity building.
- Proven track record of successfully scaling organizations, driving revenue modeling and generation, overseeing operations and land use portfolio/ventures and complex business transactions, overseeing multiple infrastructure and administrative domains, and/or leading large and diverse teams.
- Ability to optimize the sustainable and compliant use of perpetual care funds through strategic planning, expense alignment, and rigorous financial oversight.
- Highly disciplined business and financial planning skills with the ability to anticipate and forecast environmental circumstances that impact organizational goals and business plans.
- Extensive knowledge of business process optimization, streamlining operations and forecasting; ability to balance multiple priorities, make difficult decisions in complex business matters and transactions, ensure accountability, and align resources to achieve results.
- Demonstrated success in managing and overhauling IT departments, including the consolidation of legacy databases.
- Advanced subject matter expertise and change management experience within the realms of finance, technology, and operations.
Experience – Preferred
- Master’s degree with a focus on business and/or finance.
Personal Attributes
- A passion and drive for leading organizational growth, strategy, and innovation with a hands-on approach and ability to focus at a detailed level when needed.
- A quick study who can evaluate a problem effectively, jump in enthusiastically, and provide creative solutions.
- A natural and engaging relationship builder who can communicate and execute collaboratively with the President, departmental teams, the Board, and external stakeholders.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- A person of high integrity and ethics with impeccable judgment and the ability to communicate decisions with a sense of purpose, clarity, and accountability and responsibility to colleagues and the public.
- A willing and excited partner looking to usher Green-Wood into the next era of growth as a final resting place, cultural institution, climate resiliency hub, and public space
COMPENSATION
- Anticipated salary is $260K – $280K, commensurate with qualifications and experience.
- Benefits package including medical and dental insurance, retirement contribution match, tax-free commuter benefit, and paid time off.
Frequently cited statistics show that women and people from underrepresented groups apply to jobs only if they think they meet 100% of the criteria. If you meet many but not all the criteria and feel you may be a good fit for the role, Green-Wood encourages you to apply.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
Green-Wood is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, color, national origin, ethnic origin, citizenship status, disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law in its employment policies. Green-Wood will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities
READY TO APPLY?
Please send a cover letter and resume as one PDF to GWCOO@pbrsearch.com with the title format “Last Name First Name – Letter Resume” and complete the Voluntary Self-Identification form. This will assist us in improving our hiring practices and ensuring equal opportunities. Participation is voluntary and will not affect your candidacy in any way.
Director of Human Resources (Full-Time Role)
Position: Director of Human Resources
Reports to: President
Location: The Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn, NY
FLSA Status: EXEMPT
Work Schedule: FULL-TIME ROLE
Compensation: $140,000 – $160,000 (commensurate with experience)
Date: February 23, 2026 – until filled
ABOUT GREEN-WOOD
The Green-Wood Cemetery is the permanent residence of more than 580,000 individuals and a beloved public destination, welcoming nearly 500,000 visitors annually. Spanning 478 acres of historic grounds, grand architecture, and world-class statuary, Green-Wood is more than a cemetery—it is a National Historic Landmark, an accredited arboretum, an outdoor museum, and a cultural hub rooted in the heart of Brooklyn.
As a living cemetery, Green-Wood blends preservation, nature, and community engagement with innovation. Our work spans a wide range of programming—from the arts and education to environmental stewardship, workforce development, restoration, and scholarly research. Through it all, we remain deeply committed to honoring our mission and treating every visitor and family with care, dignity, and respect.
ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY
Green-Wood Cemetery is seeking a dedicated and experienced Director of Human Resources to join our team. Green-Wood is a multi-faceted organization that encompasses a working cemetery, arts and cultural programming, an accredited arboretum, a deep commitment to history, and connecting with the diverse communities of Brooklyn.
This newly created senior staff position will be instrumental in shaping and managing all aspects of the organization’s human capital function. The Director of HR will bring a strong balance of strategic people leadership experience, hands-on execution, and a proven track record of managing all facets of HR, including day-to-day operations, employee relations, organizational and employee development, talent management, and policy and regulatory compliance.
The ideal candidate will possess exceptional communication and negotiation skills, a people-centric mindset, and a deep knowledge of applicable labor laws and HR best practices. Serving as a trusted advisor to the President and senior leadership team, the Director of HR will champion people-related initiatives and help cultivate a high-performing, mission-aligned workplace culture. The successful candidate will be proactive, compassionate, and highly organized with the ability to help build and maintain a positive workplace culture while effectively collaborating with external partners to support the HR function.
WHAT YOU WILL DO
- Strategic HR Advisor: Serve as a trusted advisor to the President, senior leadership team, and Board supporting organization design, workforce planning, and transformation initiatives which advance Green-Wood’s mission, values, and strategic priorities. Lead HR initiatives that strengthen organizational effectiveness, employee engagement, and workplace culture.
- HR Administration & Compliance: Manage all day-to-day HR operations, including the maintenance of accurate and confidential employee records, oversight of HR systems and processes, and compliance with applicable federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations. Develop, implement, and maintain the Employee Handbook and all HR policies and ensure that they align with Green-Wood’s mission, values, and HR best practices.
- Employee Relations & Support: Serve as the primary resource for all employee relations matters providing timely, fair, and consistent guidance across the organization. In collaboration with the President provide support for workplace conflicts, conduct investigations into formal employee complaints, and ensure appropriate resolution in alignment with organizational policies and legal requirements.
- Talent Acquisition & Workforce Planning: Oversee the full employee lifecycle, including the development and execution of recruitment and retention strategies designed to attract and retain diverse, mission-aligned talent. Lead onboarding and new hire orientation initiatives to ensure a welcoming and engaging experience for new employees. Administer offboarding processes that provide a professional and respectful exit process for departing staff.
- Performance Management & Employee Development: Advise and coach managers on performance management, employee engagement, and professional development with the goal of fostering a positive, accountable, and high-performing workplace culture.Manage the performance review process, providing tools, and support to managers and employees that promote a culture of continuous feedback and improvement. Assess employee learning and development needs, and design or source training programs to enhance employee competencies, improve performance, and strengthen leadership capabilities.
- Compensation & Benefits: Administer and manage employee benefits programs, including health insurance, retirement plans, and paid time off. Conduct market benchmarking and compensation analyses to establish an equitable and competitive pay structure and ensure that compensation and benefits align with organizational goals and budget parameters.
- Labor Relations & Collective Bargaining: Manage all aspects of union relations, including collective bargaining negotiations. Ensure consistent interpretation and adherence to the terms of the governing collective bargaining agreement while fostering constructive labor-management relationships that minimize risk to the organization.
- Safety & Wellness: Oversee workplace safety programs that promote a safe and healthy work environment and ensure compliance with applicable OSHA safety regulations and standards.
- External Partnerships: Collaborate as needed with external consultants and partners such as legal counsel, benefits brokers, and/or specialized training providers to support specific HR needs.
QUALIFICATIONS
Education & Experience
- Minimum of 8-12 years of progressive HR experience with a strong focus on employee relations and HR administration, including at least 3 years in a leadership or managerial level role.
- High level of integrity and discretion in handling sensitive and confidential information.
- Compassionate and empathetic approach to employee issues with the ability to work independently and manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
- Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field preferred. A Master’s degree or HR certification (e.g., SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, SPHR) is a plus.
Skills & Competencies
- Solutions oriented and forward-thinking, with the ability to see the bigger picture, anticipate precedential impacts, and understand the broader context to effectively identify issues and craft scalable solutions.
- Skilled at effectively challenging and inspiring others to embrace vision and strategies. An approachable and trusted confidant, able to encourage confidence to receive “unfiltered truth” about potential problems at all levels.
- Excellent interpersonal and negotiation skills with a strong understanding of federal, state, and local employment laws.
- Strong problem-solving and conflict-resolution abilities paired with meticulous organizational skills, attention to detail, and the capacity to manage multiple priorities under tight deadlines.
- Proficiency with HRIS (Human Resources Information Systems) and Microsoft Office Suite.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to concisely and accurately present information to employees and senior leadership.
- High degree of integrity and discretion in handling sensitive and confidential information.
Mission Alignment
- Demonstrates a deep commitment to Green-Wood’s mission to preserve history, connect people with nature, and serve communities through cultural, educational, and commemorative initiatives.
- Exhibits a strong work ethic and professional demeanor with dedication to institutional sustainability through stewardship and a commitment to public service.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Mission Statement
Green-Wood is a living cemetery that brings people closer to the world as it is and was, by memorializing the dead and bringing to life the art, history, and natural beauty of New York City.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
Green-Wood is an equal employment opportunity employer that prohibits discrimination against applicants and employees on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, gender, national origin or ancestry, age, disability, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, domestic partner status, military or veteran status, citizenship status, and any other basis or characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.
Physical Demands/Working Conditions
Work is generally performed in a standard office environment with periodic on-site visits/work in the field. Ability to operate office equipment, printers and related software. No heavy lifting required.
Pay Transparency Clause
As required by New York City law, the salary range for this position is disclosed in this job posting. The actual salary offered may vary based on factors such as experience, education, and qualifications.
HOW WE SUPPORT YOU
We offer a comprehensive benefits package to support and recognize your valuable contributions.
- Salary Range: $140,000 – $160,000
- Generous paid time off (holidays, vacation, and personal leave)
- Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance.
- Employer-paid life insurance
- Optional insurance plans (life, disability, etc.).
- Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
- Commuter benefits to help with transportation costs.
- Free on-site parking
READY TO APPLY?
If you’re a human resources professional looking to make a difference in an organization rich in history, culture, and impact, we’d love to hear from you! Apply now and be part of Green-Wood’s mission to preserve the past, enrich the present, and inspire the future!
To apply, email your resume and cover letter to HRDirectorSearch@green-wood.com
Email subject line: Human Resources Director: [Your Last Name]