Careers: An Opportunity for Right Livelihood
“Teaching is not done by talking alone. It is done by how you live your life. My life is my teaching. My life is my message.”
Open positions:
Human Resources Manager or Generalist
Full time - Remote
Overview
The Human Resources Manager/Generalist is responsible for collaborating with monastics at our US monasteries and the leadership teams of the Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation and Parallax Press to plan, develop, implement, and evaluate Human Resources related initiatives, policies, processes, and practices. Areas of responsibility include recruitment & selection, benefit administration, compensation administration, performance management, and employee relations. They will also be responsible for maintaining legal compliance and protections required to maximize the organization's flexibility while meeting legal obligations and minimizing risk.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Through your daily work, embody our vision of bringing the teachings and practices of Thich Nhat Hanh to the world.
Assist monastics and staff to curate an organization-wide culture that epitomizes right livelihood and inspires awakening to present moment awareness in all our activities and processes.
Assist monastics and the Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation & Parallax Press staff to hire the right people with the right skills and right motivations into the right roles.
Act as an internal consultant by anticipating and analyzing needs, as well as recommending solutions in the areas of people and expertise.
Demonstrate a positive, consistent, and professional attitude and demeanor in dealing with coworkers at every level.
Infuse Plum Village values and practices in all facets of HR systems and policies.
People and Culture:
Ensure that personnel policies are up to date and reflect a multi-state organization in which staff operate with “work at home” agreements.
Ensure that all employees read the Personnel Policy / Employee Handbook.
Assist leadership in conducting searches for open positions.
Coordinate on-boarding and new employee orientation.
Develop and implement a simple performance management process.
Assist organization leadership with implementing employee improvement plans when warranted and taking corrective action where necessary.
Guide organization leadership with resolution of employee complaints, grievances, and issues. Prepare and ensure timely responses.
Organize and administer training programs for supervisors, including required training such as Prevention of Sexual Harassment.
Develop processes for staff training and development, succession planning, and provide leadership to ongoing efforts in this area.
Compensation, Benefits, and Compliance:
Maintain salary ranges by conducting periodic wage and salary surveys in the community, for determining competitive compensation levels.
Work with leadership teams to analyze positions to determine an appropriate classification and salary range for new positions or promotions.
Ensure completion and approval of payroll documentation for staff.
Conduct regular review of benefit providers and their offerings.
Coordinate annual Benefits Open Enrollment process to ensure employees are informed about benefit elections and changes to the benefit package.
Aid employees in resolving benefits problems as they arise.
Support completion of bi-monthly payroll processes.
Oversee personnel file and record maintenance.
Ensure that employees receive and sign copies of their role description.
Initiate conversations with the PVCEB HR task force to establish appropriate HR metrics and create a “dashboard” to track and report on HR metrics.
Additional duties as assigned.
skills and QUALIFICATIONS
The ideal candidate is knowledgeable, experienced and supportive of Thich Nhat Hanh’s Plum Village tradition, Buddhism, or mindfulness. They will be able to communicate with audiences in a way that is consistent and authentic with Thich Nhat Hanh’s teachings and trainings, i.e. with authenticity, empathetic listening, and mindful speech. Prior experience on retreat and/or in a sangha setting is strongly preferred.
Bachelor's degree or equivalent job experience.
PHR or SPHR preferred.
Experience acting as internal HR consultant/generalist to staff at all levels.
Minimum five years Human Resources experience in a multi-state environment.
International HR experience preferred.
Management experience within an organization or discipline preferred.
Familiarity with Federal and State Employment Laws, and knowledge of how to research the HR Laws of states and/or countries into which new remote staff and contractors are hired and assigned.
Computer skills, especially Human Resources Information Systems (HRIS), Microsoft Office, and Google Workspace.
Flexibility in working with a shared leadership structure and in cross-functional teams.
Ability to work well independently as well as to function effectively as a member of a diverse international team.
Welcomes other points of view and ideas, recognizing and embracing different and contrary perspectives with kindness, curiosity, and encouragement.
LOCATION and WORKING CONDITIONS
This position is remote. Must be a U.S. resident.
We prefer, but don’t require, residence near one of the three U.S. monasteries (Escondido, CA; Pine Bush, NY; or Batesville, MS).
Flexibility in availability to work with colleagues in European time zones.
Ability to occasionally travel out-of-town, for multiple days, to our various mindfulness practice centers.
This position sits within the Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation and reports to the Finance Director, but will work on behalf of, and in close collaboration with, all parts of PVCEB.
COMPENSATION AND benefits
The Plum Village Community of Engaged Buddhism offers a full range of benefits, including full health and dental insurance, paid vacation, health leave, and paid holidays. The HR Manager/Generalist is a full-time, exempt position. The salary is commensurate with skills and experience, within an anticipated range of $70,000 - $80,000.
We are an equal opportunity employer and actively work to ensure fair and equal treatment of our employees and constituents regardless of differences based on culture, socioeconomic status, race, marital or family situation, gender, age, ethnicity, religious beliefs, physical ability, or sexual orientation.
APPLICATION PROCESS
Confidence can sometimes hold us back from applying for a job even though there’s no such thing as a “perfect” candidate. The Plum Village Community of Engaged Buddhism is looking for exceptional and caring people who want to practice right livelihood, make a positive difference through their work, and help create an organization where everyone can thrive. So we encourage you to practice Thich Nhat Hanh’s teaching of “be beautiful, be yourself” and apply if this role would make you excited to come to work every day.
Please send the following materials electronically to work@tnhf.org by 31 January, 2026:
Cover letter explaining your interest in this position, our organization, and how your experiences and skills, both professionally and spiritually, match this position
Resume
Contact and relationship information for three references
ABOUT THIS PAGE
New positions within and supported by the Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation are posted to this page as they become available.
WORKING WITH US
Do you want to work in an community that transforms lives and makes a difference in the world? Do you want to use your practice of mindfulness to create a more compassionate, peaceful, and mindful society? This is a call to serve, a chance to bring meaning into the world.
CULTURE
The Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation family is a diverse team, deeply engaged in the Thich Nhat Hanh tradition and practice of mindfulness and compassion in our own lives, knowing this action will help improve the lives of others and our society. “Peace in oneself, peace in the world,” is a teaching from Thich Nhat Hanh we try to diligently practice. We are fortunate to be guided by monks and nuns on our volunteer working board, lay dharma teachers, and long-time mindfulness practitioners, making for a supportive, collaborative, inclusive, and mindful atmosphere. We see siblinghood as our most important asset and love and healing as our most valued profit.
ORGANIZATIONAL BACKGROUND
The Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation (the “Foundation”) is the fundraising arm and a communications hub of the International Plum Village Community. The Foundation was established in 2011 by Thich Nhat Hanh, Sister Chan Khong, and other senior monastics to raise funds for the continuation of Thich Nhat Hanh’s teachings. The Foundation, the three US monasteries, and Parallax Press, comprise one 501c3 charitable nonprofit in the US: the Plum Village Community of Engaged Buddhism, Inc. (PVCEB).
Headquartered in the US, the Foundation is led by an Executive Director, has a small international team of professional lay staff, and a volunteer advisory board of monastic and lay practitioners. The Foundation raises approximately $5 million annually and has a monthly donor program, annual, major, and legacy donors. It is also responsible for communications and Dharma sharing to the community. The Foundation also works with local lay committees to support the capital campaigns of monasteries in the Plum Village tradition.