Director of Human Resources and Culture

Are you an expert at developing people to their highest potential - and at building systems to do so at scale? Do you have demonstrated effectiveness advancing diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives? 

The Urban Assembly The Urban Assembly (UA) is a non-profit organization providing leadership and programmatic support to unique, small public secondary schools throughout NYC and beyond. UA schools are open to all students, and our goal is to prepare 100% of UA graduates for success in the 21st-century economy. 

The UA’s Commitment to Equity The UA values the uniqueness that each student brings into our schools, and our work honors the various social and cultural contexts from which they come. We acknowledge the historical barriers created by education systems to perpetuate the social inequities that keep students of color from accessing postsecondary and career opportunities - and commit to dismantling these barriers. 

Job Description: UA is seeking to hire a Director of Human Resources and Culture to enable the success of our staff, our organization and our partner schools through modern organizational effectiveness initiatives that build knowledge, skills and capabilities, including leading Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives at the UA. The UA is entering a rapid growth phase, expanding to additional public schools in NYC and preparing to launch a UA effort in a second city in September 2020. This period will require the development of practices and systems appropriate to a larger organization. The Director will report to the CEO, and will join a committed, collaborative, mission-driven team that is improving the lives of NYC students -- and impacting the field of public education. 

Key Responsibilities: 

• Deliver high-quality HR support to all Urban Assembly staff members. 
• Organize and lead the UA’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives and support leadership to steer the UA in becoming an anti-racist organization 
• Create and manage structures that provide meaningful continuous feedback to UA staff members and support professional growth equitably across the organization 
• Develop and manage the annual performance review process 
• Support the leadership and management growth of all UA managers 
• Project manage and deliver employee satisfaction surveys, including action planning and follow up 
• Support organizational development initiatives, which may include Change Management, Organizational Culture Building, Team Effectiveness, Leadership Development, Employee Engagement, Organizational Design, and Process Improvement 
• Use various methods to assess individual, team and organizational needs, in order to inform organizational development recommendations during a period of rapid growth 
• Coordinate the planning of all-staff meetings in alignment with annual organizational goals 
• Support school-facing staff to build in DEI principles into their coaching work in schools 

You are a great candidate for this position if: 

• You are an advocate for historically marginalized peoples and perspectives. You are not afraid to speak out against injustice and advocate for truth. 
• You are passionate about leveling the playing field for NYC students by facilitating access to opportunities, relationships, and resources that can lead them towards economic and social mobility. 
• You believe in public education - and seek to disrupt it. 
• You are hungry to develop the systems, tools, and resources that will enable a strong local organization to grow into one serving students across multiple cities 
• You care deeply about - and have the skills to build - equitable organizational culture and structures. 

• Minimum 8 years of experience in HR and/or organizational design and change management 
• Broad knowledge of and experience with employment and labor law, compensation, benefits, and employee relations 
• Demonstrated effectiveness leading diversity, equity and inclusion work 
• Working knowledge of leading practices in learning & development and organization effectiveness 
• Strong organizational and project management skills, including the ability to manage complex organization structures 
• Strong initiative and follow through 
• Ability to adapt to changing circumstances and work in ambiguous environments 
• Superior written, communication, influence and facilitation skills 
• Proven consultative and collaboration skills with leaders and cross-functional partners 
• Knowledge of HR assessment tools and methodologies preferred 

Salary and Benefits: Salary is commensurate with experience and includes an excellent benefits package; including employer-funded healthcare, monthly MetroCard, phone stipend, financial support for professional development, and generous vacation time. 

The UA is committed to building a diverse team. We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status. 

Interested and qualified applicants, please email a resume and cover letter to Kristin Kearns-Jordan at jobs-hr@urbanassembly.org. Please include your name and the words “Director of Human Resources and Culture” in the email title. 

What to Expect After Applying: Applicants will receive an email confirming receipt of their materials. The UA team will review applications on a rolling basis. Candidates moving forward in the interview process will be contacted by email regarding a phone screening, followed by an in-person interview and performance task.