Director, Employee Experience

KIPP • New York, NY

9h • $115,000 - $144,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

The Director of Employee Experience is a senior leader responsible for leading employee relations strategy and workplace investigations across KIPP NYC. Reporting to the Managing Director of Talent & Employee Experience, this leader ensures that our people systems are clear, consistent, values-aligned, and designed to support high performance in the service of students and families.
The Director owns employee relations, investigations, performance evaluation systems, performance intervention processes, and the annual intent-to-return cycle. This role ensures that employee concerns are addressed with consistency, fairness, and care, while maintaining compliance and mitigating organizational risk. The Director will partner closely with school and regional leaders to navigate complex employee matters, strengthen performance management practices, and foster a positive, equitable work environment.
As a key member of the Talent & Employee Experience Team, the Director directly manages two team members and partners cross-functionally with Legal, Finance, Technology, Marketing & Communications, and other central teams to ensure coordinated, compliant, and equitable people practices across KIPP NYC.
This is a full-time position with a hybrid schedule, requiring a minimum of three in-person days per week based out of our KIPP NYC Midtown Manhattan office. The role also includes travel to KIPP NYC campuses across the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Manhattan. The cadence and frequency of school visits will be determined by your leadership team.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree a plus
• 7+ years of progressive experience in employee relations (education or nonprofit experience preferred)
• 4+ years of people management experience
• Demonstrated ownership of investigations, performance management systems, and intervention processes
• Strong judgment and discretion with highly sensitive matters
• Proven ability to balance empathy with accountability
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage competing priorities
• Commitment to equity, inclusion, and anti-racist practices in people systems and leadership

Responsibilities

• Own employee relations strategy and execution across KIPP NYC, ensuring equitable, timely, and consistent resolution of concerns
• Lead employee investigations with discretion and rigor, aligned to policy, legal requirements, and KIPP NYC’s values
• Lead and continuously refine performance evaluation systems to ensure clarity, alignment, and accountability
• Design and oversee performance intervention plans, maintaining centralized standards while supporting leaders through implementation
• Own the annual intent-to-return process, including design, communications, timelines, execution, and alignment to performance outcomes and staffing strategy
• Ensure documentation, compliance, and equitable application of all employee experience processes
• Lead proactive strategies that strengthen engagement, retention, and professional culture across the network
• Equip leaders with early-intervention tools to address performance, attendance, professionalism, and interpersonal concerns constructively and consistently
• Analyze trends in employee experience data to identify root causes, inform preventative strategies, and drive continuous improvement
• Ensure that people systems reinforce a culture of excellence, belonging, and accountability
• Serve as a trusted advisor to leaders across the organization on complex employee relations and performance matters
• Coach and develop leaders to address complex and sensitive employee matters with clarity, empathy, and consistent alignment with KIPP NYC’s standards, policies, and expectations.
• Ensure leaders understand and effectively implement policies, procedures, and timelines
• Balance centralized ownership of people systems with a strong partnership, ensuring leaders feel supported while maintaining organizational consistency
• Manage and develop two team members through clear goal-setting, coaching, and feedback
• Strengthen and streamline systems, workflows, and documentation related to employee relations, performance management, and annual cycles
• Continuously improve processes to ensure scalability, clarity, and alignment across the organization

Benefits

• Robust benefits that include medical, dental, and vision.
• 403(b) retirement plan with a 50% match after 6 months.
• Generous Time-Off aligned with the school calendar
• Up to 12 weeks of 100% parental leave.
• Bright Horizon Back-up Child and Elder care.
• Employer-paid Life Insurance and Short-term / Long-term disability.
• Employee incentives include an 8-week paid Sabbatical after 10 years, annual professional development funds, and tuition reimbursement.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Number of Employees: 251-500 employees