Director of Employee Relations

KIPP Public Schools Northern California • Oakland, CA

30d • $136,000 - $164,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

The Director of Employee Relations will lead the design and execution of KIPP NorCal’s employee relations strategy, fostering a positive, inclusive, and legally compliant work environment for over 1100 staff members. This role will provide expert guidance on conflict resolution, employee counseling, and complex workplace issues, while also ensuring adherence to all applicable employment laws and policies. The Director will train and coach managers and school leaders on best practices in employee relations, lead high-level investigations, and build the systems, tools, and processes that strengthen the organization’s overall employee experience. Reporting to the Chief People Officer, the Director will serve on the Total Employee Experience (TEX) leadership team and manage three Employee Relations Associate Directors.

Requirements

• Demonstrated commitment to advancing racial equity and belief in our vision for diversity, equity and inclusion
• At least 10 years of related professional experiences
• Successful navigation of complex talent/HR issues
• Successful experience in managing teams
• Bachelor’s degree required; graduate degree such as law degree preferred

Nice To Haves

• Mission Oriented - Holds a deep belief in the brilliance of our students and their potential; and in the transformative power of education for liberation. Demonstrates our Regional Support Office values of excellence, equity, courage and compassion.
• Expertise in Employee Relations - Experience in managing employee relations issues. Knowledge of HR and employee relations processes/laws/regulations; and of California credentialing regulations preferred.
• Ability to Build Strong Relationships - Demonstrates a relationship orientation through collaboration, approachability, strong listening skills, empathy, and transparent communication.
• TK-12, non-profit, and/or mission-driven work experience preferred
• Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM) or Human Capital Institute certification preferred

Responsibilities

• Lead Employee Relations Function
• Create and lead overall strategy to manage employee relations issues, including complaints, performance issues, and other issues as they arise
• Plans approach to complex and/or highly visible personnel issues, informed by legal guidance
• Maintains organization and record keeping of all issues
• Collects and analyzes data to identify trends and patterns in employee relations, and makes recommendations to Chief People Officer and other KIPP NorCal leaders
• Directly manages employee relations at the Regional Support Office (RSO) and School Leaders; also manages team members who directly manage employee relations at school sites
• Counseling, Advising, and Training
• Provide guidance to managers and employees on employe relations matters, including policies, procedures, and potential issues
• Design and deliver training programs for managers and employees on topics like employee relations, conflict resolution and workplace behavior
• Provide guidance and support on performance management processes, including coaching, counseling and disciplinary actions
• Conflict Resolution
• Maintain and update as necessary KIPP NorCal’s escalation protocol for employee complaints and grievances
• When issues are escalated to the TEX team, conduct thorough investigations into accusations of employee harassment, discrimination, or other workplace issues, including:
• Interviewing those involved
• Reviewing documents and evidence
• Drafting clear and detailed reports
• Maintains strict confidentiality with everyone involved
• Recommend resolutions to Chief People Office for decision and execution
• Facilitate mediations and restorative meetings, as needed
• Lead the Title IX process as the region’s coordinator
• Develop Tools and Protocols
• Develop and maintain protocols for investigations, interviews, performance improvement plans, and other employee relations topics
• Develop and facilitate monthly workshops aligned to the Performance Management Cycle, New or Updated policies, promotion processes, etc.
• Lead annual updates to Staff Handbook
• Leads TEX team projects as needed
• Compliance
• Ensure compliance with employment laws and regulations, staying up to date on legal changes
• Participates in arbitration proceedings on behalf of the organization
• Employee Handbook
• Make annual updates to the Employee Handbook to ensure employees have access to all organization policies, relevant state and federal laws, and information they can use to be successful in their role
• Work with the TEX team and KIPP NorCal’s first team (all department leads) to make updates to employee policies as they are needed
• Coordinate workshops to educate the teams on any handbook updates
• Ensure distribution of the handbook annually
• Team Leadership and Management
• Contributes to setting TEX team goals, and works to align department team goals to broader TEX team goals
• Models, contributes, and supports a positive and inclusive culture on the TEX team
• Helps manage TEX team’s budget
• Collaborates in hiring processes for TEX team roles
• Creates clear expectations for direct reports, aligned to Professional Development Plans and TEX team goals, and supports direct reports to ensure their success
• Other
• May serve as an external representative of KIPP Northern California.
• Shares talent best practices and collaborates across the national KIPP network.
• Performs other related duties and special projects as required or assigned.

Benefits

• KIPP Northern California is dedicated to you and your family's well-being! We offer a competitive salary as well as a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental and vision benefits.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Number of Employees: 501-1,000 employees