Director of Operations, Human Resources

KIPP Public Schools Northern California•Oakland, CA

1d•$136,000 - $164,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Director of People Operations sets the strategy and oversees execution of core Human Resources systems and operations across KIPP NorCal, ensuring a seamless, compliant, and high-quality employee experience from onboarding through offboarding. This role leads the administration of HRIS, data quality, benefits, and leave programs, while building systems that enable accurate data, strong compliance, and efficient service delivery at scale. Reporting to the Chief People Officer, this role manages the Human Resources Operations staff and partners closely with Talent Employee Experience (TEX) leaders and other department directors to ensure HR systems and processes enable the broader talent strategy and organizational goals. In this role, you set strategy for your full department and own its results, team, and budget. You make decisions about structure, hiring, and resource allocation; you escalate cross-departmental conflicts or pivots requiring Chief-level authority.

Requirements

6-9+ years of experience in HR operations, HR systems, or organizational operations in a complex organization; within education or mission-driven organizational strongly preferred
Significant experience designing and improving operational systems, workflows, and service delivery models that support scale, compliance, and a high-quality employee experience
3+ years of people management experience, including managing managers and building high-performing operational teams
Bachelor’s degree
Deep expertise in HR operations, including HRIS administration, employee lifecycle processes, benefits, and compliance
Strong systems-thinking orientation, with the ability to understand how processes, policies, data, and technology interact across teams and functions to to identify issues and drive system improvements
Strong operational judgment and problem-solving skills, including the ability to identify root causes, evaluate trade-offs, and implement sustainable solutions
Strong project management skills, with a track record of partnering effectively across IT, Finance, and Legal functions.
Strong communication and change management skills, including the ability to translate technical concepts and operational decisions into clear guidance for stakeholders
Ability to handle sensitive information with discretion and sound judgment

Nice To Haves

3+ years of experience managing HR operations, systems or programs in complex, multi-site organization preferred
HRIS implementation experience
PHR, SPHR, SHRM-CP, or SHRM-SCP are preferred

Responsibilities

Sets and drives the strategy for HR operations, including HRIS, employee lifecycle processes, and service delivery models, including making decisions and trade-offs so that systems are efficient, scalable, and aligned to organizational priorities.
Defines and oversees implementation of standards for HR Policy, data, workflows, and documentation so that all employee information is accurate, compliant, and audit-ready.
Synthesizes operational performance and system health for senior leadership, identifying risks, gaps, and opportunities for improvement.
Directs the administration and optimization of the HRIS (e.g., UKG), ensuring data integrity, system functionality, and alignment with business needs.
Holds accountability for HR data quality, establishing governance controls, audits, and reporting processes so that data is accurate, timely, and reliable for decision-making.
Partners with TEX, Data, Tech, and Finance teams to ensure alignment across systems, enabling clean reporting, compliance, and strategic insights.
Determines and prioritizes system enhancements and integrations that improve usability, reporting, and operational efficiency.
Leads end-to-end employee lifecycle experience from offer acceptance through exit, ensuring seamless transitions for all employees and alignment across departments (IT, Payroll, Talent).
Builds and maintains standardized workflows for the full employee lifecycle (hiring, transfers, promotions, separations) so that all actions are processed accurately and on time.
Establishes and oversees service standards and operational practices that ensure timely, accurate, and responsive support for employees and managers.
Ensures compliance with all employment regulations and internal policies across the employee lifecycle.
Monitors lifecycle data and trends, using insights to improve retention, onboarding effectiveness, and operational efficiency.
Owns maintenance of and updates to the RSO job architecture, including reviewing and approving all new job descriptions and changes to existing job descriptions, inclusion of job architecture in the PDP process, and managing the promotions process.
Facilitates RSO promotions process, including alignment to job architecture, managing 360s and promotion panels, and approvals.
Ensures compliance with job architecture in all talent related decisions.
Directs benefits and leave programs, ensuring accurate administration, strong vendor management, and a high-quality employee experience.
Oversees annual benefits cycles, including enrollment, renewals, and communications, ensuring alignment with organizational priorities and budget.
Ensures compliance with all applicable laws and regulations (e.g., FMLA, ADA, ACA), maintaining audit-ready systems and documentation.
Oversees time and attendance policies, including communication to staff and collaboration with payroll team to ensure accurate payment for all employees.
Oversees workers compensation program for organization.
Collaborates with the Employee Relations team when leave issues are also employee relations issues, including advising on leave policies and communication to employees and managers.
Evaluates and improves benefits and leave processes, balancing employee needs, cost, and operational feasibility.
Manages and develops HR operations staff, setting clear expectations, providing coaching, and holding accountability for both team and individual results.
Builds team capacity through clear role definition, feedback, and development opportunities aligned to organizational needs.
Partners closely with TEX Directors and the Chief People Officer to align HR operations with talent strategy, including hiring, onboarding, development, and retention efforts.
Partners with Data, Technology, and Finance teams to define business requirements, improve cross-system workflows, and ensure HR operational processes function effectively across platforms.
Other duties as assigned.