Job description

Title
Director of People and Culture

Work Location
Strong preference for a candidate based in or near Philadelphia; we will also consider remote candidates in one of the following states (CO, GA, NC, NJ, NY,
PA, VA)

The Opportunity
Research for Action (RFA) is looking for a highly collaborative and human- centered Director of People and Culture with demonstrated proficiency in
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB). This is a management position in the organization and serves as the lead designer and implementer of RFA’s human resource enterprise. The Director will develop, direct, and implement the full scope of human resource functions at RFA, with primary emphasis on people and DEIB: building and reinforcing culture, developing equitable systems and processes for staff engagement and continuing education, recruiting and retaining talent, training/upskilling/reinforcing equitable management practices, and ensuring a positive full cycle experience for all staff members. The Director will report to RFA’s Chief Operating Officer. They will also lead and contribute to strategic organizational initiatives, including building internal systems to support staff engagement, and engage other organizational activities as appropriate. The
Director will manage external vendors who will process payroll and administer benefits, allowing the Director to prioritize internal culture-building and DEIB.

About Research for Action
RFA is an independent, non-profit educational research organization with a mission of using culturally responsive and community-informed research to promote racial equity and social justice. For 30 years, RFA has conducted research and developed partnerships to strengthen public schools and postsecondary institutions; provided research-based recommendations to policymakers, practitioners and the public at the local, state and national levels; and enriched the civic and community dialogue about public education.

RFA has a diverse portfolio of local and national research, evaluation, and policy studies span critical topics related to advancing equity for students, families, and communities across the education pipeline.

Between December 2022 and November 2023, RFA is engaging in a strategy and culture-building process to further establish its mission, vision, and values; chart its theory of action for impact; and strengthen its culture in the post-COVID remote/hybrid environment. Team members who join RFA during this time will contribute to organizational change and shape how RFA will promote racial equity and social justice through culturally responsive and community-informed educational research.

Key Responsibilities

• Overall: Direct, develop, and implement an equitable and people-centered full cycle human resource program for the organization, from recruiting, hiring, onboarding, training, culture building, and offboarding with diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging at the center.
• Culture-Building and Employee Experience: o Partner with managers and leadership to create an environment where employees feel safe, happy, and proud to work at our organization o Provide ongoing staff engagement and support opportunities around workplace issues o Facilitate a culture with clear boundaries and transparent processes so that employees understand what is expected of them at each stage of the employee lifecycle and within their respective roles o Measure and provide action plans for working conditions, well-being, engagement, and retention o Lead HR policy creation and management, including upkeep of the

Employee Handbook

• Learning and Development: o Create and oversee employee development, engagement and recognition programs to support organization, culture, and DEIB goals o Drive employee engagement and recognition programs

Design and facilitate all-staff training sessions (example: unconscious bias, anti-racism, gender identity, human-centered/equitable management and supervision etc.) o Maintain accurate knowledge of trends, best practices, regulatory changes, and new technologies in HR, talent management, and employment laws

• Talent Recruitment and Hiring:

o Oversee and execute robust recruiting, hiring, and onboarding processes with a strong equity lens o Build candidate pipelines and develop systems to manage and track candidates and nurture a diverse pool of candidates for open positions o Coach and support hiring managers in developing interview questions, rubrics, and hiring activities

• Performance Management: o Develop and implement an approach to performance management that centers both the employee and getting results o Partner with legal counsel to mitigate risk and resolve any employee relations concerns
• Compensation and Benefits: o Lead the design and lead implementation of compensation philosophy and strategy o Responsible for standardizing HR processes and managing systems, data and vendor relationships o Produce HR reports and provide documents, information, data analysis and tracking
• HR Administration: o Manage an external vendor to process bi-monthly payroll processes for accuracy and timeliness o Manage an external vendor to administer benefits and 403(b) program o Ensure that RFA is in compliance with all laws and regulations related to employment and tax laws

Who you are: Qualifications, skills, and competencies
RFA considers any combination of professional experience, volunteer work, coursework, and other transferable skills as qualifications. Candidates need not demonstrate all criteria to be considered for the role.

You have:

• 8-10 years of progressively responsible experience with demonstrated success in a people- and equity-centered human resources role, such as a DEIB or people and culture role. RFA also considers a combination of education and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities.

• Demonstrated experience in fostering an equity- and people-centered culture, teamwork, collaboration, and strong relationships with people within an organization.
• Experience coaching managers and supervisors on equitable management practices and through difficult or complex personnel situations.
• Comfort with and ability to lead an organization through the full cycle HR function with little or no support staff.
• Experience administering or overseeing the administration of payroll and benefits.
• Outstanding interpersonal skills and emotional maturity and intelligence.
• Thrive in a small team and work well in a cross-functional role that requires both leadership and support roles in a virtual/hybrid environment
• Excellent communication skills—in person, in writing, in groups—with diverse groups of people.
• A degree in human resources, organizational development, or a similar relevant field, or an equivalent combination of professional experience or training.
• Demonstrated passion for RFA’s mission and interest in contributing to and enhancing our team’s equity-focused and community-informed practices in education research.

Work for RFA
Culture: RFA is a fast-paced, highly-collaborative, team-based, diverse organization where the thoughts, opinions, and perspectives of all staff members are valued. RFA welcomes applications from people of all underrepresented backgrounds and credentials.

Salary and benefits: The anticipated salary range for this full-time position is
$105,000-125,00 annually. Base pay may vary with job-related knowledge, skills, experience, market location, and geography. RFA’s total compensation package includes a low-cost to the employee health, dental, and vision insurance program, flex spending plans, an employer-funded retirement plan after two years of service, and a generous paid holidays and time off program for all benefits-eligible staff.

Other requirements: This is a full-time, primarily remote position that requires regular in-person meetings or staff gatherings in Philadelphia. We strongly prefer candidates located within commuting distance of Philadelphia. We will consider remote candidates in one of the following states: Colorado, Georgia, North
Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, or Virginia. This position will

require some U.S. and local travel (dependent on COVID mitigation measures), primarily to RFA’s Center City office for leadership retreats, as well as to conferences, meetings, and other work-related functions. RFA takes COVID-19 precautions and the health and safety of our staff and their families seriously; masking when in person or conducting fieldwork, as well as proof of vaccination consistent with current CDC guidelines, is required for all employees regardless of location.

How to apply
Applications for this position will be reviewed on a rolling basis with initial interviews scheduled in late April 2023.

Qualified candidates should submit:

• A resume.
• A detailed letter explaining your interest in the position. The letter should answer the following questions: o What specific professional skills and experiences do you have that make you well-suited for this position? Please be as responsive as possible to the key responsibilities of this role. o How would you describe your commitment to equity and/or social justice as it relates to RFA’s mission?
• Two writing or work samples that demonstrate any of the following: clear communication about a difficult or complex topic such as a policy or program, or a description of a program or initiative that you’ve communicated to staff.
• Salary requirements.

All qualified applicants receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, religion, domestic violence victim status, veteran status, disability, history of disability or perceived disability, or other status protected by law.

Click here to apply: https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/f9b66dbe9dc2411784a463682249354d

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $105,000.00 - $125,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible schedule
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Parental leave
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Philadelphia, PA 19110

offroadmanagementgroup.com is the go-to platform for job seekers looking for the best job postings from around the web. With a focus on quality, the platform guarantees that all job postings are from reliable sources and are up-to-date. It also offers a variety of tools to help users find the perfect job for them, such as searching by location and filtering by industry. Furthermore, offroadmanagementgroup.com provides helpful resources like resume tips and career advice to give job seekers an edge in their search. With its commitment to quality and user-friendliness, offroadmanagementgroup.com is the ideal place to find your next job.