Director of People Operations and Culture (Remote)

Remote

About ESS: Effective School Solutions (ESS) is one of the country’s leading providers of school-based mental health services for K-12 students. Serving over 2,000 students across nine states in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and the West Coast regions, ESS was founded based on the concept of offering the types of higher acuity clinical care that students would normally receive in a private practice or private school setting within the public-school building. In response to the strong uptick in mental health challenges for young people over the past decade, the company has expanded its services to offer a wider range of programming options, as well as professional development and consultative solutions for districts. ESS has a proven model and is committed to establishing itself as the country’s recognized thought leader and exemplar on what the highest quality school-based mental health looks like.

About the role: ESS is positioned for accelerated growth and long-term expansion of services across the United States. In that next phase of growth, ESS is looking for a Director, People Operations and Culture to shape and provide strategic leadership over all HR practices and employee engagement at ESS. Reporting to the Senior Vice President, People, the ideal hire will oversee HR operations, ensuring the alignment with ESS’s goals and talent strategy. This is a fully remote position with some travel (10-15%) to ESS’s home office in New Providence, NJ.

There is a high preference for candidates located in the Central or Eastern Time Zone.

 Primary responsibilities:

• Establish and implement human resources policies and procedures in partnership with our executive team and clinical leadership.
• Lead all employee relations initiatives including grievances and investigations, coaching and feedback, and engagement and retention.
• Drive the compliance process to guarantee that ESS adheres with all federal and state laws and regulations.
• Identify and improve HR processes to increase the team’s efficiency and impact across the company.
• Oversee and project manage compliance efforts for third-party reimbursement initiatives, ensuring accurate and timely handling of employee data in accordance with regulatory requirements.
• Evaluate and revamp the onboarding process to ensure that all staff are efficiently onboarded in accordance with district and state policies, providing a warm and welcoming introduction to the organization.
• Develop and oversee implementation of company policies including PTO, training needs, and any other legal requirements.
• Oversee the organization’s benefits program including partnering with benefit brokers.
• Manage the day-to-day relationship with our HRIS provider (ADP).
• Provide coaching across all levels of the company, providing solutions and interventions as necessary.
• Continuously learn and adjust practices to support best practices, regulatory changes, employment law, and emerging technologies.
• Oversee regional programs and initiatives to reinforce company culture and morale.
• Ensure that staff members are onboarded successfully to the organization.
• Conduct regular periodic outreach with new hires to assess job satisfaction.
• Facilitate quarterly training for staff and managers on a range of HR related initiatives.
• Plan and coordinate staff engagement initiatives to increase collaboration, community, and connection.
• Manage two HR Generalists who support our potential and current employees with all HR related requests and questions.
• Support with additional People team projects and initiatives as necessary.

 About You:

• You have 8+ years of progressive HR experience including at least 3 years leading a dynamic and responsive people team. An HR certification (SHRM-SCP, PHR) is preferred.
• You have a breadth of knowledge of federal and state labor laws and regulations and can establish policies and decision making process using this knowledge.
• You have experience in leveraging technology to track HR data and support employee engagement.
• You quickly establish rapport, build credibility, and create relationships at all levels within a company.
• You are an adaptable and organized leader who can toggle between multiple priorities.
• You are excited about the opportunity to scale a company and skilled in establishing process and system where there isn’t a set structure.
• You are self-motivated and can take initiative to drive to results in a fast-paced environment.
• You bring a low ego to your work and thrive in a highly collaborative environment.

ESS is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment on the basis of race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, status as a veteran, and basis of disability or any other federal, state or local protected class.