[2026-2027] Director of Talent and HR

About the role

The Director of Talent and HR serves as Yu Ming Charter School’s senior leader for talent and HR systems, outcomes, and execution across the full employee lifecycle. Reporting to the Chief Operations Officer and serving on the Network Leadership Team, this role is accountable for designing, implementing, and continuously improving talent systems that ensure Yu Ming attracts, develops, retains, and exits staff in ways that are equitable, legally sound, and aligned to the school’s academic model and values.

Responsibilities

• Talent Strategy and System Ownership
• Own and evolve a coherent, network-wide talent strategy aligned to Yu Ming’s instructional model, equity commitments, and multi-year organizational priorities
• Translate strategy into clear, executable systems with defined roles, timelines, and success metrics
• Maintain a multi-year staffing outlook and succession plan for key roles, in partnership with cabinet leadership
• Regularly assess talent system effectiveness and recommend adjustments based on data, trends, and organizational needs
• Talent Acquisition and Onboarding
• Design and oversee high-quality recruiting and selection systems that produce strong candidate pools and equitable hiring outcomes
• Ensure hiring processes are consistent, legally compliant, and aligned to Yu Ming’s expectations for instructional and operational excellence
• Build and maintain talent pipelines for hard-to-fill and high-impact roles
• Partner with principals and hiring managers to support effective hiring decisions and mitigate hiring risks
• Ensure onboarding systems prepare staff to be successful quickly, with clarity around expectations, performance standards, and support structures
• Performance Management and Career Pathways
• Design and implement a cohesive performance management framework that supports staff growth, accountability, and retention
• Establish clear performance expectations, documentation practices, and feedback cycles for non-instructional and network staff
• Develop foundational career pathways for non-instructional staff, prioritizing clarity, consistency, and transparency over complexity
• Partner with principals and managers to strengthen performance conversations, improvement planning, and follow-through
• Learning and Development
• Design and implement foundational professional learning systems for non-instructional staff that build core competencies and role effectiveness
• Support principals and network leaders in developing coaching, feedback, and people-management skills
• Align learning and development efforts with performance management systems to ensure coherence and impact
• Establish clear goals and indicators to assess the effectiveness of learning and development investments
• Employee Relations and HR Partnership
• Serve as a trusted advisor to principals and leaders on complex employee relations matters, including performance concerns, PIPs, disciplinary action, investigations, and exits
• Ensure employee relations processes are legally compliant, equitable, well-documented, and aligned with Yu Ming’s values
• Provide guidance and decision support to leaders navigating high-stakes people situations
• Maintain appropriate confidentiality, discretion, and professional judgment in all employee matters
• HR Operations and Compliance
• Partner with the COO and Operations team to ensure strong HR operations, including credentialing, contracts, benefits, leaves, immigration support processes and compliance
• Build and maintain reliable systems for documentation, tracking, and reporting
• Ensure HR operations are proactive, predictable, and not crisis-driven
• Data, Monitoring, and Continuous Improvement
• Own and analyze key talent data, including retention, exits, performance trends, and hiring outcomes
• Use data to identify risks, diagnose system gaps, and inform continuous improvement
• Regularly report on talent system health, risks, and priority areas to senior leadership
• Leadership and Collaboration
• Lead cross-functional implementation of talent initiatives, managing change and stakeholder communication
• Manage talent team including HR Manager, HR Assistants (if applicable), and Talent Consultants, develop direct reports to ensure strong execution and internal capacity
• Model sound judgment, solutions oriented systems thinking, and calm leadership in complex and high-stakes situations

Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in talent, HR, or people operations with demonstrated ownership of both strategy and execution
• Experience partnering with senior leaders on complex employee relations matters, including performance management and exits
• Demonstrated success designing and implementing talent and performance management systems
• Experience in K–12 or mission-driven organizations strongly preferred
• Strong data literacy and ability to use information to drive decisions
• Deep alignment with Yu Ming’s mission and equity commitments

Time commitment

12 month contract

Salary and Benefits

• $107,000-$123,000 annual salary, depending on relevant years of experience (non-negotiable)
• 100% core benefits coverage on select plans (medical, dental, vision)
• Free Access to an Employee Assistance Program offering a variety of services including counseling and legal aid
• Optional Life insurance, short and long term disability
• Pre-tax transit benefits
• 403(b) and 457 retirement plans
• 10 PTO days per calendar year
• Up to 9 accrued sick days per calendar year
• Additional time off during school breaks (Fall Break, Thanksgiving Break, Winter Break, Spring Break, etc.)

To Apply

Interested candidates should apply at this link.

Application submission screening and initial phone interviews will be completed on a rolling basis.

Yu Ming Charter School is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity at all levels.