Assistant Director - Onboarding

About the role

The Assistant Director of Onboarding provides leadership and operational oversight for the district's onboarding function, ensuring that all new employees, contractors, interns, and volunteers are onboarded efficiently, equitably, and in full compliance with district policy and state and federal law.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of DPSCD's onboarding program for new employees, contractors, interns, and volunteers;
• Develop proactive communication strategies and onboarding materials including presentations, guidance documents, and orientations that clearly convey critical information and set new hires up for success from day one;
• Establish and monitor clear systems to track onboarding timelines, completion rates, and new hire outcomes; identify when the process is off track and propose and implement solutions;
• Foster innovation in onboarding design; take well-reasoned strategic risks to improve the onboarding experience and advocate for new approaches that better serve DPSCD's diverse employee populations;
• Provide strategic leadership and day-to-day oversight of the Onboarding Team, including management of LiveScan operations, criminal history review, appeal hearings, and all related compliance functions;
• Serve as the district's subject matter expert on Michigan School Code Section 380.1230 and related laws; independently manage the full lifecycle of background check processes, eligibility determinations, and security credentialing across every district department;
• Prepare formal reports, correspondence, and other compliance documentation with accuracy and timeliness; ensure that all records are maintained and stored in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, and district policy;
• Serve as the district's primary liaison with the Michigan State Police and other external regulatory and law enforcement agencies on matters related to background check compliance and security credentialing; Monitor changes to state and federal laws governing background checks, fingerprinting, and employment eligibility; proactively adapt district processes and inform leadership and staff of required changes;
• Oversee the maintenance, accuracy, and integrity of all onboarding data in PeopleSoft and related systems; ensure that employee, contractor, and intern records are created and updated;
• Design and consistently implement strategies to ensure that onboarding tools, processes, and systems are well documented and easily accessible to stakeholders;
• Organize and lead cross-departmental collaboration with Partnerships, Procurement, Public Safety, Athletics, Legal, FACE, Information Technology, and other departments to plan for onboarding activities, align processes, and drive improvements;
• Partner with the Recruitment & Staffing team to monitor employee retention and turnover trends; collaborate on developing and implementing strategies to maintain a staff of exceptional talent across the district;
• Provide direct supervision, coaching, and professional development to the Onboarding team; conduct Thrive evaluations, facilitate regular 1:1s, and create structured opportunities for team members to grow their skills and contribute to the department's goals;
• Plan and lead professional learning for the Onboarding team on systems, compliance requirements, customer service expectations, and best practices; connect the team's daily work to the district's broader mission and strategic priorities;
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Executive Director of Recruitment, Staffing & Onboarding.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university required; Master's degree preferred in Human Resources, Public Administration, Education Leadership, or a related field;
• Minimum of five (5) years of professional experience in Human Resources or a related field, with at least two (2) years of experience in a leadership or supervisory capacity working directly with or reporting to executive-level leaders;
• Demonstrated experience managing cross-departmental projects including goals, milestones, timelines, and accountabilities using project management tools;
• Demonstrated knowledge of Michigan School Code Section 380.1230 and related laws and regulations governing fingerprinting, background checks, and criminal history review for employment;
• Experience with DPSCD's Human Resources Information System (PeopleSoft) or comparable enterprise HR system, with a demonstrated orientation toward data integrity and system accuracy;
• Demonstrated track record of setting clear and ambitious goals and managing a team to results in a complex, fast-paced environment;
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to convey complex compliance information clearly to a wide range of audiences.