DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES

2025

Position Summary

The Nueva School, an internationally recognized, nonprofit, independent day school, serving gifted learners in the San Francisco Bay Area, is seeking a dynamic and forward-thinking Director of Human Resources to lead the strategic vision for HR practices across the School. This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced HR professional who is passionate about fostering a positive and inclusive school culture while ensuring that the school attracts, develops, and retains top talent and cultivates excellence across all divisions and departments.

Nueva’s Director of Human Resources is responsible for overseeing all aspects of HR management, including recruitment, employment agreements, employee relations, benefits administration, and compliance. The ideal candidate will have a deep understanding of the unique needs of educational institutions and a demonstrated ability to create and foster a supportive and effective work environment for faculty, staff, and administration.

The Director of Human Resources reports to the Associate Head of School, while also collaborating with the Head of School and other senior leaders to ensure the effective management of human resources functions across all divisions, departments, and campuses. The position works closely with the Business Office team, including the Human Resources Manager and Payroll Manager, to foster an effective and efficient work environment. The Director helps shape a workplace culture that is inclusive, supportive, and focused on continuous improvement, ensuring that all HR processes reflect the values and mission of the School.

We are seeking applicants who represent the full diversity of our community in the Bay Area. Our ideal candidate will possess a deep appreciation for the diverse socioeconomic, racial, cultural, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, academic, and ethnic backgrounds present in our community. In joining our team at Nueva, you will become a part of an inclusive, iterative and equity-minded community that recognizes that equity and social justice is a lens with which we examine all aspects of our school community in order to ensure an educational experience where all students and colleagues can thrive. 

In deciding whether to apply for a position at Nueva, you are strongly encouraged to consider whether your values align with Nueva’s Mission, Vision, and Values. 

The position is expected to start no later than May 1, 2025 or as otherwise mutually agreed. 

Position Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Employee Relations

• Serve as a resource to administrators and employees regarding all personnel matters, opportunities, and issues; provide on-going coaching and feedback for supervisors
• Collaborate with administration on assessing, refining, and maintaining a strong employee relations program, prioritizing wellness, professional development, performance recognition, and retention
• Communicate regularly with all employees regarding relevant updates to benefits and other HR-related issues (quarterly spotlight)
• Ensure legal and effective performance-issue process and documentation, including, when necessary, termination processes
• Conduct exit interviews for all employees ending their employment

Talent Management

• Assist colleagues as needed in sourcing, recruiting, interviewing, and selecting qualified candidates
• Oversee and support onboarding of new employees in all positions, including new hire orientations
• Train and support colleagues in the creation of job postings and descriptions, and the use of the applicant tracking system
• Assist with developing recruiting sources, including referrals, recruiters, online, internet, social media, events, etc.
• Track metrics associated with hiring and turnover – successful and unsuccessful outcomes
• Help assess, facilitate, and enhance professional development resources, programs, and practices as needed, in collaboration with the Director of Teaching and Learning

Compensation and Benefits

• Continue to drive a competitive compensation program and be aligned with salary matrix structures in place
• Help with annual employment renewal process for employees and contractors and recommend changes as appropriate
• Administer and maintain a desirable, cost effective, and competitive employee benefits program, including retirement plans, flexible spending accounts, and health and welfare plans
• Work with benefits advisors to develop the best options for employee benefits plans at each renewal period
• Supervise the development, implementation, updating, and administration of school safety policies and procedures, along with oversight of the workers compensation program
• Supervise current HR Manager and collaborate with Payroll Administrator in execution of duties

Recordkeeping, Reporting, Compliance, and Legal

• In collaboration with the Leadership team and legal counsel, maintain the employee handbook, and refine the school’s human resource policies and procedures for employees, contractors, and volunteers
• Help maintain required documentation and files (i.e. federal, state, accreditation, medical, background, training, etc.)
• Ensure compliance with school policies and procedures, as well as with local, state, and federal employment related laws and regulations
• Collaborate with the Leadership Team and department supervisors to develop and implement an employee training program for mandatory and recommended school training, such as for sexual harassment, Mandated reporter, CPR, general safety/first aid, etc.
• Oversee employee leaves of absence, including timely notices to employees and support for employees throughout leave, ensuring pay is coordinated with state benefits

Qualifications

• At least 10+ years of relevant HR experience, including leadership and management experience
• Bachelor’s degree required and advanced degree preferred in relevant field
• Education, specifically independent school experience, is strongly preferred
• PHR/SPHR certifications preferred
• Expert knowledge of and experience with contemporary technologies in HR recruitment, relations, and management. Knowledge of Paycom is a plus
• Expert knowledge of human resource best practice principles, procedures, and practices, as well as relevant laws and guidelines
• Demonstrated commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion of people and program

Required Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Characteristics

• Vision, creativity, flexibility, and capacity to execute the school’s mission and strategic plan
• Successful administrative experience and the proven ability to motivate others
• Relationship builder; able to develop and cultivate internal and external relationships and inspire trust and collaboration
• Creative problem-solver
• Ability to manage and prioritize multiple responsibilities simultaneously and adapt to frequent or unexpected changes
• Detail-oriented with excellent follow-through execution skills
• Excellent oral and written communication and presentation skills
• A sense of humor
• Is able to meet the needs of a multi-generational workforce
• Demonstrated ability to distinguish and function effectively in multiple, sometimes conflicting roles and situations, including as a friend, colleague, supervisor, and leader
• Personable, positive, helpful personality; customer service mindset
• Maturity and excellent judgment
• Sensitivity, discretion, and ability to maintain confidentiality

Compensation

The full-time salary range for this leadership position is from $140,000 - $180,000. The starting salary is based upon, but not limited to, several factors that include type and years of creditable experience, education level, and expertise.

We offer a full benefits package that includes fully paid medical, dental, vision, and life insurance for employees, employer contribution toward dependent insurance premium, a generous match on our retirement plan, long-term and short-term disability insurance, flexible spending account, and free lunch.  Eligibility rules must be met.

To Apply

Please submit your application information - cover letter describing your interest and preparedness for the position, a resume documenting your relevant experience and expertise, and contact information for three professional references including an explanation of your relationship - to the Nueva Employment Website.  To address specific questions about this opportunity, please email Terry Lee, Associate Head of School, at (tlee@nuevaschool.org). 

The Nueva School is an Equal Opportunity Employer – we do not discriminate against any employee or job applicant on the basis of race, color, gender, national origin, age, religion, creed, disability or sex. We welcome applications from people of color and those with experience outside the education field. 

About The Nueva School

The Nueva School, an internationally recognized, nonprofit, independent day school, has served gifted learners since 1967. Today, Nueva serves nearly 1000 students in grades PreK–12. Nueva is located in the neighboring towns of Hillsborough and San Mateo, equidistant between San Francisco and Silicon Valley, serving six counties throughout the Bay Area of Northern California.

A constructivist school, Nueva is known for its distinctive inquiry-based interdisciplinary studies, project-based learning, and pioneering work in social-emotional learning and design thinking. The Nueva community instills a passion for lifelong learning, fosters social and emotional acuity, and develops the imaginative mind. Our school has received the US Department of Education National Blue Ribbon Award, the US Department of Education National Green Ribbon Award, and the American Institute of Architects Award for School Design and Sustainability; has been recognized as an Apple Distinguished Program and appointed an Ashoka Changemaker School; co-founded the Common Ground Speaker Series; hosts the biennial Innovative Learning Conference, and was highlighted by the Pulitzer Prize–winning and New York Times best-selling author Thomas Friedman in his book That Used to Be Us in the chapter “Average Is Over.”

For more information about The Nueva School, visit our website: www.nuevaschool.org.