Senior Director of People, Operations, and Program Supports

About the Opportunity

826 Boston seeks an HR professional to direct our Human Resources and Operations department. We are seeking a seasoned, innovative leader who can build on the current strengths of our organization and bring a strong command of DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) and antiracism to HR practices and processes.

Mission:

826 Boston is a nonprofit writing, tutoring, and publishing organization where students in grades K-12 and beyond can share their stories, amplify their voices, and develop as leaders in school and in life.

Responsibilities: 

Human Resources 

• Develop the strategy and vision of the Human Resources Department with a DEI/antiracism lens and in collaboration with the Senior Management Team
• Lead the organization’s human capital strategy, with a focus on recruitment and retention of individuals of color, bilingual individuals,  LGBTQ+ identified individuals,  individuals from diverse economic backgrounds, and skilled individuals who have experience and/or interest in working with the populations that we serve
• Oversee the various stages of the employee lifecycle, including succession-planning, hiring, onboarding, employee engagement and satisfaction,  employee retention, exit interviews and offboarding
• Oversee the development, implementation, and update of HR policies, practices and systems, with a focus on maximizing transparency and operationalizing antiracist/anti-oppressive approaches
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local employment and benefits laws
• Review, guide, and/or approve recommendations for promotions, compensation, terminations, and performance improvement plans; ensure process and strategy is transparent, limits bias, and is equitable across social identities
• Investigate employee grievances  and conflicts and bring them to resolution; lead on various personnel concerns including investigations, disciplinary process, and terminations, in collaboration with the Executive Director
• Oversee accessibility and accommodations at 826 Boston

Operations

• Oversee and improve purchasing systems for the organization
• Manage vendor relationships and establish new vendor partnerships to meet the needs of the organization
• Oversee space renovations, repairs and enhancements
• Serve as point person for 826 Boston’s Emergency Action Plans, as well as any other additional health, weather, or office safety concerns

Management 

• Supervise the Human Resources Manager, who is responsible for the day to day administration of human resources at 826 Boston
• Supervise the Operations Assistant  and oversee their work managing purchasing, equipment and supplies, vendors, and renovations/repairs
• Supervise the DEI & Growth Manager, who is responsible for developing and advancing and monitoring DEI goals and strategies  for the organization
• Supervise the manager of 826 Boston’s AmeriCorps Program and provide support to ensure a positive and rewarding experience for all AmeriCorps members serving in 826 Boston sites
• Supervise the manager of 826 Boston’s Volunteer Program and provide support to ensure a positive and rewarding experience for all volunteers supporting 826 Boston programming

Leadership

• Serve as a member of the Senior Management Team
• Develop and lead staff professional development sessions related to the organization’s HR and Operations systems, policies and protocols.
• Provide counsel, guidance, and thought partnership to the Executive Director.

Qualifications:

The ideal candidate is a team player with a steadfast commitment to improving the quality of K-12 education, a desire to work in a collaborative and inclusive culture, and a passion for youth empowerment through writing and publishing.

826 Boston recognizes that impostor syndrome and the confidence gap might prevent some applicants from applying. Few candidates will have all of the relevant experience listed below, but 826 Boston is committed to assessing candidates with transferable skills and a willingness to be trained for this role.

Skills and experiences:

• 5+ years human resources and/or operations experience
• 3+ years personnel management experience
• Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, with experience developing and implementing DEI-aligned processes and protocols
• Ability to maintain high degree of confidentiality, integrity, and diplomacy
• Knowledge of applicable personnel laws and regulations and benefits administration
• History of strong partnership and collaboration across teams; strong skills in giving and receiving feedback
• Demonstrates passion, commitment, and integrity; takes responsibility and builds trust across a diversity of social identities
• Comfortable adapting to change in a fast-paced environment; ability to undertake several tasks simultaneously and manage them effectively
• Proficiency in Google Suite
• Commitment to 826 Boston mission and of centering youth leaders in our work and honoring the identities, experiences, and voices of BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and differently-abled communities

Compensation:

Salary and Benefits: 826 Boston offers a competitive salary commensurate with experience in a similar position with the potential for an annual performance-based bonus. The salary scale for this full-time position (40 hours/week) is $81,900 – $99,750

We offer competitive salaries and benefits and are committed to equity, trust, and transparency in compensation. Basing compensation on someone’s ability to negotiate or their prior salary can lead to inequities and bias in how people are paid, particularly for groups experiencing historical oppression. Therefore, we do not ask for prior pay history from our candidates and our offer-making process is negotiation-free for salaries and benefits. We determine the best possible salary offer based on relevant experience and extent to which candidates demonstrate the competencies for the role during the entire hiring process. New hires are typically brought into the organization at a salary between the range minimum and the salary range midpoint depending on qualifications, internal equity, and the budgeted amount for the role.

We offer a comprehensive benefits plan including flexible work from home options, generous paid time off (including 15 PTO days, accrued sick leave, 13 paid holidays, 6 Summer Friday’s, and an organizational-wide 2 week winter break); health and dental insurance (826 Boston covers 80% of premiums), parental leave, paid sabbaticals, and more.

This is an exempt, full-time position that reports to the Executive Director.

How to Apply:  You should include a cover letter in your application addressing why you are interested in 826 Boston and how your experience has prepared you for this position. The priority application deadline for this position is September 11, 2023. After that date, applications will be considered on a rolling basis. It is in your best interest to apply as soon as possible.

826 Boston Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Statement 

At 826 Boston, we honor and actively work toward diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) across our organization. We are committed to centering the voices of the students who we serve, to creating inclusive spaces, and to incorporating feedback from our community into our decision-making processes. Our DEI lens is always evolving through the courageous conversations in which we participate and the relationships that we build through our work and service. We strengthen our cultural competency through experience, training, and feedback, which informs the development of all new organizational practices and goals and the evaluation of all existing procedures.

826 Boston is dedicated to providing a platform for student advocacy through writing and publishing opportunities. In our work and mission, we are committed to dismantling white supremacy culture by recognizing that we are complicit in systems of racism and oppression. We will work to hold ourselves accountable in addressing these harmful structures and behaviors.

About Us

826 Boston is part of a national network of youth writing centers, co-founded by the award-winning author Dave Eggers and educator Nínive Calegari, that were named in GOOD Magazine’s “30 Places We Want to Work.” Since opening in 2007, 826 Boston has delivered its free youth writing and tutoring programs to more than 29,000 students and has been recognized by The Boston Globe as one of the best places in the city to volunteer. 826 Boston’s youth writers have published their work in The New York Times, The Boston Globe, and in numerous award-winning 826 Boston books, including A Place for Me in the World, which was hailed as a “triumph of middle school education” by The Boston Globe. In 2013, the 826 National network garnered the prestigious American Literacy Prize awarded by the Library of Congress.