Managing Director of Human Resources

DEMOCRACY PREP PUBLIC SCHOOLS - MANAGING DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES

About the Opportunity

The Managing Director of Human Resources is an executive-level leader responsible for overseeing Democracy Prep's HR infrastructure, employee relations strategy, and compliance systems across the organization. Reporting to the Chief People Officer, this leader operates at the systems level to ensure the organization's people policies, processes, and employee lifecycle systems are implemented consistently, effectively, and in alignment with Democracy Prep's mission and values.

The Managing Director of Human Resources serves as a strategic partner to senior leadership while also ensuring the successful execution of HR operations across the network. This role directly manages key leaders across the People Team and is responsible for strengthening systems that support employee relations, performance management, compliance, and HR operations.

What You'll Do

HR Strategy & Executive Leadership:
- Partner with the Chief People Officer to design and execute Democracy Prep's enterprise human resources strategy.
- Serve as a strategic advisor to senior leaders on complex employee relations, organizational health, and people management challenges.
- Participate in executive and network leadership discussions related to organizational design, staffing strategy, and workforce planning.
- Ensure HR systems and policies support the organization's long-term strategic priorities.

Employee Relations & Organizational Health:
- Oversee the organization's employee relations framework, ensuring fair, consistent, and legally compliant handling of employee concerns, investigations, and disciplinary processes.
- Partner with legal counsel and executive leadership to mitigate organizational risk and ensure compliance with employment laws.
- Monitor trends in employee relations issues and proactively identify opportunities to strengthen leadership capacity and workplace culture.

Leadership Coaching & Development:
- Provide strategic consultation and coaching to senior leaders on people management, team health, and organizational culture.
- Directly manage and develop leaders across Democracy Prep's HR function.
- Foster a culture of continuous improvement within the HR team.

Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree required; Master's degree in a related field preferred.
- 5-10 years of relevant experience in human resources, including significant experience in employee relations and HR leadership.
- Demonstrated experience leading HR teams and overseeing complex HR functions.
- Strong knowledge of employment laws and HR compliance requirements.
- Experience working in education, nonprofit organizations, or similarly complex mission-driven organizations strongly preferred.

Compensation & Work Environment:
Salary range: $170,000 to $190,000 commensurate with equivalent experience. Democracy Prep staff members are provided with comprehensive benefits. Hybrid schedule: three days in NYC office, two days at home each week.