Director of Human Resources

Director Of Human Resources

The Director of Human Resources at Atlas Public Schools will design and lead a comprehensive people strategy that supports Atlas Public Schools' mission and growth. This leader will ensure HR practices are aligned with academic and operational priorities, while fostering a joyful, equitable, and compliant workplace. They will oversee the full employee lifecycle - from talent acquisition to retention - while building the systems, policies, and team capacity needed to support a scaling organization. Atlas Public Schools currently has over 100 employees, and is adding approximately 20 additional team members each year. This role reports to the Chief of Staff.

Key Responsibilities

People Strategy + Workforce Planning

• Develop and implement a three-year people strategy aligned with academic and operational goals.
• Lead annual headcount planning, staffing models, and succession planning for critical roles.
• Forecast hiring needs by campus, team, and calendar cycle.

Team Leadership + Organizational Design

• Recommend future HR team structure (e.g., Benefits/Leaves Specialist, Recruiter, HRIS Analyst).
• Manage, coach, and develop the HR team once built.
• Establish clear service levels, workflows, and an internal HR knowledge base.

Talent Acquisition + Onboarding

• Lead full-cycle recruiting for central office and hard-to-fill school roles.
• Build diverse talent pipelines, structured interview guides, and calibrated rubrics.
• Design and implement a consistent onboarding program with 30-, 60-, and 90-day check-ins.

Employee Relations + Performance Management

• Advise leaders on coaching, documentation, and corrective action.
• Lead timely, fair investigations and recommend outcomes.
• Maintain transparent policies and resolution timelines for employee concerns.

Compensation, Benefits + Leave Management

• Maintain salary schedules, ranges, and lead annual compensation review processes.
• Oversee benefits strategy, vendor relationships, and open enrollment.
• Administer FMLA, ADA accommodations, workers' compensation, and PTO programs with equity and compliance.

Payroll + Timesheet Administration

• Own the payroll process through BambooHR, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and compliance with all tax and labor laws.
• Manage timesheet collection, approvals, and reconciliations across staff and programs.
• Partner with Finance to align payroll with budget forecasting and financial reporting.
• Ensure proper handling of supplemental pay (stipends, extra service pay, and adjustments).
• Maintain confidentiality and data integrity in all payroll and timekeeping processes.

Compliance + Risk Management

• Ensure compliance with Missouri and federal employment laws, as well as DESE requirements.
• Manage background checks, mandatory trainings, I-9s, and E-Verify processes.
• Maintain accurate records, retention practices, and audit readiness.
• Own handbook updates and policy governance.

HR Operations + HRIS

• Own and optimize BambooHR and related systems (timekeeping, applicant tracking, onboarding).
• Ensure HR data integrity, automation of routine tasks, and integration with payroll/finance.
• Create self-service tools for staff and managers.

Data, Reporting + Insights

• Develop a people metrics dashboard (e.g., time-to-fill, new hire success, retention, engagement).
• Deliver quarterly reports and recommendations to leadership and the Atlas board.

Learning, Development + Leadership Coaching

• Partner with academics to align professional development with school calendars and intersessions.
• Launch core management training (hiring, feedback, coaching, legal compliance).
• Track participation, outcomes, and iterate on programming.

Culture and Engagement

• Conduct annual engagement surveys and regular pulse checks; lead action planning.
• Embed equitable practices into hiring, evaluations, and promotions.
• Celebrate milestones, staff wins, and support well-being initiatives.

Health, Safety + Safeguarding

• Coordinate required trainings (e.g., mandated reporter, student safety).
• Partner with operations on safety procedures and incident response.
• Maintain confidential medical records with secure access protocols.

Budget + Vendor Management

• Build and manage the HR budget.
• Negotiate and oversee vendors (benefits, background checks, HRIS, recruiting platforms, legal counsel).
• Run RFPs and monitor service level agreements.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with the Executive Director, COS, Heads of School, Finance, and Operations to align staffing and compliance.
• Support strategic initiatives, including middle school expansion and new campus onboarding.

Experience + Qualifications

Education & Credentials

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Education Administration, or a related field required.
• Master's degree in HR, Organizational Leadership, or a related discipline strongly preferred.
• SHRM-SCP, SPHR, or equivalent senior HR certification highly desirable.

Professional Experience

• 10+ years of progressive HR experience, with at least 5 years in a senior HR leadership role.
• Proven track record of leading HR functions in a multi-site, mission-driven, or complex organization (education or nonprofit sector experience preferred, but not required).
• Demonstrated experience in workforce planning, employee relations, investigations, and performance management.
• Experience designing and implementing HR systems (HRIS, payroll, ATS) and driving process improvements.
• Successful track record of building and managing HR teams, vendors, and budgets.

Skills & Leadership Competencies

• Strategic thinker with the ability to align HR priorities to organizational goals.
• Strong knowledge of federal and Missouri state employment laws and compliance requirements.
• Skilled in change management, organizational design, and leadership coaching.
• Excellent judgment and discretion when handling sensitive employee matters.
• Commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging practices across all HR processes.
• Exceptional communication, relationship-building, and collaboration skills with leaders, staff, and external partners.