Associate Director of Human Resources Operations The Associate Director of Human Resources Operations owns key HR operations functions that enable a seamless, compliant, and high-quality employee experience across KIPP NorCal. Reporting to the Director of Human Resources Operations, this role leads Leaves of Absence, Workers' Compensation, benefits administration, and employee lifecycle operations; serves as a subject matter expert in these areas; and manages and develops HR Operations staff responsible for delivering key operational outcomes. In this role, you own a defined set of department Key Results and decide how to achieve them. You escalate trade-offs that require your Director's authority. People management is role-specific at this level and described in Core Responsibilities below. Leaves of Absence and Workers' Compensation Owns KIPP NorCal's Leaves of Absence and Workers' Compensation programs, ensuring both programs deliver a compliant, timely, and high-quality employee experience. Oversees the end-to-end Leave of Absence process from an employee's initial request through return to work, including eligibility determinations, required notices and documentation, medical certifications, leave designations, and intermittent or reduced-schedule leave tracking. Owns the Leave of Absence administration platform and vendor relationship, ensuring accurate data, timely reporting, effective vendor performance, and consistent administration of leave processes. Oversees the end-to-end Workers' Compensation process, including claims administration, vendor coordination, employee and manager communication, documentation, and return-to-work processes, ensuring claims are managed accurately and within required timelines. Drives clear and consistent guidance for employees and managers regarding leaves, Workers' Compensation, modified work schedules, return-to-work requirements, and the interaction with paid time off and short- and long-term disability benefits. Oversees complex leave, accommodation, Workers' Compensation, and return-to-work matters, partnering with Employee Relations and legal counsel as needed to ensure appropriate and compliant resolution. Aligns with Payroll and HR partners to ensure leave and Workers' Compensation status, pay, benefits, employment verifications, and employee records are accurately reflected across systems and processes. Oversees compliance and confidential recordkeeping across Leaves of Absence and Workers' Compensation, maintaining accurate and audit-ready documentation in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local requirements. Drives continuous improvement of Leaves of Absence and Workers' Compensation programs by analyzing data, identifying recurring issues and service gaps, and implementing improvements that strengthen compliance, efficiency, and employee experience.
Benefits:
Administration Owns administration of KIPP NorCal's employee benefits programs, ensuring accurate, timely, and high-quality service for employees throughout the benefits lifecycle. Drives annual benefits cycles, including open enrollment, renewals, vendor coordination, and employee communications, ensuring effective implementation within established organizational priorities and budgets. Oversees benefits vendors and operational processes, monitoring service quality, resolving escalated issues, and identifying improvements that strengthen employee experience and operational efficiency. Aligns benefits administration with Payroll, Finance, and other HR functions so employee elections, deductions, records, and related processes are accurate and effectively coordinated. Oversees operational compliance with applicable benefits requirements, including ACA and other federal, state, and local regulations, maintaining accurate and audit-ready documentation.
Employee Lifecycle Operations:
Owns HR Operations processes across the employee lifecycle, from offer acceptance through separation, ensuring employee changes are processed accurately, consistently, and on time. Designs and improves standardized workflows for hiring, transfers, promotions, separations, and other employee changes so responsibilities and handoffs are clear across HR and partner teams. Drives service standards and operating practices that provide employees and managers with timely, accurate, and responsive HR support. Oversees compliance within assigned employee lifecycle processes, identifying operational risks and escalating policy or legal issues requiring Director-level decisions.
Team Leadership and Cross-Functional Partnership:
Coaches and develops HR Operations direct reports, establishing clear goals, providing actionable feedback, and holding team members accountable for strong and equitable results.
Oversees team workflows and priorities so responsibilities are clear, capacity is aligned to operational needs, and commitments are delivered accurately and on time.
Drives team capacity-building through feedback, knowledge sharing, and development opportunities that strengthen functional expertise and readiness for increasingly complex work.
Aligns with Talent Employee Experience, Employee Relations, Payroll, Data, Technology, Finance, and other partners on cross-functional HR Operations priorities, ensuring clear ownership and effective coordination across teams.
Other duties as assigned.
KIPP Leadership Competencies:
Lead Self: You model vulnerability and coach others on self-awareness and reflection. You lead equity conversations and address systemic barriers in hiring and operations. You are a recognized expert who actively develops others' expertise.
Lead People: You initiate courageous conversations with directness and empathy, shaping the culture and norms of your team or department. You seek stakeholder input, build coalitions, and create plans that anticipate the skills and resources required for success. You drive cross-functional workstreams with peers, aligning priorities across teams.
Lead Results: You propose Key Results aligned to department strategy and ensure plans are feasible before moving to implementation. You synthesize complexity, weigh options with discernment, and bring clear recommendations to your Director. You create systems to monitor progress and hold yourself and your team accountable for outcomes.
Knowledge & Skills
Required Qualifications
Experience:
4+ years of progressively responsible experience in HR operations, HR systems, benefits, Leaves of Absence, Workers' Compensation, employee lifecycle operations, or closely related HR functions. Demonstrated experience owning and improving HR programs, operational systems, or workflows in a complex organization, with responsibility for accuracy, compliance, service quality, and continuous improvement. Demonstrated experience administering employee leave programs and applying relevant federal and state leave requirements in complex employee situations. Demonstrated experience leading complex projects or initiatives involving multiple teams and stakeholders. Experience coaching, developing, or managing others toward operational outcomes.
Education:
Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of relevant education and professional experience. Knowledge/skills - Strong knowledge of HR operations, including employee lifecycle processes, benefits administration, Leaves of Absence, Workers' Compensation, and compliance. Strong working knowledge of applicable leave, accommodation, benefits, and Workers' Compensation requirements, including FMLA, ADA, ACA, and related California requirements. Strong systems thinking and problem-solving skills, with the ability to identify root causes and design sustainable improvements across interconnected processes, policies, data, and technology. Strong project management skills, including the ability to define scope, establish ownership, manage timelines, monitor progress, and coordinate across teams. Strong analytical skills and attention to detail, with the ability to identify data quality issues, operational risks, and opportunities for improvement. Strong communication and change management skills, including the ability to translate complex compliance and operational requirements into clear guidance for employees, managers, and cross-functional partners. Ability to handle sensitive and confidential employee and medical information with discretion and sound judgment.
Preferred Qualifications:
SHRM-CP, PHR, or Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) designation.
Experience managing external benefits, Leaves of Absence, and/or Workers' Compensation vendors.
Experience administering complex leave and accommodation cases in California.
Familiarity with California Education Code and charter school fiscal compliance requirements.
Role Details:
The following details describe how this role is structured and what to expect day-to-day.
Work Setting: Hybrid 3 days (Tues, Wed, Thur)
Travel Expectation - Occasional school travel HRDriver's License - Must have a valid CA driver's license and access to a reliable vehicle for work-related travel
Physical Demands:
Ability to navigate office and school campuses, use technology, and occasionally lift or carry materials[up to 20 lbs].Mental Demands - Ability to manage competing priorities, concentrate for sustained periods, analyze complex information, and make decisions under normal work pressures. Environmental - Combination of office and school campus environments, with regular travel between sites. KIPP Northern California is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position. CompensationKIPP Northern California is dedicated to you and your family's well-being! We offer a competitive salary as well as a comprehensive benefits package. Benefits include medical, dental, vision coverage, paid time off, retirement plan with employer contribution and commuter benefits. We benchmark annually
