Director, People Business Partner

About JFF:  

Jobs for the Future (JFF) drives transformation of the American workforce and education systems to achieve equitable economic advancement for all.  

About the position: 

In support of our commitment to JFF’s people and culture, we are launching the role of a People Business Partner (PBP) to provide overall leadership, advice, and counsel to our programmatic and shared services teams on full cycle talent management. The PBP will provide day-to-day HR support to employees and managers, including workforce planning, onboarding, training, performance management, and employee relations. The PBP will partner and consult with assigned internal client groups, analyzing human resources issues, challenges and opportunities, and proposing clear, practical solutions that center JFF’s commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, and well-being (DEIBW).

Reporting to the Vice President, People & Culture, you will be a strategic partner to leaders on the People & Culture (P&C) team and work to build a collaborative community of practice with other PBP’s within the organization. As this is a new role, you will be instrumental in executing short- and long-term strategies aligned with established JFF philosophies, ensuring that the systems and processes to attract, develop, and retain highly qualified employees are in place and delivered at high quality. The ideal candidate is a builder, comfortable with conceptualizing strategy, developing relationships and earning trust, while ensuring that our working environment continually fosters diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, and well-being aligned with JFF’s values.

What You’ll Do:

Talent Planning and Performance Management

• Engage with managers proactively and consistently to support review cycles, promotion nominations, and career development opportunities for their direct reports
• Develop thorough understanding of staffing, competency , and business needs for teams that you support, and guide senior leaders in building strategy and implementation plans for talent development, leadership development, succession planning, and other needs.
• Analyze and assess risk associated with employee issues and make decisions regarding executing solutions or escalating to higher level involvement.
• Deploy People & Culture processes, systems , and templates for managers and support their work in creating strong, evidence-based and data driven materials that are aligned with JFF’s Compass (a behavioral competency model that supports performance development)
• Ensure knowledge and tracking of performance-related issues and serve as a strategic partner in ensuring all employees have a career development plan and all managers are confident in their ability to support them in their development

Thought Partnership and Strategic Leadership

• Provide change management support and high-touch communications for new policies or systems as well as changes to benefits or total reward, ensure that the P&C vision and strategy are effectively communicated across the organization
• Liaise and partner with other HR Business Partners to ensure consistency in internal policies, practices, and approaches across all teams
• Build trust between employees, managers, and the P&C team through transparency, collaboration and excellence in service delivery
• Serve as a point of escalation and resolution for employee relations issues; provide leadership and counsel to managers on issues and resulting actions
• In concert with the P&C team, serve as a point of contact for employees with questions regarding any interpretation or application of the Employee Handbook and HR policies
• Hold JFF’s commitment to DEIBW in decisions that impact people and processes to ensure each staff member has equal opportunity to thrive at JFF.
• Coach managers on best practices aligned to JFF’s People Management Framework, the JFF Compass , and DEIBW to ensure we are proactively creating an equity-centered, psychologically safe culture for employees  

Organizational Design

• Develop, adapt, and tailor HR practices under the direction of the HR Admin function to meet ongoing and emerging changes to the organization’s size and structure
• Identify gaps/trends across the organization and work closely with the P&C team to prioritize work and be most responsive to business needs
• Continually adapt and align the HRBP Playbook with the realities of the role and newly identified best practices
• Lead with an entrepreneurial mindset to build and scale the PBP role toward best practices

Who You Are:

• You strive to provide a high level of accuracy, integrity, consistency , and confidentiality at all times in your work and transactions; you navigate sensitive, emotional, and/or difficult situations with empathy
• You are able to synthesize and analyze both qualitative and quantitative data to drive critical business decisions; you are skilled at translating complex information into easier to understand terms
• You demonstrate a growth mindset and a desire to continuously improve in your work
• You place a premium on service-orientation and excellent service delivery; you build positive relationships with internal leaders and staff based on trust and building mutual understanding
• You are familiar with utilizing HRIS (such as ADP), performance management, applicant tracking systems , and other talent management tools.
• HR certification and experience working in a professional services firm and/or mission-driven organization preferred but not required
• You are highly organized and know how to manage multiple projects and prioritize appropriately; you create clear and logical systems and processes to support your work and that of the organization to drive results.
• You model inclusive leadership, working effectively with colleagues from a diverse range of backgrounds, and building and stewarding an organizational culture that embraces diversity, equity, and inclusion
• You possess high energy and passion for JFF’s mission and the ability to apply JFF’s core values to all areas of your work
• You are a curious and adaptive learner, with a willingness to take in new information, perspectives and data to inform your work
• You build positive, effective, collaborative cultures and teams wherever you work
• You have an entrepreneurial mindset and an appetite for building and scaling teams; experience working in a high-growth environment or one experiencing significant change is preferred
• Experience supporting hybrid or fully remote organizations with a geographically dispersed workforce, and/or helping to build out a strategy business partner model is desirable
• You have 7+ years of relevant experience working in a Human Resources function, which may include serving as a strategic thought partner across people strategy and operations and/or leading one or more functions within HR. Working knowledge of several HR functional areas is valuable.
• You have a strong understanding and level of sophistication around DEIBW practices and its application within an HR function

What We Offer

At JFF, we’re fueled by the desire to create a world where everyone has equal opportunity for economic advancement. Our team works hard to push the boundaries of what is possible, and in return, we provide a gratifying work experience, competitive salaries, and a comprehensive benefits program that includes flexibility and choice as core values in order to support people wherever they are in their lives and careers.

The salary range for this role is $120K - $140K annually, in alignment to JFF’s Director salary band and our compensation philosophy. Starting salaries for new hires will be determined based on a combination of the new hire’s relevant experience and market demands.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at JFF: 

JFF is committed to sustaining a diverse community with a work environment that is welcoming, respectful, and encouraging to all. JFF fosters a culture of inclusion that celebrates and cultivates diversity along multiple dimensions, including race, ethnicity, sex, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, national origin, socioeconomic status, religion, ability, culture, and experience. As part of our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, JFF strongly encourages people impacted by the criminal legal system to apply.

To apply: 

As part of your application, please include your resume and a thoughtful cover letter, addressed to Jennifer Anderson, Vice President, People and Culture, outlining how your skills and experience meet the qualifications of the position.

Positions at JFF are not eligible for employer-visa sponsorship or open to F-1 student visa holders.

All JFF employees are required to be fully up to date on their vaccinations against COVID-19, unless a medical or religious exemption has been requested and a reasonable accommodation approved.

JFF offers a competitive salary and benefits package, commensurate with experience and skills.