Director of Human Resources

Position/Title:  Director of Human Resources 

Appointment: Immediate 

Reports To:  Head of School

Full time, Exempt 

Laurel School seeks talented faculty and staff who will put our students first and strive to make a difference in their lives.  We seek to attract faculty and staff who thrive on being engaged participants in our community and are committed to developing young women as authentic learners and leaders.  The most successful candidates are solutions-driven, are willing to listen to learn, embrace iteration and practice as a necessary part of the product, see opportunities before problems, and thrive in a fast-paced, forward-thinking educational environment. Laurel lives our mission: to inspire each girl to fulfill her promise and to better the world.  

Position Summary

Laurel School is seeking a strategic, experienced, and hands-on Director of Human Resources to oversee all aspects of the HR lifecycle including onboarding, employee relations, benefits design and administration, compliance, payroll and recruiting.  

As a key member of the school’s leadership team, the Director will develop and execute human resources strategies that support the mission, values and goals of Laurel School.  

This role is ideal for someone who:

• Brings deep HR expertise and can move easily between strategy and execution.
• Is self-motivated, highly trusted, collaborative and accessible.
• Can work independently while engaging across all levels of the school.
• Thrives on both detail-oriented tasks and big picture details - such as payroll review, compliance and system management.

Duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to:

HR Policies, Strategy and Systems:

• Partner with leadership to develop and implement HR strategies, plans and programs aligned with the School’s goals and objectives.
• Develop, update and enforce HR policies, procedures and practices to ensure compliance with employment laws and regulations.  Stay abreast of legal requirements and independent school best practices.
• Oversee and optimize HRIS systems and technology solutions to streamline HR processes.
• Participate on various school committees and duties as required as a member of the Head’s Leadership Team.
• Oversee onboarding processes and ensure a smooth transition for new employees.
• Ensure accurate maintenance of employee records and documentation in compliance with internal protocols and regulations.
• Review and update the employee handbook annually.
• Ensure school-wide compliance, including fingerprinting, license approvals, Rapback enrollment, and mandatory employees training.

Payroll, Benefits and Compensation

• Oversee payroll processing for biweekly and monthly payrolls.  Responsible for accuracy of annual W2 and 1095c forms.
• Manage the employee benefits program for 150 + eligible employees including plan design and administration for self insured medical and dental, fully insured vision, life and disability, HSA and FSA accounts, retirement plan, leave policies and workers’ compensation.    Oversee PCORI filing and 5500.
• Serve as Plan Administrator for the 403(b) plan ensuring compliance with IRS, DOL and ERISA guidelines. Run quarterly 403(b) committee, maintain oversight of 403b plan, run annual audit, maintain plan compliance. Assist with 5500 filing.   Manage the revenue credit account and monitor plan funding after each payroll to ensure payroll accuracy.
• Together with the CFO, develop, analyze and update the School’s salary and benefits budgets.
• Create, review and manage the design and administration of competitive compensation programs.
• Write and distribute employment contracts.
• Calculate mid-year payroll adjustments.
• Filing of annual State Mandating Funds.
• Participation of annual surveys.

Employee Relations, Recruiting and Workforce Planning:

• Manage employee relations, addressing concerns and fostering a collaborative work environment.  Mediate conflicts among employees.
• Counsel managers and senior leaders on matters of performance, policy and practice.
• Conduct investigations and proactively manage potential litigation risks in collaboration with legal counsel.
• Establish and maintain processes for updating job descriptions regularly.
• Build and maintain partnerships to ensure a strong pipeline for faculty recruitment.
• Identify training needs and develop programs to enhance faculty and staff skills within the organization.
• Conduct exit interviews to identify trends.
• Other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, human resources or similar field.
• Minimum of five years human resources generalist experience.
• Minimum of three years supervisory experience.
• Broad knowledge and experience in employment law, employee relations, benefits, onboarding, recruitment, and payroll.
• Willingness to work occasional evening hours for meetings, committee obligations or as work necessitates.
• Must be able to pass a BCI/FBI background check.

Additional Preferred Skills and Knowledge:

• HRCI and/or SHRM certification.
• Experience working on a leadership team.
• Non-profit or education experience.
• Self insured plan design management experience.
• Previous retirement plan administrator experience.

The successful candidate:

• Possesses enthusiasm for working in a school setting and desire to embrace the school’s mission and values.
• Publicly supports Laurel School in a positive and professional way.
• Possesses attention to detail and a high degree of accuracy.
• Maintains composure under pressure.
• Embraces and values diverse perspectives, encourages conversations about belonging, and is comfortable working within multicultural communities.
• Exercises sound judgment and maintains strict confidentiality.
• Is accountable for their work, can establish trust with others and be receptive to feedback.
• Has excellent written and verbal skills, and strong organizational skills.
• Thrives in a work setting that requires collaboration, cooperation, and collegiality .
• Has an exceptional level of integrity, honesty and a strong work ethic.
• Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel and Google workspace.

Travel requirements: Periodic travel between the two campuses. 

Salary:

Competitive salary commensurate with experience and a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, vision and:

• Generous amount of time off.
• Free lunches and healthy snacks.
• Free telehealth through Recurro, if medical is elected.
• Retirement plan participation available immediately. School match after one year of service if eligibility met.
• Plus more!

To Apply:

Please see www.laurelschool.org for further information and a job application.

Work Environment 

Laurel School is a dynamic, forward-thinking, K-12 girls’ school with a co-ed early childhood division, where every child is well known. 

Laurel enjoys an outstanding local and national reputation and is home to the Laurel Center for Research on Girls. In a highly competitive school landscape, Laurel is fortunate to be a school of choice in Cleveland. Our emphasis on the whole child and our legacy of excellence in the teaching of girls set us apart. Located in Shaker Heights, OH (15 minutes from downtown Cleveland) with an additional rural campus 17 minutes away, the school has a suburban/rural advantage. The work environment is noted for being family-friendly and flexible. The feeling in the school is joyous, collaborative and innovative. Our curricular philosophy emphasizes community-based, interdisciplinary and experiential learning. Collaboration and reflective practice are key to pedagogy at Laurel. The school is fully committed to a culturally diverse faculty and student body. 

Laurel School is dedicated to providing equal employment opportunities to all personnel and applicants for employment without regard to race; color; religion; sex; gender identity; national origin; handicap or disability; sexual orientation; or status as a veteran, Vietnam era, or special disabled veteran.