Senior Director of People and Culture

Education Design Lab is seeking nominations and applications for our first ever Senior Director of People and Culture. This new leader will join the leadership team to synthesize the Lab’s mission and culture with systems and processes that support Lab staff in their professional growth and development.

Reporting to the CEO, the new Senior Director of People and Culture will join the leadership team as the architect of the programs, policies and systems that will enable and nurture the growing staff as it delivers human-centered design solutions that transform institutions and ecosystems at the intersection of learning and work. More specifically, this new leader will stand up the human resources function, oversee hiring, on-boarding and retention, align our people strategy with the overall strategy, cultivate community in a hybrid work environment, and operationalize equity and belonging throughout the organization. 

The ideal candidate will be a tested and proven systems thinker who applies human-centered principles to their work. They will have at least ten years of progressive, relevant experience in small to medium-sized fast-paced, rapidly changing environments, and understand the unique dynamics of a growing, national team. They will be a fearless communicator, a creative thought partner to senior leaders, and a proactive problem solver with the emotional intelligence to create and manage systems that can respond to team members’ needs while anticipating what the team will need in the future as the lab continues to evolve. 

About Education Design Lab

The Lab is a diverse team that brings a critical mix of expertise in secondary and post-secondary education, talent development, policy and entrepreneurship to partnerships across the workforce education sector. We are connected in our belief that designing career pathways — including credentials and supports — from the learner perspective is the best way to address equity and skills gaps in the incredibly dynamic world of work. The Lab’s superpower is to co-design and build equitable, learner-centered approaches with colleges, universities, employers, foundations, and regions. Learn more at www.EdDesignLab.org. 

Responsibilities of the new Senior Director of People and Culture

Collaborate across the leadership team to operationalize the Lab’s strategy with a clear understanding of the needs of the team.  Refine and clarify the Lab’s organizational structure as we grow and evolve.
Update job descriptions for each position to reflect the goals and expectations of each role and how roles interact. Design promotion pathways, reporting relationships, and milestones for new and existing positions. Conduct annual Lab-wide compensation analyses and set goals for pay equity across all teams.
Partner across the leadership team to recruit, develop, and retain talented, dynamic team members.
Lead events that promote team cohesion and bolster interpersonal communication and strong remote relationships. Apply equity principles that ensure the team reflects the identities of the Lab’s partners and that all team members are valued and supported. Partner with the CEO to conceptualize internships, fellowships and other programs to grow the Lab’s role as an incubator for developing educational designers who apply a human-centered approach to design work in higher education and in workforce development.
Refine and stand up the new HR function for Education Design Lab.
Lead the updates to the employee handbook and policies. Serve as the liaison with HR vendors. Streamline personnel, HR, benefits and payroll processes, including researching and piloting new platforms and tools.
Provide thought leadership and partnership to department managers to determine each team’s talent strategy and growth trajectory. 
Support managers as they recruit new team members. Support managers in projecting their personnel needs and building strategies to meet those needs. Create an onboarding process to introduce new hires to the culture of the Lab and to ensure new staff members are supported as they learn the nuances of their role and connect with other Lab members. Help develop and encourage ways of keeping our culture vibrant, relevant, compelling and inclusive.

Ideal Characteristics and Background of the new Senior Director of People and Culture

At least ten years of progressive experience in people management, operations, program leadership, project management, recruiting, human resources or a related field. Experience leading small to medium-sized organizations through periods of significant growth or transition. In-depth knowledge of the systems and tools on which small organizations rely to manage people and operations. Willingness to research and pilot cutting-edge innovations to workplace culture–especially those that support fully remote and/or traveling teams. A background in human resources or experiences in close partnerships with leaders in human resources. Nuanced interpersonal communication skills with the ability to capture, distill and synthesize the ideas, needs, and goals of various stakeholders. An ever-evolving understanding of workplace equity and how to incorporate equity practices throughout the workflow and at every stage of a team member’s engagement with an organization. A high tolerance for transition, a sense of humor, kindness, compassion and a willingness to support colleagues as they test and strategize new ideas in support of our mission.

Compensation & Benefits

The compensation for Senior Director of People and Culture will fall within a range between $140,000 - $165,000 annually. The benefits package will include:

100% employer-paid medical and dental for full-time employees. Short-term, long-term, and group life insurance coverage.  Sick-time provided as needed.  403b - 100% matching after the first year. Rest and Relaxation:
Responsible PTO policy for all full-time staff which allows managers to approve PTO with no limits. 11 paid federal holidays.  2 weeks paid organizational closures.

Location

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Lab is currently operating in a hybrid-work environment where team members are working remotely from their home offices. Greater Washington, D.C. Metro Area based employees have the option to work from our offices located in Dupont Circle, downtown DC in accordance with the office policies which are updated regularly with COVID-19 restrictions to prioritize the health and safety of our team members. Similarly, Lab staff are traveling as needed in accordance with our travel policy to ensure safety and comfort. 

How to Apply

Monday Morning Consultants is leading this search. For more details, please visit

www.mondaymorningconsultants.com. To apply for the position, please submit a current resume to: apply@mondaymorningconsultants.com.