Reports to: Chief of Talent and Operations
Salary: Competitive and commensurate with experience
Location: New Haven, CT
Overview:
The RISE Network’s mission is to ensure all high school students graduate with a plan and the skills and confidence to achieve college and career success. Founded in 2016, RISE partners with public high schools to lead networks where communities work together to use data to learn and improve. Through its core and most comprehensive network, RISE partners with nine high schools and eight districts, serving over 13,000 students in historically marginalized communities.
RISE high schools work together to ensure all students experience success as they transition to, through, and beyond high school by using data to pinpoint needs, form hypotheses, and pursue ideas to advance student achievement. Partner schools have improved Grade 9 promotion rates by nearly 20 percentage points, while also decreasing subgroup gaps and increasing schoolwide graduation and college access rates. In 2021, the RISE Network was honored to receive the Carnegie Foundation’s annual Spotlight on Quality in Continuous Improvement recognition. Increasingly, RISE is pursuing opportunities to scale its impact through research publications, consulting partnerships, professional development experiences, and other avenues to drive excellent student outcomes.
Position Summary and Essential Job Functions:
As RISE continues to grow as an organization, the Human Resources (HR) Specialist will play a key role in coordinating RISE’s talent systems and functions including recruitment, performance management, human resources administration, and employee engagement. The HR Specialist works closely with and reports directly to the Chief of Talent and Operations to ensure that RISE continues to build a high-performing, mission-driven team and to foster a collaborative and effective work environment. This is an extraordinary opportunity for an individual who thrives in an entrepreneurial environment, is motivated to advance the organization’s commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and anti-racism through its talent functions, and is passionate about closing opportunity gaps and developing the potential of all students regardless of life circumstance.
Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
Recruitment and Hiring
Manage end-to-end recruitment process in collaboration with hiring managers, including sourcing, screening, scheduling, interviewing, and advancing applicants and candidates through the hiring process. Maintain an excellent applicant experience.
Oversee the on-boarding process for new hires in collaboration with hiring managers and other RISE staff.
Lead State/FBI background check processes.
Maintain, develop, and refine templates and processes for interviewing and evaluating candidates, including interview guides, evaluation rubrics, and performance tasks.
Lead marketing efforts to promote RISE job opportunities on digital and other platforms.
Ensure recruiting and hiring efforts promote RISE’s commitments to diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism.
Performance Management, Talent Development, and Employee Engagement
Manage a multi-faceted strategy for staff professional learning, supporting all team members in their unique professional growth trajectories.
Oversee staff performance management processes, including annual goal-setting and ongoing competency-based performance evaluation processes; collaborate with Chief of Talent and Operations to support managers in performance management and improvement.
Support a strong team culture through employee engagement initiatives, including employee surveys, employee stay conversations, quarterly team meetings, and initiatives to promote diversity, equity, inclusion and anti-racism.
Human Resources Administration
Serve as point-of-contact and provide support for human resources questions and requests from employees.
Apply industry best practices and conduct market research to inform updates to human resources policies and processes in consultation with the Chief of Talent and Operations.
Collaborate with contractors to fulfill human resource functions, including payroll and benefits.
Maintain organized and accurate employee files per organization guidelines and practices.
In collaboration with the Chief of Talent and Operations, ensure compliance with organizational policy and federal and state laws regarding employment practices.
Oversee off-boarding process and conduct employee exit interviews.
Exercise care and confidentiality in navigating human resources matters.
Required Knowledge and Skills:
Specialized knowledge in at least one major area of talent and human resources management (e.g. talent acquisition, talent development, human resources policy and administration, etc.).
Demonstrated commitment to advancing diversity, equity, inclusion and anti-racism in the workplace.
Strong interpersonal skills.
Outstanding verbal and written communication skills.
Excellent organizational and project management skills.
Strong sense of accountability and responsibility for results and meeting deadlines.
Desire to work in a dynamic, entrepreneurial, and results-driven environment.
Ability to ramp up on new content and work in an independent and self-motivated manner.
Strong belief that all students can learn and achieve at high levels.
Sense of humor, positive attitude, and willingness to work in a collaborative environment.
Proficiency with spreadsheets and Google apps. Experience with Applicant Tracking Systems and/or WordPress a plus.
Required Education and Experience:
Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field.
Minimum of five years of relevant professional experience, preferably in a nonprofit or entrepreneurial setting.
RISE is an Equal Opportunity Employer.