Director of Human Resources

Wissahickon Charter School is seeking a full-time, 12-month Director of Human Resources based in Philadelphia, PA (onsite). In this role, you will lead recruitment, talent strategy, employee relations, and workplace culture across two school sites, serving as the primary internal partner to Vertex for HR operations and compliance services. You will report to the CEO and help align hiring and people practices with the school’s mission and staffing needs.

Role Overview

• Full-time, 12-month HR leadership role covering two school sites.
• Reports to the CEO and serves as the primary internal liaison to Vertex for HR operations and compliance services.
• Supports recruitment, onboarding, employee relations, benefits coordination, HR policy systems, and workforce planning.

Responsibilities

• Lead recruitment and hiring from start to finish, including building candidate pipelines, managing advertising, screening, interviewing, observation/demonstration lessons, reference checks, and facilitating hiring decisions.
• Develop and maintain relationships with universities, educator preparation programs, community organizations, and other talent pipelines to attract qualified, mission-aligned candidates.
• Partner with school leaders and the CEO to support timely, strategic, equitable hiring aligned with WCS staffing needs.
• Act as the primary internal contact for Vertex by establishing clear responsibilities, approval processes, employee inquiry routing, escalation procedures, and deadlines with the CEO and Vertex, aligned to the agreed scope of services.
• Coordinate school-level onboarding while partnering with Vertex on personnel files, clearances, certifications, and employment documentation throughout an employee’s tenure, ensuring required information and school-level actions are completed promptly (with Vertex administering processes included in scope).
• Serve as a trusted internal resource for employees and leaders on HR and employee relations, including performance concerns, corrective action, and workplace issues, coordinating fact gathering and leadership decisions and engaging Vertex for guidance and documentation support within the agreed scope.
• Manage WCS’s relationship with the benefits broker, partner with the CEO to evaluate opportunities to strengthen compensation and benefits, coordinate internal communications and decisions, and work with Vertex on benefits administration where included in scope.
• Partner with Vertex on compliance with employment laws, school requirements, HR policies, and personnel practices, ensuring school leaders complete required actions and provide timely information, with tracking and documentation support within agreed scope.
• Partner with the CEO, leadership team, and Vertex to develop and maintain job descriptions, the Employee Handbook, HR policies, and organizational systems, coordinating school-specific input, approvals, employee communications, and implementation with Vertex support aligned to scope.
• Contribute to a caring, inclusive, supportive workplace focused on attracting, developing, appreciating, and retaining excellent employees.
• Serve as a strategic thought partner to the CEO and leadership team on workforce planning, organizational culture, compensation, retention, and other human capital priorities.

Requirements

• At least 5 years of progressive experience in Human Resources and talent acquisition, with a demonstrated record of success, sound judgment, and compliance.
• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree in Human Resources, Education, Organizational Leadership, or a related field preferred.
• Experience leading HR and recruitment in an education, nonprofit, or other mission-driven organization strongly preferred.
• Experience or knowledge of organizations focused on education, environmental education, social justice, peace and conflict resolution, or related areas is a plus.
• Ability to develop and execute long-term strategic plans while managing day-to-day HR operations and competing priorities.
• Proven ability to identify, attract, and hire talented, mission-aligned employees, including developing creative recruitment strategies and talent pipelines.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills for job descriptions, interview materials, employee communications, corrective action documentation, and other HR documents.
• Strong public speaking and presentation skills to represent WCS effectively to prospective employees and external partners.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills and ability to build trusting relationships across diverse stakeholders.
• Strong organization and project management skills, including meeting deadlines and navigating complex projects.
• Self-directed, resourceful, and entrepreneurial, with initiative to identify problems, develop solutions, and move work forward independently.
• Collaborative, professional, empathetic approach with positivity and sound judgment.
• Proficiency with Google Suite required.
• Deep commitment to the mission of Wissahickon Charter School and belief that all students can succeed.

Benefits

• Competitive salary
• Comprehensive benefits
• Generous paid time off

How to Apply

• Visit wissahickoncharter.org/join-our-team and click the Apply Now button.
• A cover letter and resume are required.

About Wissahickon Charter School

Wissahickon Charter School (WCS) serves 480 K-8 students across two campuses. Fernhill opened in 2002, and Awbury opened in fall 2014. WCS’s mission is to provide a community of learning that supports students’ intellectual, social, and character development, with an environmental focus, recognition of service learning projects, and an emphasis on parents as partners in the learning experience.

Equal Opportunity Commitment

Wissahickon Charter School does not discriminate in hiring or employment, or in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, or other programs. WCS is committed to hiring a diverse staff and encourages applicants from traditionally under-represented backgrounds.