Description
The International School of San Francisco is a bilingual, multicultural learning community where students learn to navigate the complexities of the world with confidence, empathy, and joy. International’s vibrant urban campus is situated in the heart of the city and serves nearly 1,100 students beginning at age 2 and continuing through grade 12. The school’s 250 faculty and staff come from more than 20 countries, and its student body represents more than 50 countries. This international community brings varied languages, experiences, and perspectives to learning and school life.
Mission: Guided by the principles of academic rigor and diversity, The International School of San Francisco offers programs of study in French and English to prepare its graduates for a world in which the ability to think critically and to communicate across cultures is of paramount importance.
Values: Respect, Integrity, Inclusion, Collaboration, and Curiosity guide the school’s shared culture. Working at The International School of San Francisco opens up a myriad of opportunities both personal and professional. When minds and cultures from around the world come together, boundless curiosity takes hold; faculty and staff benefit from that deep intellectual engagement and joyful discovery. Each employee is both teacher and learner in International’s vibrant, multicultural, multilingual school community. The school commits to advancing equity and social justice through its programs and practices, equipping students to live out these principles locally and globally.
For additional information about the school, visit the website at https://www.internationalsf.org/.
THE OPPORTUNITY:
Reporting to the CFO/COO, with a dotted line to the Head of School, the Director of Human Resources will provide strategic leadership for all aspects of human resources, including employee relations, recruitment and retention, compensation and benefits, performance management, professional development, compliance, and HR systems. A trusted advisor to school leadership and a resource to faculty and staff, the Director will strengthen HR operations, establish clear and consistent practices, and help foster a workplace culture grounded in collaboration, respect, inclusion, and accountability.
Working within a multicultural and international school community, the Director will bring sound judgment, cultural awareness, and a service-oriented approach to complex personnel matters. The Director will balance the development of strong systems and policies with the relationship-building and accessibility essential to supporting 250 faculty and staff. In addition to overseeing day-to-day HR operations, the Director will anticipate organizational needs, advise leaders on workforce matters, and ensure that HR practices effectively support the School’s mission and priorities.
Key responsibilities include:
Advise the Head of School and CFO/COO on HR strategy, workforce planning, organizational needs, and opportunities to strengthen HR practices, using data and organizational priorities to inform recommendations.
Manage and mentor the HR Manager and HR Payroll Associate.
Develop, implement, and communicate HR policies and procedures that support the School’s objectives and comply with applicable employment requirements. Oversee employee classifications, required background checks, and training, and monitor regulatory developments and evolving HR best practices.
Lead recruitment and hiring in partnership with administrators, including candidate communications, reference checks, and offer letters. Support the recruitment and retention of a diverse workforce and maintain accurate job descriptions and organizational charts.
Oversee effective onboarding and offboarding processes, coordinating across departments to ensure employees are welcomed, prepared, and supported throughout their employment. Manage orientation and the buddy program that supports new employees’ successful integration into the School community.
Coordinate international hiring and employment authorization with immigration counsel, proactively tracking visa and sponsorship timelines, documentation, and communications and supporting international employees as they navigate relocation and U.S. workplace practices.
Partner with administrators on professional development, career advancement, and succession planning. Coach managers on setting expectations, providing constructive feedback, and respectfully holding employees accountable .
Support administration of the faculty collective bargaining agreement, tracking evaluation, probation, renewal, and other contractual requirements and advising leaders on timely action.
Oversee compensation, benefits, and leave administration, working with the CFO/COO to benchmark programs and maintain offerings that are competitive, equitable, and fiscally responsible.
Collaborate with the Controller and business office to ensure accurate and timely payroll information, compensation changes, and timekeeping records. Analyze workforce data and trends and provide meaningful reporting to school leadership.
Lead HRIS selection and implementation, consolidate employee information, and establish consistent workflows. Maintain accurate, secure personnel records and coordinate required government reporting, retirement plan filings, and audits.
Lead employee relations, including workplace concerns, conflict resolution, investigations, disciplinary actions, performance improvement, and separations, engaging outside counsel when appropriate and ensuring matters are handled consistently, thoughtfully, and in compliance with applicable requirements.
Maintain an accessible, visible presence within the School community, building trusted relationships across faculty, staff, and administration, identifying concerns early, and supporting employee engagement, well-being, and stronger connections across departments.
Partner with the Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion on cross-cultural communication, employee concerns, and respectful workplace practices. Clarify responsibilities and referral processes that support a culture of dignity and belonging.
Supervise and mentor the HR Manager, establishing clear priorities, accountability and service standards, while strengthening coordination among HR, academic leadership, and the business office.
Perform other duties and special projects as assigned by the CFO/COO, or Head of School.
TRAITS AND CHARACTERISTICS DESIRED:
The Director of Human Resources should champion the mission and values of the International School of San Francisco and be sensitive to and support the needs of its various constituencies. The successful candidate will be committed to the school’s philosophy of retaining, developing, and supporting its outstanding and committed faculty, staff, and administration. A proactive, responsive, accessible, hands-on leader, the Director of Human Resources must possess a strong customer service orientation and be sensitive to working in a complex, collegial educational environment. The successful candidate will have exceptional written and oral communications skills, communicate intuitively and detect and discern nuance and subtlety. The individual will be a goal-oriented administrator who can create systems and procedures and then personally work to implement them effectively. The successful candidate will maintain an open-door policy and operate with integrity, discretion, compassion, and humility. The ability to anticipate needs, provide timely updates, and follow through on commitments is essential. A positive attitude and the ability to inspire others and positively contribute to employee morale and engagement will be valued. The Director of Human Resources will be a model of integrity and fairness and have high ethical standards. This individual will act with empathy and kindness, serving as a resource to faculty and staff and help interpret their needs.
This individual needs to be a coalition-builder who can work on multiple levels with a wide variety of constituencies to implement human resource policies and procedures, and facilitate change, when required. The ability to work effectively in a creative, dynamic, fast-paced, and intellectual environment is essential. The successful candidate will possess a high level of cultural competence, recognize differing communication styles and workplace expectations, and approach unfamiliar perspectives with curiosity and respect. Strong analytical skills, attention to detail, and consistent follow-through will complement the ability to build relationships and exercise sound judgment.
CAREER TRACK LEADING TO THIS POSITION:
The ideal candidate will be an accomplished human resources professional with progressively responsible experience and a strong background as an HR generalist. Candidates should bring broad expertise across employee relations, recruitment and retention, compensation and benefits, leave administration, performance management, compliance, and HR operations, along with demonstrated success advising senior leaders and coaching managers on complex personnel matters.
Experience strengthening HR systems, policies, and processes and using technology and data to improve HR operations is important. The successful candidate should also have experience supervising, developing, and supporting HR staff. Experience working in a unionized environment and administering collective bargaining agreements is strongly preferred.
Candidates should have a strong working knowledge of applicable federal and state employment requirements, with knowledge of California employment practices highly desirable. Experience supporting international employees and coordinating immigration and employment authorization matters is valuable, although direct immigration expertise is not required.
Human resources experience within an independent or international school, educational institution, or nonprofit organization is preferred. Candidates from other sectors who bring relevant experience supporting a diverse, multicultural workforce within a complex organization are also encouraged to apply.
EDUCATION:
A Bachelor’s degree is required; a Master’s degree in Human Resources or a related field is preferred. SHRM certification is preferred.
COMPENSATION:
The salary range is $170,000 - $185,000. Relocation assistance is negotiable, if needed. A comprehensive benefits package will be provided.
