The Role
Serves as a strategic HR partner to regional and school leaders across a multi-site school network. Leads workforce planning, organizational effectiveness, leadership development, employee relations, investigations, performance management, compliance, change management, and HR process improvements. Uses workforce data and engagement feedback to identify trends, strengthen culture, mitigate risk, and improve retention. The role is primarily remote but requires consistent travel to supported schools near San Jose, California.
Summary Generated by Built In
At Rocketship Public Schools, we believe in the infinite possibility of human potential. We believe that every student deserves the right to dream, to discover, and to develop their unique potential and it is our responsibility and our privilege to unleash the potential inside every Rocketeer we serve. Our non-profit network of public elementary charter schools propels student achievement, develops exceptional educators, and partners with parents who enable high-quality public schools to thrive in their community. We are a collective of parents, teachers, leaders, and students working together to transform the future for underserved communities across our country. At Rocketship Public Schools, we are unleashing potential.
Position Summary
The Associate Director, Human Resources (internally titled Associate Director, Talent) serves as a trusted advisor and strategic partner to regional and school leadership. This role drives organizational effectiveness, cultivates an inclusive and high-performing culture, and proactively anticipates workforce needs to ensure Rocketship remains an exceptional place to work and grow.
Operating with high autonomy, this leader makes independent, values-aligned decisions that strengthen leadership capacity, mitigate risk, and drive long-term talent outcomes across schools and regions.
Location: Within one hour of San Jose, CA
This position reports directly to the Director of Talent and maintains a dotted-line reporting relationship to the Director of People. This dual-reporting structure ensures this role is deeply embedded in regional priorities while staying aligned with national HR strategy, compliance, and culture. The role serves as a critical liaison between school/regional leadership and the broader People Team, helping to drive strategic initiatives, talent alignment, and operational excellence.
The following are essential functions related to the position:
Strategic Partnership & Leadership
- Serve as a thought partner to regional and school leaders, translating organizational strategy into actionable people plans that drive engagement, retention, and performance.
- Make independent, sound HR decisions; balance compliance with business judgment and empathy.
- Anticipate workforce trends and recommend proactive strategies to address turnover, leadership readiness, and culture health.
- Lead and coach leaders through organizational change, conflict, and performance management with discretion and composure.
- Collaborates with the recruiting team on a weekly basis to review hiring progress, share key updates, and provide regional leadership with timely recruitment insights and data.
Relationship Building & Influence
- Build deep, trust-based partnerships across executive, school, and support teams to influence without authority.
- Foster strong collaboration with Talent, Program, and other cross-functional partners to align systems and practices.
- Act as a cultural leader who models open communication, inclusivity, and professional accountability.
- Maintains key partnerships with the Recruitment team and external talent pipelines, including but not limited to Teach For America and Relay Graduate School of Education.
Leadership Development
- Design and deliver targeted development sessions for school and regional leaders to strengthen performance management, coaching, and compliance acumen.
- Partner with the Talent team to identify developmental gaps and co-create scalable solutions that enhance the employee experience.
- Use data and feedback (surveys, exit trends, engagement) to shape culture and inform action planning.
Employee Relations & Risk Management
- Lead and resolve complex employee relations matters with fairness, urgency, and discretion.
- Conduct objective investigations and provide clear, consistent recommendations.
- Coach managers on performance management and disciplinary actions, ensuring equitable application of policies and values alignment.
Operational Excellence
- Drive HR project execution and process improvements across regions.
- Partner with Talent Operations and Legal to ensure compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local employment laws.
- Use data analytics to identify trends and measure the effectiveness of human resource initiatives.
Core Competencies
- Strategic Judgment: Applies sound judgment in complex, high-impact decisions.
- Influence without Authority: Gains buy-in and alignment across diverse stakeholders.
- Relationship Building: Develops trust and credibility at every level of the organization.
- Innovation: Challenges assumptions, designs creative solutions, and drives improvement.
- Coaching & Development: Elevates leaders and teams through tailored guidance and feedback.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree or HR certification (PHR/SPHR/SHRM-CP/SCP) preferred.
- 8+ years of progressive HR experience, including direct HRBP or HR leadership experience in a multi-site organization.
- Proven ability to make autonomous, strategic HR decisions in complex or ambiguous environments.
- Advanced critical thinking, problem-solving, and influencing skills.
- Expertise in employee relations, organizational development, and change management.
- Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to tailor messages to varied audiences.
- Deep commitment to Rocketship’s mission and values.
Additional Details
- This role is primarily remote, but will require consistent travel to schools based on needs.
- Requires independent transportation to schools within the region supported.
Physical Demands:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the functions. While performing the duties of this position, the employee is regularly required to talk, hear, and communicate with both adults and children. The employee frequently is required to use hands or fingers, handle or feel objects, tools, or controls. The employee is frequently required to stand; walk; sit; and reach with hands and arms. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds and occasionally climb ladders. Specific vision abilities required by this position include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus. The noise level in the work environment is moderate to high.
Rocketship Public Schools provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, amnesty, or status as a covered veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws. Rocketship Public Schools complies with applicable state and local laws governing non-discrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.
Rocketship Public Schools expressly prohibits any form of unlawful employee harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status. Improper interference with the ability of Rocketship Public Schools’ employees to perform their expected job duties is absolutely not tolerated. Click here for our Sexual Harassment Policy. For questions, concerns, or complaints, please contact Human Resources.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree
- 8+ years of progressive human resources experience
- Direct HR business partner or HR leadership experience in a multi-site organization
- Ability to make autonomous, strategic HR decisions in complex or ambiguous environments
- Advanced critical-thinking, problem-solving, and influencing skills
- Expertise in employee relations, organizational development, and change management
- Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills with varied audiences
- Deep commitment to Rocketship's mission and values
- Advanced degree
- HR certification such as PHR, SPHR, SHRM-CP, or SHRM-SCP
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