Director, People & Culture

About JFF 

Jobs for the Future (JFF) drives transformation of the U.S. education and workforce systems to achieve economic advancement for all. Seeing that millions of people are unfairly shut out of quality jobs and the chance for a better life, our goal is to align education, workforce, and employment changemakers toward a shared North Star: By 2033, 75 million people facing systemic barriers to advancement will work in quality jobs.  

To achieve that goal, we design solutions, scale best practices, influence policy and action, and invest in innovation. With a staff of more than 200 people across the country working remotely and in offices in Boston (headquarters), Washington, DC, and Oakland, California, we operate at the national, state, and local levels, forging deep partnerships with employers, investors, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and education and workforce development providers to break down barriers and reimagine what’s possible.   

We’re on a path of ongoing growth and expanding impact. We have an operating budget of $105 million, and we’re funded by dozens of leading government agencies, foundations, and corporations. Learn more about JFF and join us as we build a future that works—for everyone.  

Equal Employment Opportunity at JFF  

Inclusion, belonging, and well-being are core to JFF’s North Star and mission, and we seek to invest in and learn from those who represent the communities we serve as it is important to the success of our work and the engagement of our staff members. We aim to cultivate a culture that centers the overall care, well-being, and success of the employee through flexible work hours, balanced workloads, professional development, and career advancement opportunities for all. 

JFF is a fair chance employer and in alignment to our North Star, we hire based on qualifications, and experience, and we are committed to fair opportunity for all qualified candidates – including those without a 4-year degree or formally incarnated individuals. 

About the Position 

The Director, People & Culture leads JFF's People Business Partner (PBP) function. The role owns the segment responsibilities that make People & Culture (P&C) work in practice for leaders, managers, and employees across the organization, and is accountable for the consistency, quality, and risk management of employee relations, career development, employee listening, and the large-scale, people-facing initiatives and processes that reach the full workforce of more than 200 employees working remotely and in offices across the U.S. 

This is a functional leadership role on the P&C team. The director sets direction and standards for the PBP team, builds processes that make business partnership consistent and repeatable, and brings both a deep understanding of the business and of the HR practices that matter most to a nonprofit. PBPs lead leader partnership, portfolio context, workforce and talent needs, and employee relations coordination; People Operations provides enterprise infrastructure, specialist expertise, systems, data, rewards, and compliance support. Every handoff has a named owner, next action, and timing. The director is expected to stay close enough to the work to exercise sound judgment on complex people matters, and to escalate early and keep the AVP, P&C informed when issues carry meaningful legal, financial, or reputational risk. 

JFF is a complex, matrixed organization with Practices, Centers, Solutions, and Business Operations teams, and decisions are made through shared leadership forums such as the JFF Leadership Council (JLC). The role succeeds by building trust and influence across that matrix, spotting patterns early, and helping leaders make people decisions that are fair, legally sound, and aligned to JFF's strategy. 

This role leads the PBP team and reports to the Associate Vice President, P&C. It partners closely with the Director, People Operations & Total Rewards, Finance, Legal, Operations, and JFF leaders.  

What You'll Do 

Own segment responsibilities and set direction for the PBP function 

• Own the PBP segments: define portfolios, coverage, decision rights, goals, and success measures so that every part of JFF has a clear, accountable P&C partner. 
• Align PBP segments and coverage with JFF's evolving organizational structure and where complexity is highest. 
• Ensure PBPs lead the full talent lifecycle in their portfolios, including leader partnership, workforce and skills planning, performance and team effectiveness, and employee relations coordination. 
• Translate P&C strategy into clear priorities, proposals, and recommendations that senior leaders can act on. 

Lead, develop, and hold accountable a high-performing PBP team 

• Lead through outcomes: set clear expectations and hold PBPs accountable for quality, timeliness, risk management, stakeholder experience, and clear escalation. 
• Coach PBPs in judgment, pattern recognition, documentation, decision framing, and stakeholder management. 
• Build development plans and career paths for PBPs, and give regular, candid feedback. 
• Review workload and capacity at least quarterly and rebalance early to prevent sustained overextension. 
• Ensure cross-training, documented backup coverage, and transition plans so the work continues when priorities shift or a team member is out. 

Build and manage the Business Partner operating model 

• Establish, document, and continuously improve the processes that make the PBP function consistent and scalable, including: 
• A core RACI for PBP processes and cross-functional handoffs. 
• Standards for case management, documentation, consistency of advice, escalation, and risk management. 
• A clear intake and triage approach for leader, manager, and employee requests. 
• A shared annual calendar for major cycles, approvals, communications, and dependencies. 
• Templates, playbooks, and process maps that reduce reliance on any one person's institutional knowledge. 
• Institutionalize good ideas: turn what works into standard practice, and evolve established processes based on expertise, experience, and post-cycle lessons. 
• Clarify handoffs with People Operations & Total Rewards 

Lead employee relations 

• Serve as the escalation point and senior advisor for complex employee relations matters, including conflict, performance and conduct concerns, investigations, accommodations, and separations, in partnership with the AVP, P&C and legal counsel as needed. 
• Ensure employee relations matters are handled promptly, consistently, and with sound documentation and attention to detail. 
• Coach leaders and people managers on difficult conversations, performance management, and fair, defensible decision-making. 
• Review patterns across employee relations cases and PBP data to identify risk, recommend policy or practice changes, and build manager capability. 
• Ensure guidance reflects the compliance and regulatory requirements that apply to JFF as a nonprofit and a multi-state employer. 

Implement and advise on large-scale, people-facing initiatives and processes 

• Advise on and lead the rollout of enterprise people initiatives and processes, such as performance and calibration cycles, organizational changes, policy updates, and manager enablement. 
• Plan each initiative from design through communication and adoption, including who is affected, timing, dependencies, and how success will be measured. 
• Present clearly and confidently to all-staff audiences, JLC, the Executive Team, and, as needed, the Board. 
• Lead post-cycle reviews, and make sure improvements are implemented, measured, and communicated. 

Lead career development, succession planning, and workforce planning 

• Lead JFF's approach to career development, including career paths, internal mobility, growth conversations, and manager capability to support them. 
• Lead succession planning, working with executives and senior leaders to identify critical roles, build talent pipelines, and prepare future leaders. 
• Partner with Finance, Operations, and leaders on workforce planning so that staffing, budget, and organizational priorities stay aligned. 
• Bring generalist judgment to talent acquisition, partnering with PBPs and hiring managers on role design, hiring approach, and offers. 

Lead employee listening 

• Lead JFF's employee listening strategy in partnership with People Operations, including the annual engagement and total rewards survey, pulse feedback, and exit and stay insights. 
• Turn survey results and people data into clear insights and prioritized action plans, and partner with leaders to act on what staff are saying. 
• Hold leaders accountable for acting on feedback, and communicate progress back to staff so that employees see that their input leads to change. 
• Partner with Employee Resource Groups, Inclusion, Belonging and Well-being efforts, and employee voice groups to stay connected to the staff experience. 

Partner, influence, and keep leadership informed 

• Build trusted relationships with executives, Practice and Center leaders, Finance, Operations, and other cross-functional partners, and influence outcomes without a direct line of authority. 
• Escalate early and keep the AVP, P&C informed of emerging risks, sensitive matters, and decisions that need executive attention, with a clear recommendation attached. 
• Use pattern recognition across cases, data, and conversations to make informed decisions and surface concerns before they grow. 
• Partner with the Director, People Operations & Total Rewards so that PBP guidance on compensation, benefits, and policy is accurate and consistent. 
• Step in as a senior generalist across the P&C portfolio when priorities shift or a high-stakes issue needs experienced hands, then stabilize the work and hand it off with clear ownership and next steps. 
• Contribute to P&C's annual goals, budget, and operating rhythm, and model JFF's values and Compass leadership expectations. 

Who You Are 

• You bring demonstrated People & Culture/HR experience, including significant experience leading HR business partners or generalist teams and advising senior executive roles; New hires at the Director II level at JFF typically bring 12-15+ years of experience, through a combination of full-time, part-time, internship, and/or freelance 
• You bring extensive experience owning segment or portfolio responsibilities for a business partner or generalist function, and establishing the processes, standards, and structure that make that function consistent 
• You are a People expert with a generalist background and demonstrated employee relations expertise: you have managed complex cases, investigations, and separations, and you know when to bring in counsel. Some exposure to hiring and talent acquisition is a plus 
• You are experienced at implementing and advising on large-scale, people-facing initiatives and processes, and a track record of turning good ideas into standard practice and improving established processes 
• You have deep familiarity with and leadership in succession planning, which is a priority for this role; Experience with workforce planning is a plus 
• You are experienced at leading career development and employee listening efforts, including survey analysis (for example, in Culture Amp or a similar platform) and turning insights into action 
• You have a deep understanding of both the business and its people, and of the HR and people practices that matter most to nonprofits. Experience in the nonprofit sector is valued but not required; a clear understanding of nonprofit compliance and regulations is 
• You bring sound judgment about when to escalate, keep leadership informed, lean on pattern recognition to make decisions, and bring a recommendation forward 
• You are energized by and demonstrate high attention to detail, especially in documentation, case files, and communications 
• You bring strong collaboration skills and the ability to build influence across the team and the organization, with comfort presenting to all-staff audiences and senior leadership 
• You demonstrate executive presence and clear communication in writing and in the room, with discretion, tact, and integrity on sensitive matters 
• You are comfortable with ambiguity and change: you are practical, flexible, and calm under pressure 
• You bring a commitment to inclusion, and belonging, with experience building fair, transparent people practices 
• You are comfortable with people data and analytics, and with trying new tools, including AI-enabled approaches, to improve efficiency and employee experience 

What We Offer 

At JFF, we’re fueled by the desire to create a world where everyone has equal opportunity for economic advancement. Our team works hard to push the boundaries of what is possible, and in return, we provide a gratifying work experience, competitive salaries, and a comprehensive benefits program designed to support employees wherever they are in their lives and careers. Our benefits program includes medical, dental, and vision insurance; retirement benefits through a 403(b) plan, including employer contributions for eligible employees; paid time off and paid leave benefits; and professional development opportunities. 

JFF has offices in Boston, Oakland, and Washington, DC; employees are welcome to use JFF office space to work in-person or hybrid, or completely remote. In addition, new employees receive office equipment as needed.  

The hiring range for this role is $140,000-160,000 annually, in alignment to JFF's Director II hiring salary band and our compensation philosophy. Starting salaries for new hires will be determined based on a combination of the new hire's relevant experience and market demands. 

To Apply 

As part of your application, please include your resume and a thoughtful cover letter, addressed to Damaris Espinal, Associate Vice President, People & Culture, outlining how your skills and experience meet the qualifications of the position. 

We are accepting applications through November 25, 2027 at 8pm ET. Applications submitted by that date will be reviewed and candidates will receive updates on their candidacy by the end of the week of November 30 and December 7. 

At JFF, we're also committed to accessibility and want to ensure that everyone, including people with disabilities, can fully access and engage with our application and hiring process. If you are unable to complete this application due to a disability and/or have specific access/accommodation needs in order to fully participate in our hiring process, please contact us at hiringaccommodations@jff.org. 

Positions at JFF are not eligible for employer-visa sponsorship or open to F-1 student visa holders.