Chief Human Resources Officer

Role Overview

McDonogh School is looking for a strategic, energetic, and people-first Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) to lead the School’s human capital agenda. In this senior leadership position, the CHRO reports to the Head of School and sits on the Senior Administration Team, helping guide workforce strategy, culture, and talent systems that support the attraction, development, and retention of outstanding faculty and staff.

This is a senior-impact opportunity for an HR leader who goes well beyond compliance and administration. The ideal candidate will view people strategy as central to institutional success, act as a trusted advisor, solve problems creatively, and actively support McDonogh’s commitment to a diverse, equitable, and healthy workplace.

Strategic Priorities

Workforce Strategy and Organizational Effectiveness

• Work closely with the Head of School, Division Heads, and Senior Administration to strengthen and advance the HR function in alignment with the School’s strategic plan.
• Act as a strategic partner on organizational structure, staffing approaches, workforce planning, and change initiatives.
• Apply data and market comparisons to guide decisions on staffing, pay fairness, turnover patterns, and workforce composition.
• Build succession planning methods and talent pipeline plans for key positions across the School.

Talent Acquisition and Employer Brand

• Create recruiting approaches that make the School an attractive destination for highly qualified educators and administrators.
• Oversee the full recruitment cycle, from role design to offer stage, while working with Division Heads and department leaders to assess hiring needs and form varied candidate slates.
• Strengthen hiring practices through structured interview guidance, bias reduction practices, and consistent candidate scoring methods.
• Use hiring metrics to improve sourcing, evaluation, and offer processes in both quality and speed.

Culture, Engagement, and Belonging

• Support a workplace culture grounded in integrity, respect, community, and excellence.
• Design and lead engagement efforts such as surveys, focus groups, and stay interviews to increase belonging and support retention.
• Champion diversity, equity, and inclusion by helping embed belonging into HR systems and daily practices.
• Lead the Employee Wellness Committee and help build comprehensive wellness initiatives.

Leadership Development and Learning

• Develop manager training and effectiveness programs, including coaching on employee relations, performance discussions, and inclusive leadership.
• Partner with the Director of LifeReady on faculty orientation and onboarding, and create similar onboarding experiences for staff and administrative employees.
• Track and ensure completion of required training programs, including mandated reporting, sexual harassment prevention, and other required topics.

Total Rewards and Compensation Strategy

• Work with the CFO and Associate Head of School to support a pay philosophy and structure that is competitive, fair, and financially sustainable within budget limits and the Academic Strategic Plan.
• Lead annual pay benchmarking for faculty and staff and, with the CFO, prepare compensation recommendations for the Board of Trustees, including cost-of-living and merit adjustments.
• Oversee benefits administration with the Payroll & Benefits Manager and review benefit offerings regularly for market competitiveness and employee value.
• Act as liaison to the retirement plan, handle requests tied to testing and audits, and maintain ERISA compliance.
• Issue annual compensation letters and manage compensation communications through Paycom.

Employee Relations and HR Operations

• Advise supervisors and Division Heads on employee relations, performance management, and disciplinary matters.
• Handle FMLA, leave of absence, and accommodation requests with consistency, compliance, and care.
• Serve as the Workers’ Compensation Plan Administrator, including claim management, carrier coordination, employee follow-up, and the annual audit.
• Maintain HR systems and ensure accurate records in INDEX and DASL for benefits, compensation, demographics, attrition, and turnover.
• Annually update employee data on the Board of Trustees dashboard and provide employee-related reporting to the Board as needed.

Policy, Compliance, and Risk

• Review, revise, and maintain the Personnel Manual with legal counsel and School leadership to stay aligned with Maryland employment law and independent school standards.
• Ensure compliance with EEO-1 reporting, OSHA Form 300, DOL reporting, MD HB486 requirements, and other applicable obligations.
• Maintain the fingerprinting and background check database and confirm completion for all required new hires, volunteers, coaches, and covered individuals.
• Participate in the Risk, Safety, Security & Calendar (RSSC) Team and contribute HR insight to risk assessment, mitigation, and crisis response.

Education and Experience

• A bachelor’s degree is required; an advanced degree in Human Resources, Organizational Leadership, Business Administration, or a related area is strongly preferred.
• Senior HR certifications such as SHRM-SCP, SPHR, or an equivalent credential are preferred.
• 10–15+ years of progressive HR leadership experience, including success in a senior or executive-level HR role, is required.
• Demonstrated experience with budget analysis and budget compliance related to compensation and benefits planning is required.
• Experience in an independent school, higher education, or nonprofit environment is a strong advantage; comfort with mission-driven organizations is essential.

Leadership Competencies

• Strategic thinking
• Change management
• Talent development
• Collaborative leadership
• Executive presence
• Data-driven decision-making
• Cultural intelligence
• Organizational design
• Conflict resolution

Additional Competencies

• Strong commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging as both a strategy and an operational priority.
• Excellent written and spoken communication skills, with the ability to explain complex or sensitive matters clearly to varied audiences.
• High emotional intelligence, sound judgment, discretion, and the ability to earn trust across every level of the organization.
• Comfort using HRIS and payroll systems; Paycom experience is a plus, along with confidence working with analytics and HR metrics.
• Experience with Google Workspace and Microsoft Office Suite.
• Real enthusiasm for the mission, pace, and community culture of an independent school.

Additional Requirements

• All employees are expected to support the School’s mission and philosophy and demonstrate its core character values.
• A successful background check, including fingerprinting, is required under state regulations.
• Professional conduct and appearance are expected at all times.
• Evening and weekend availability may be needed from time to time for School events and initiatives.