Director of Human Resources

About Catlin Gabel School

Catlin Gabel is a nationally acclaimed independent day school located in Portland, Oregon, known for its innovative and progressive educational philosophy. The school fosters deep connections between educators and students, valuing each learner's unique talents and encouraging creativity and positive societal impact. Currently, with new leadership in place, Catlin Gabel is prioritizing its Human Resources function to enhance the employee experience and promote organizational excellence.

Position Overview

The school is seeking a seasoned, collaborative, and mission-oriented Director of Human Resources with a proven ability to lead organizational change, foster trust, develop teams, and deliver operational effectiveness. Reporting directly to the Head of School, this role includes leading an HR team consisting of an HR Manager and a People Operations & Benefits Specialist. The school employs around 200 regular benefit-eligible staff and between 100 to 150 temporary or seasonal employees, with an annual payroll exceeding $19 million.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership of all HR functions including talent acquisition, employee relations, performance management, compensation, benefits, HR systems, compliance, and organizational development.
• Collaborate closely with senior leadership including the Chief Finance & Operations Officer and Assistant Head of School to shape and enhance the entire employee lifecycle from recruitment to retirement.
• Coach leaders and build high-performing teams while handling sensitive employee matters and operational challenges with discretion and sound judgment.
• Contribute to the Administrative Leadership Team, offering strategic insights and participating in higher-level decision making.
• Assess current HR systems and processes, identify areas for improvement, and implement sustainable operational practices.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Organizational Development, or a related discipline.
• Minimum seven years of progressively responsible HR leadership experience.
• Expertise in employee relations, employment law, benefits management, payroll oversight, HR information systems, performance management, and regulatory compliance.
• Experience managing HR staff members.
• Professional HR certification such as SHRM-SCP, SHRM-CP, SPHR, or PHR (or equivalent).
• In-depth knowledge of Oregon and federal employment regulations.
• Proven track record leading organizational change, process improvement, and HR system implementations.
• Strong ability to build trusted relationships at all organizational levels while maintaining confidentiality and exercising sound judgment.

Application Instructions

Applicants are encouraged to prepare a cover letter addressed to Head of School, Aline Garcia Rubio, a current resume, and a list of at least three professional references combined into a single PDF file. This application package should be emailed to Lynda Hamilton Kirk at lynda@dovetailedsourcing.com. Candidates are requested not to contact the school directly.