Director of People & Culture

About Advocates For Children

Advocates For Children (AFC) is a passionate social justice organization dedicated to ensuring equitable, quality education for New York students facing significant barriers, particularly those from low-income families. AFC advocates for children and youth at high risk of academic failure due to poverty, race, ethnicity, disability, homelessness, immigrant status, limited English proficiency, or involvement with child welfare or juvenile/criminal justice systems. The organization employs integrated strategies aimed at systemic reform, empowering families and communities, and upholding educational rights.

AFC's values include:

• Family-Centered: Listening to family needs and empowering them with resources.
• Expertise: Built on over 50 years of experience working with NYC public schools and legal/education systems.
• Passion: Committed to dismantling educational barriers with unwavering dedication.
• Community: Emphasizing collaboration and inclusivity internally and with partners.
• Justice: Leveraging law to bridge educational access gaps among under-represented communities.
• Impact: Focusing on real-world difference in students' and families' lives.

Role Summary

The Director of People & Culture, a new senior leadership role reporting to the COO, will join AFC’s Executive Team to cultivate a thriving, equitable, and high-performance organizational environment. This role leads initiatives in talent development, performance management, learning, development, and equity and inclusion, ensuring these align with AFC’s mission and long-term growth. The position requires strategic vision combined with direct leadership to advance people-centered culture and organizational community.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve on Executive Team, partner on strategy, planning, and decision-making with the Executive Director, COO, and HR & Finance leadership.
• Embed AFC’s mission and values into organizational policies and practices fostering equity and inclusivity.
• Lead organizational change initiatives that promote learning, equity, culture strengthening, data-informed decisions, and tech adoption.
• Advise leadership on employee relations and risk management.
• Collaborate on talent development and performance feedback frameworks aligned to organizational goals.
• Oversee performance feedback processes, recommend and implement improvements, and coach supervisors on inclusive leadership and conflict resolution.
• Develop and deliver training for supervisors and all staff to enhance management skills, communication, collaboration, and values alignment.
• Manage equitable recruitment, hiring processes, and onboarding with a focus on consistency and positive candidate experience, using applicant tracking systems strategically.
• Conduct staff engagement surveys, analyze feedback, and coordinate responsive action plans.
• Partner across departments to cultivate shared norms in communication and collaboration.
• Lead internal equity and inclusion efforts including managing related initiatives, committees, consultations, training, and establishing measurable equity goals.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree is mandatory.
• Minimum 10 years of relevant management experience, including 3-5 years at senior management level, preferably in nonprofits.
• Strong alignment with AFC’s mission and demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism principles.
• Prior experience in organizations serving low-income or marginalized communities is preferred.
• Proven skills in interpersonal relations, team building, leadership coaching, and organizational development.
• Strategic thinker with excellent project management, problem-solving, and communication skills.
• Ability to handle confidential matters with discretion and professionalism.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office 365 and experience implementing hiring software systems.

Compensation and Work Arrangement

This full-time role offers an annual salary ranging from $140,000 to $160,000 dependent on experience, supplemented by a comprehensive benefits package including medical and dental insurance with premium coverage options for staff and dependents.

Additional benefits include 10 federal holidays, office closure during Christmas/New Year’s, 15 vacation days, 15 paid time off days within the first year, and a 403(b) retirement plan with full employer match, along with life and disability insurance coverage.

The position requires employees to be onsite at least three days weekly with the option to work remotely for the remaining days.

Equal Opportunity and Accessibility

AFC is committed to diversity and seeks applications from people of color, those with disabilities, parents of persons with disabilities, individuals with diverse sexual orientations, gender identities or expressions, and various socioeconomic backgrounds.

The organization ensures access, equal opportunity, and reasonable accommodations for applicants or employees with disabilities or protected characteristics throughout all employment stages. Accommodation requests can be made by contacting Human Resources directly.

Application Details

Interested candidates should submit a resume and cover letter describing their interest in the role, alignment with the position, and relevant experience working with populations similar to those AFC serves.

The role is available immediately, and applications will be reviewed as received. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.