Job Description

Senior Director, People Operations

Application Deadline: 13 October 2026

Department: Operations & Finance

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: New York, NY

Reporting To: Executive Director

Compensation: $97,000 - $107,000 / year

Description

Senior Director, People Operations

Reports To: Executive Director

Location: Hybrid (NYC-based)

ABOUT BREAKTHROUGH NEW YORK

Breakthrough New York empowers motivated students from low-income communities to achieve a college degree and reach their fullest potential. Our tuition-free program supports over 500 students and their families from 7th grade through college. We accept middle school students who are furthest from high-quality educational opportunities yet show promise and potential: 99% of students identify as persons of color; 76% identify as English Language Learners; and 56% will be the first in their families to graduate college.

As a ten-year program, Breakthrough New York supports students and their families through key transition points in their academic journeys. We provide academic enrichment through summer and after-school opportunities; coach students to gain admissions into selective high schools and colleges, and expose students to diverse interests and careers so they can shape their own trajectories.

In addition to nurturing individual talent, we cultivate a thriving community of like-minded peers and mentors who encourage each other’s ambitions and passions. Personalized mentorship and holistic support are signature elements of our model, with over 200 near-peer seasonal staff and volunteers who work with students at each stage of our continuum.

The Breakthrough model works: This year, 98% of Breakthrough students enrolled in four-year colleges, and 97% are on track to graduate from college in four-six years. Learn more at Breakthrough New York's website.

ABOUT THE POSITION

As the Senior Director of People Operations, your charge is to build, manage and enhance talent systems + processes to support Breakthrough NY’s full-time and seasonal staff. You will lead on all aspects of HR strategy and operations, including but not limited to recruiting/retention, hiring/onboarding, performance management, compliance, training and development. In partnership with the Executive Director, you will oversee the maintenance + enhancement of our systems, policies, and processes to support the employee experience, aligned to our core values and strategic priorities. For FY27, this means fully owning the staff development work, including people manager support to ensure role clarity and alignment across the organization

Additionally, you provide strategic oversight and final accountability for excellent internal operations throughout the organization. You set priorities; approve key systems, vendors, policies, and risk responses; and supervise and coach the Manager, Operations & AmeriCorps, while your team oversees the people and operational strategies related to our AmeriCorps grant.

You oversee the New York State Commission relationship in collaboration with the Chief Development Officer, major compliance and strategic decisions, and escalated issues, while ensuring your team has the direction, support, and accountability needed to deliver high-quality, timely work.

In addition to these individual responsibilities, the SDPO is an important part of a larger team of passionate, dedicated individuals. The full team rolls up their sleeves to support all-hands-on-deck initiatives, and honors the strengths and experiences of staff, students and families both in internal work and external communications.

YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES WILL INCLUDE

Talent Acquisition & Development: 60%

• Support hiring managers in all aspects of the hiring processes - job description review, recruitment, interview guides + materials, offer letters and more
• Oversee the rollout of the annual scorecard updates and performance management systems, including but not limited to people management support, feedback guidance, and the annual performance review process
• Design and deliver high quality professional development experiences for staff throughout the year
• Partner with team leads and people managers to assess the current talent on their team(s), identify gaps and/or stretch opportunities, provide direct coaching and feedback, and determine who needs to be exited and who needs to be retained
• Administer bi-annual staff engagement survey and provide recommendations on area(s) of focus

Orgwide Operations, HR Systems, Payroll, & Compliance: 30%

• Ensure all state and city compliance expectations are met annually, in partnership with the Chief of Staff
• Track/mitigate organizational risk related to staff experience, in partnership with the Chief of Staff
• Oversee the Employee Handbook, potential leaves of absence, and employee relations issues to ensure operational excellence across the organization
• Ensure strong, accurate payroll, including part-time staff payroll processing, and benefits administration via our PEO, including the management of annual open enrollment process for staff
• Ensure staff members have the materials and equipment necessary to do their job at the highest level, in partnership with the Manager, Operations & Americorps, including but not limited to technology needs (hardware, software), systems access, supplies (office and off-site), etc

Organizational Leadership (20%)

• Model organizational leadership for others on the team
• Coach and develop the Manager, Operations and Americorps while managing the Operations team towards meeting or exceeding their KPIs
• Monitor Operations budget and tools to ensure sound fiscal and systems management
• Meet regularly with heads of departments to review their team needs related to our Talent Philosophy, notably talent development and engagement
• Oversee ad hoc staff-led committees, including participation on the Culture Committee
• Contribute to the development and execution of BTNY's organizational strategy as an integral member of BTNY's Leadership Team

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's degree required
• 8+ years of work experience, including 3+ years of HR, Talent Recruitment, or People Operations experience, in a non-profit setting, ideally
• Ability to manage complex, confidential employee relations issues
• Knowledge of federal, state, and local employment law (or willingness to learn quickly) preferred
• Experience with PEO benefits and payroll systems preferred
• Experience in leading hiring practices across a range of title bands preferred
• Proficiency in Salesforce or comparable data systems preferred

COMPENSATION

BTNY strongly believes in selecting the top, qualified candidates. As a part of your offer, you can expect to receive the following:

Annual Salary

$97,000 to $107,000 commensurate with experience

Benefits

• Medical, Dental and Vision benefits (90% employer-sponsored)
• 401K/Retirement Plan (with an employer-matching component)
• Paid Time Off: holiday, vacation, sick, and personal time, plus paid time off between Christmas and New Year's Day
• Initial $800 annual professional development stipend

Key Responsibilities

Talent Acquisition & Development

Orgwide Operations, HR Systems, Payroll, & Compliance

Organizational Leadership