Human Resources Associate

KIPP, the Knowledge Is Power Program, is a national network of free, open enrollment, college preparatory public schools dedicated to preparing students in underserved communities for success in college and life. There are 255 KIPP schools across the nation and the District of Columbia, serving more than 100,000 students. Nationally, KIPP students are graduating at 3x the national average for low-income students.

Founded in 2008 with 50 students in 5th grade, KIPP Columbus currently serves nearly 2,000 students in grades Kindergarten through twelfth. The mission of KIPP Columbus is to create a system of schools where students develop the intellectual, academic, and social skills needed to understand and take action on issues they encounter in everyday life.

KIPP Columbus continues to rank as one of the top five schools for academic growth of any school in the state of Ohio, and is a top performing urban school in the state for academic growth. In our second class of graduating high school seniors in the spring of 2021, 100% of students were accepted to college with over $20 million in merit scholarships from colleges and universities awarded.

In addition to academic excellence, KIPP Columbus also partners with more than 100 community organizations to provide extracurricular activities, programming, health and wellness services, meals, and more to KIPP students, families, and the broader community. KIPP is also a member of the Ohio High School Athletic Association, offering more than 10 varsity sports.

The KIPP Columbus learning campus will continue to advance student learning, expand partnerships, enable superior programming, and serve as a teaching and leadership lab for schools nationwide, reimagining education through a deeper lens of antiracism, excellence, and joy.

Interested in learning more about our school? Please check out our website:

The Opportunity

The Human Resources Associate plays an essential role in delivering a responsive, reliable, and welcoming team-member experience at KIPP Columbus. Working closely with the Director of Human Resources, this position supports the full employee lifecycle, with particular responsibility for onboarding, payroll and benefits administration, HR operations, and compliance. Through accurate execution, thoughtful service, and strong follow-through, the Human Resources Associate helps ensure our team members have the support they need to serve KIPP Columbus students and families effectively.

Duties and Responsibilities

Key responsibilities of the Human Resources Associate include, but are not limited to:

Onboarding, Exiting Process

• Manage the onboarding and offboarding experience for team members, including document collection, system setup, benefits enrollment, payroll coordination, orientation, exit processes, and transition communications.

• Draft and distribute offer letters outlining position details, compensation, benefits, and start date information.

• Ensure completion of all onboarding and offboarding documentation, compliance requirements, and licensure-related tasks, including maintaining licensure data in UKG, monitoring completion status, and communicating outstanding requirements.

• Support student recruitment and enrollment activities as needed.

HRIS, Payroll, Time & Attendance

• Maintain accurate and up-to-date team member information in UKG Ready, including compensation, job status, attendance, leave balances, and employment changes.

• Coordinate HRIS updates related to new hires, promotions, transfers, benefits changes, and separations, ensuring accurate communication to payroll and third-party processing partners.

• Support payroll processing by verifying compensation, attendance, leave, and timekeeping data and resolving discrepancies in collaboration with Finance and the Educational Service Center (ESC).

• Generate and analyze HR reports and support HRIS enhancements, data integrity, confidentiality, and manager training related to timekeeping and attendance practices.

Benefits Administration and Compliance:

• Support benefits administration processes, including open enrollment, benefits changes, new hire enrollments, terminations, HSA administration, and compliance documentation.

• Serve as a primary point of contact for routine benefits inquiries and coordinate with Plan Management Services and other vendors regarding compliance-related matters.

Team Member Relations & Policy Management

• Support the HR Director in personnel matters and provide guidance to team members and managers regarding HR policies, procedures, and leave processes.

• Maintain HR files, staff handbook materials, and policy documentation in alignment with organizational practices and applicable labor laws.

• Provide administrative support for HR investigations, including scheduling, documentation, note-taking, and record maintenance.

Labor Relations Support

• Supports administration of collective bargaining agreement (CBA) processes, including maintaining labor relations documentation and tracking contractual timelines

• Coordinates scheduling, communication, and recordkeeping for grievance meetings, investigatory meetings, and labor-management discussions

• Responds to routine team member questions regarding HR and union-related processes and escalates complex labor relations matters as appropriate

Other Duties as Assigned (including but not limited to)

• Support HR projects, trainings, team member engagement initiatives, and organizational priorities as needed.

• Prepare presentations, training materials, reports, and workforce metrics to support HR operations and decision-making.

• Provide backup support to People team members during peak periods or absences and maintain the HR team inbox.

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university

• At least 1- 3 years of successful experience and demonstrable results in a related human resources, employee relations, and employee benefits 

• Excellent customer service skills

• Judgment; ability to handle sensitive employment information with discretion and confidentiality as appropriate.

• Proficient in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and Outlook 

• Knowledge of human resources best practices and legal/compliance requirements

• Demonstrated ability to multi-task and work within an ambiguous, fast-moving, start-up environment, while driving toward clarity and solutions

• Commitment to building relationships and trust with leaders, teachers, students, parents, and the community of Columbus

• Adept at thinking strategically, translating plans into action, and exhibiting excellent judgment

• Detail-oriented with exceptionally strong follow-up and follow-through skills

• Belief that outstanding school leaders, staff, and teachers can achieve excellent outcomes for all students

• Ability to persevere with a sense of optimism, strong problem-solving skills, and desire to learn and grow in a collaborative professional learning community

• Willingness and commitment, to go above and beyond to prove the possible with students.

• Ability to multi-task and work within an ambiguous, fast-moving, start-up environment, while driving toward clarity and solutions

• Excellent written and oral communication skills

• Extreme flexibility, with a strong work ethic and an entrepreneurial spirit to accommodate high levels of responsibility and multiple priorities

• Model the values of KIPP Columbus (Imagine, Navigate, Seek, Persevere, Integrity, Responsibility, and Empathy)

Compensation and Benefits

KIPP Columbus offers a competitive salary and a comprehensive benefit plan including medical and dental insurance, as well as group term life insurance, retirement plan and paid time off.

Statement of Non-Disclosure

KIPP Columbus is committed to a policy of equal treatment for all individuals applying to the school for consideration of any position (admission, employment, etc.). KIPP Columbus does not discriminate on the basis of disability, gender, nationality, race or ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic that is contained in the definition of hate crimes set forth in Section 4112.02 of the Ohio Revised Code.