Director of Human Resources

Director of Human Resources

Location: Utqiaġvik (Barrow), Alaska – On-site

Compensation: $128,514 – $141,925 per year (Director level)

OUR CLIENT

Our client is a public school district serving the communities of Alaska's North Slope, from Utqiaġvik to remote village schools across the Arctic. Over the past five years, the district has gone from one of the lowest-performing in the state to outpacing Alaska in student growth, and it is building a small, steady leadership team to keep that momentum going.

This is life above the Arctic Circle: long, dark winters, travel by small plane, and experiences you won't find anywhere else. The district hires for disposition first. It wants calm, solutions-focused people who are ready to commit to the community for the long term.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

The district is looking for an experienced school district HR leader who can put new policies into practice. A dedicated project is already rewriting HR policies, procedures, and SOPs. This leader will roll those changes out, run day-to-day operations, and build a stronger HR team. The district is focused on a Director hire, and strong candidates at the Coordinator level will also be considered. - Plan, coordinate, and supervise all human resources functions for certificated and classified staff - Interpret and enforce federal and state law, negotiated agreements, and district personnel policies - Advise the Superintendent, School Board, and administrators on personnel policy and serve as a resource for collective bargaining - Support administrators through Level 1 complaint and grievance processes - Partner with administrators and the Business Office on hiring, transfers, promotions, leaves, and terminations - Maintain accurate, confidential personnel records and a current employee database - Monitor employee evaluations and maintain the district's Affirmative Action Plan - Lead recruiting efforts and coordinate with Maintenance & Operations so new staff have housing and transportation when they arrive - Develop new-hire and district-wide in-services and track required training - Supervise, develop, and evaluate HR department staff

QUALIFICATIONS Required:

• 4+ years of administrative and staff supervision experience
• 4+ years of experience in benefits, compensation, personnel, and employee relations management, or in school administration
• 3+ years of experience recruiting qualified staff
• 3+ years of experience using an HR information system/database
• Working knowledge of collective bargaining and negotiated agreements (the district's teachers and principals are unionized)

Preferred:

• K-12 school district HR experience (strongly preferred)
• Experience with Alaska Department of Education & Early Development (DEED) certification requirements
• Former principal or educator who holds a teaching certificate - Iñupiaq language and cultural experience

The Right Fit:

You are calm under pressure, flexible, and bring solutions, not just problems. You have researched life in a remote Arctic community (or already live in rural Alaska) and are ready to commit for at least two years. Alaska-based candidates and those who have lived here before are strongly encouraged to apply.

ADDITIONAL DETAILS

This is an on-site role in Utqiaġvik. Director contracts include up to 20 remote workdays per year, taken up to 5 days at a time, while working on district time.

Within the first two years, you will complete an introductory Iñupiaq language course. The district covers tuition and fees.

Regular travel within and outside the district on small and large commuter planes.

The district's small leadership team offers real room to advance.

Finalists may be invited to visit the community before an offer, so they (and their families) can see daily life in the Arctic firsthand.

Final candidates will complete reference checks, a background check, and the district's own background check.

BENEFITS OVERVIEW

• District-provided vehicle and fuel card
• Subsidized, furnished district housing, assigned for you (bed, dresser, couch, chairs, dining set, and usually a microwave).
• Rent is based on the number of bedrooms you request, so there's no need to ship furniture or search for a place.
• Flat-rate utilities: the same monthly cost in every season
• District-issued phone or eSIM line (AT&T offers the most reliable service on the North Slope)
• Competitive health insurance with low premiums and affordable family coverage
• Medical travel benefit: about 80% reimbursement for a set number of flights per year to Anchorage for care not available locally, including a ticket for a parent accompanying a child
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) with free and discounted legal and financial services Leave that grows with years of service to the district Spouses and partners often find work quickly with the local hospital, college, and borough, which all offer strong benefits. Families who enjoy band, football, basketball, and time at home do well here. Subsistence hunting is possible with the right community permissions.
• Our client is an Equal Opportunity Employer and a drug-free workplace.

How This Search Works

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