Assistant Superintendent/Chief of Human Resources

The Schenectady City School District, serving more than 9,000 students across an incredibly diverse PreK–12 community, is guided by a deep commitment to ensuring every child feels valued, safe, and supported. We work intentionally so that race, economics, disability, language, and other identity factors never predict a student’s access, experience, or achievement. As a restorative practice district, we honor relationships, community wisdom, and the lived experiences of our students, families, and staff. We expect all leaders to understand how systems influence outcomes and to cultivate workplaces grounded in belonging, fairness, and dignity. The ideal candidate leads with integrity, approaches people with respect, meets individuals where they are, and guides them toward growth while maintaining neutral, factual, unbiased, and consistent processes in all HR matters.

PRIMARY FUNCTION

The Assistant Superintendent/Chief of Human Resources is an executive leader who establishes the vision and strategy for all human capital operations across the district. This leader fosters a high-performing, inclusive, and relationship-centered organizational culture that supports student success through an empowered workforce. The Chief oversees the full scope of Human Resources functions, including talent acquisition, employee engagement, labor relations, civil service processes, certification, APPR and tenure compliance, compensation and benefits, data systems, professional growth pathways, and customer service. This leader ensures HR systems reflect the district’s commitment to restorative practice, equity, belonging, and community partnership, building a workforce that reflects and effectively serves Schenectady’s rich diversity. The Assistant Superintendent/Chief reports directly to the Superintendent of Schools.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Strategic Leadership in Recruitment, Retention & Workforce Planning Leads a districtwide strategy to attract, hire, develop, and retain high-quality and diverse talent for all positions. Serves on the Superintendent’s Executive Leadership Team, contributing to organizational planning, staffing allocations, and strategic initiatives. Partners with building and district leaders to align staffing and human capital planning to student needs and instructional priorities. Provides supervision, coaching, and development for HR staff and supports leadership development across employee groups. Oversees HR operations including budgeting, workflow systems, customer service, and continuous improvement. Develops HR-related policies and presents updates and recommendations to the Board of Education. Cultivates a positive, respectful, inclusive workplace culture where belonging and professionalism thrive. Talent Attraction, Recruitment & Staffing Implements proactive strategies to build robust and diverse talent pipelines. Develops career pathways, succession planning models, and “grow your own” initiatives for teachers, administrators, paraprofessionals, and support staff. Ensures hiring practices are grounded in consistency, transparency, and fairness. Oversees accurate and timely personnel transactions in accordance with NYSED, Civil Service, and district policies. Maintains strong partnerships with higher education institutions, residency programs, and recruitment partners. Oversees the Teachers of Tomorrow Grant Program, Teacher Residency Grant Program, and related initiatives with the Office of Teaching and Learning. Civil Service, Certification, APPR & Regulatory Compliance Serves as liaison to the Schenectady Civil Service Commission, ensuring compliance with civil service laws, classifications, exams, appointments, and eligibility lists. Oversees NYS certification compliance using the TEACH system and ensures appropriate credentials for all certificated staff. Ensures proper implementation of APPR timelines, documentation, tenure processes, and probationary requirements. Maintains accurate seniority lists, evaluations, and regulatory records. Ensures district-wide adherence to OSHA, EEO, ERISA, COBRA, ADA, FMLA, FLSA, Workplace Violence Prevention Act, and all relevant laws and policies. Serves as the Title IX Coordinator and Civil Rights Coordinator, ensuring compassionate, thorough, and impartial investigations. Employee Engagement, Labor Relations & Restorative Practice Acts as lead advisor on employee relations, conflict resolution, and restorative approaches to concerns. Ensures all HR decisions reflect consistency, neutrality, fairness, and respect for the dignity of all employees. Oversees investigations involving all employee groups, using fact-based, unbiased processes. Builds collaborative relationships with bargaining units and contributes to negotiations, grievance processes, and contract interpretation. Develops mentoring, induction, and leadership development programs for staff. Works to create a workplace climate where staff feel heard, valued, supported, and able to grow. Compensation, Benefits & Workforce Resource Management Oversees wage and salary systems and regularly analyzes labor market trends to maintain district competitiveness. Partners with the Business Office on staffing budgets, workforce forecasting, and strategic allocation of human capital resources. Manages benefits programs, leaves of absence, workers’ compensation, unemployment, and tuition reimbursement. Data Systems & Human Capital Analytics Provides leadership for HR data systems, ensuring alignment with payroll, finance, certification, and reporting. Uses data to inform staffing decisions, address barriers, strengthen pipelines, and align resources with district priorities. Ensures accuracy, confidentiality, and audit readiness across all HR data systems. Employee & Community Customer Service Ensures professional, timely, and respectful customer service to all employees, families, community members, and partners. Models and reinforces a culture in which every interaction reflects respect, clarity, and restorative communication.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES & PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES

Extensive knowledge of NYSED requirements, Civil Service regulations, APPR, certification, and federal/state HR law. Demonstrated success leading HR systems in diverse, urban settings. Ability to maintain consistent, factual, unbiased, and transparent processes. Deep understanding of how to build belonging, fairness, and trust across a multicultural workforce. Strong interpersonal, communication, and conflict-resolution skills grounded in empathy and professionalism. Experience building staff pipelines, leadership development systems, and collaborative labor partnerships. Commitment to reflective practice, continuous learning, and community-informed leadership.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATION

• A) Master’s degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, Business Management, Human Resources, Education Administration, or a closely related field and four (4) years of HR management, personnel administration, or labor relations experience in a school district or the public sector; OR
• B) Bachelor’s degree in the above fields and six (6) years of experience as defined in (A); OR
• C) An equivalent combination of education and experience as defined above.

Preferred Qualifications NYS SDA, SDL, or SDBL certification Experience working in an urban PreK–12 school district Training or background in restorative practices, inclusion, and human-centered leadership Senior‑level HR leadership experience in a PreK–12 school district; minimum of three (3) years preferred. #J-18808-Ljbffr Schenectady City School District