Senior Director, People Operations & Services
Description
About Catholic Charities
Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York delivers essential services to tens of thousands of New Yorkers annually. Our mission depends on capable, stable, and engaged people. We are undertaking a multi-year People & Culture transformation to modernize HR systems, strengthen leadership accountability, and improve employee experience.
Summary: The Senior Director, People Operations & Services is a newly created operational leadership role responsible for building operational excellence in people services. Reporting to the Chief People & Culture Officer (CPCO), this role establishes the systems, service standards, and team capabilities that enable consistent, high-quality support for approximately 850 employees across Catholic Charities agencies, including Catholic Charities Community Services.
This is a hands-on leadership role for someone who has actually built and scaled HR operations, not just worked in them.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following. Other duties may be assigned.
Key Responsibilities
1. Operational Leadership & Service Excellence
- Oversee daily HR service delivery across recruitment, onboarding, benefits, transactions, compliance, and employee relations
- Lead implementation of modernized HR Generalist model with clear service standards and documented processes
- Build operational infrastructure including workflows, SOPs, service level agreements, and lifecycle processes
- Partner with CPCO and IT/Finance to optimize HR systems and strengthen data integrity
- Serve as primary operational problem-solver for day-to-day HR issues
2. Team Leadership & Capability Building
- Provide direct supervision to HR functional areas including Talent Acquisition, Generalist Services, Onboarding, Compliance, Benefits, Employee Engagement, and HR Operations
- Develop team capabilities in operational excellence, customer service, and problem-solving
- Establish clear expectations, performance standards, and accountability structures
- Coach and develop HR staff, particularly those advancing into broader Generalist roles
3. Employee Relations, Compliance & Risk Management
- Ensure employee relations matters are handled promptly, consistently, and professionally
- Oversee ER case management, coach Generalists and use trend data to identify improvements
- Ensure compliance with employment laws, regulatory requirements, and internal policies
- Identify and mitigate HR-related risks
4. Strategic Implementation & Change Management
- Lead operational implementation of strategic initiatives including HR Generalist transition, ATS rollout, and onboarding improvements
- Partner with CPCO on program redesign; ensure operational readiness and sustainability
- Drive process improvements that reduce friction and strengthen employee experience
- Navigate competing priorities and matrixed leadership structures with clarity
5. Metrics, Reporting & Communication
- Develop and maintain core HR metrics and dashboards
- Partner with CPCO and HRIS Administrator to prepare monthly People Snapshot and quarterly People Dashboard
- Translate operational data into insights and recommendations for leadership
- Represent HR in leadership meetings and cross-functional initiatives
Required Qualifications
Experience & Demonstrated Achievement
- 10+ years of progressive operational leadership, with substantial experience designing systems, establishing service standards, and developing team capability to sustain high performance
- Strong working knowledge of core HR domains: recruitment, onboarding, benefits, compliance, employee relations, and transactions
- Experience leading teams through significant operational change or modernization in nonprofit, human services, healthcare, or mission-driven environments strongly preferred
Leadership Competencies & Behavioral Qualities
- Steady, grounded leadership that brings clarity, calm judgment, and solution-focused dialogue to complex situations
- Genuine enthusiasm for operational detail, process discipline, and building reliable systems
- Confident partnering with executives while taking full ownership of operational domains
- Strong coaching ability with authentic interest in developing team capability
- Systems-thinking mindset with ability to see patterns, design sustainable solutions, and navigate ambiguity
- Excellent relationship-builder and communicator with credibility at all organizational levels
- Commitment to inclusion and to Catholic values of human dignity, compassion, and service (no particular religious affiliation required)
Preferred Qualifications
- Master's degree in HR, Business Administration, Organizational Development, or related field
- Experience in complex, multi-site or multi-entity organizations
- Familiarity with HR technology platforms; ATS implementation experience a plus
Working conditions and physical demands required:
The demands described are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
- Remain in a stationary position at a workstation and use a computer approximately 90% of the time.
- Ability to work remotely as needed.
- Frequently sit for extended periods.
- Travel for staff meetings 10% of the time using reliable transportation, traversing streets, ascending/descending stairs, and exposed to outside weather conditions.
- Traverse neighborhoods that may require an elevated level of alertness and awareness of surroundings.
What Success Looks Like
First 90 Days
• Builds strong working relationships with HR team, program leaders, and CPCO
• Conducts grounded operational assessment, identifying immediate areas for stabilization
• Establishes clear expectations, workflows, and service standards
• Supports early implementation of modernized HR Generalist model
First Year
• HR operations run reliably with service standards and improved customer experience
• HR team operates more consistently, collaboratively, and with stronger execution discipline
• Employee relations matters handled promptly and consistently
• New ATS fully implemented with measurable reductions in time-to-fill
• Meaningful improvements in onboarding operations and consistency
• Service level agreements established and consistently met
• Process documentation completed for all major HR workflows
• Documented reduction in operational errors and rework
• Noticeable improvement in HR's reputation for reliability, support, and responsiveness
Compensation & Benefits
Salary range: $170,000–$185,000, commensurate with experience and demonstrated achievement. Comprehensive benefits package including health insurance, retirement plan, paid time off, and professional development opportunities.
Catholic Charities is an equal opportunity employer committed to building a diverse, inclusive, and accessible workplace that honors the dignity of every person. We welcome applicants of all backgrounds and ensure fair consideration without regard to race, color, religion, creed, national origin, age, disability, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by law.