Senior Director of Human Resources

Organization Description:                                                                                                         

Established in 1996, South Asian Youth Action (SAYA) is a 501(c)3 youth development organization dedicated to providing holistic, impactful programming to underserved New York City students. Our mission is to foster a strong sense of belonging in youth while equipping them with tools to excel academically, professionally, and personally. By championing education equity through our innovative approach, we ensure our youth are prepared to thrive and make meaningful contributions to their communities.

As one of the first South Asian organizations in the United States, we play a critical role in supporting the positive development of youth from immigrant communities. Today, we provide culturally affirming programming at 10 schools and our community center - reaching an ever-growing number of individuals each year. To date, we have made a significant impact on the well-being of our community by fostering resilience and wellness and increasing access to opportunities.

Position Summary:

As a member of SAYA’s leadership team, the Senior Director of Human Resources will drive all areas of human resources including policy creation, recruiting, hiring, compensations, benefits management and staff engagement. They will enjoy thinking conceptually and strategically while also focusing on implementation and process development. They are a creative thinker, strong communicator, and problem solver. They are a relationship builder and thrive on fostering a strong culture of collaboration. They challenge the status quo, gather new ideas, and question old systems to respectfully drive change for the benefit of the organization and its employees.

Supervisor: Executive Director 

Responsibilities:

Policy Creation

• Oversee, monitor, and develop comprehensive HR strategies, policies and practices that support SAYA’s goals and needs and that foster a diverse, respectful, welcoming and inclusive work environment for all employees.
• Ensure SAYA’s compliance with federal, State and City legal requirements.  
• Keep job knowledge up to date by participating in industry-related organizations and conferences and maintaining and expanding professional networks.

Recruitment and Hiring

• Oversee, coordinate, and unify the recruiting and selection process across the organization, with special emphasis on designing and implementing strategies and protocols to build the capacity of all departments to interview, hire and retain a talented and broadly diverse workforce.
• Partners with departments through all phases of recruitment, including creating job posts, recruiting, screening, interviewing and making hiring recommendations.
• Cultivate partnerships with colleges and other organizations with the goal of establishing pipelines for staff recruitment.
• Oversee the hiring process including conducting background checks, ensuring complete employment paperwork, sharing company policies and orienting new staff to the organization.
• Implement innovative staff onboarding programs in addition to ongoing coaching, training and professional development opportunities.

Compensation and Benefit Management

• Oversee compensation and benefits strategy with a framework of equity and industry alignment.
• Benchmark salary ranges and grades, and recommend annual adjustments.
• Manage all employee benefits including health insurance, flex savings plan, retirement, and employee leaves (FMLA, short-term disability, etc.).
• Ensure that benefits programs are competitive, equitable, and compliant with all federal, State, and City regulations.

Learning and Development

• Design and implement a performance management system that aligns with SAYA’s values.
• Drive a culture of high performance standards and continuous learning. 
• Coach managers and supervisors on delivering meaningful feedback and goal setting.
• Develop and implement strategies to retain and develop employees who are top performers.
• Integrate career development into the broader talent management framework.
• Develop and facilitate staff training sessions. 
• Organize professional development opportunities with external training organizations.
• Inform current employees about continuing education opportunities that may be of interest to them, such as graduate programs and fellowships.

Staff Engagement

• Conduct employee engagement surveys and exit interviews. Identify trends and present key findings and recommendations for organizational interventions that support change and growth.
• Organize staff appreciation and team building initiatives and events.
• Lead investigations when employee complaints or concerns are brought forth.
• Build positive rapport with employees throughout SAYA. Trusted by employees to professionally handle sensitive and confidential matters and material.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree and 10+ years of experience in a talent/human resources role 
• Master’s degree in Business Administration, Human Resources, Nonprofit Management preferred
• Strong working knowledge of City, State and federal employment laws and regulations
• Exceptional interpersonal and relationship building skills
• Ability to analyze and synthesize information from multiple sources
• Excellent verbal, written and presentation skills
• Strong attention to detail and ability to prioritize multiple projects
• Willingness to learn and grow with the organization
• Knowledge of NYC nonprofit and youth development space a plus
• Belief in SAYA’s mission

Compensation: $100,000-$115,000, commensurate with experience

• PTO starting at 25 days
• 10 paid holidays
• 12 weeks (60 days) of fully paid FMLA leave
• Employer sponsored medical benefits with generous employer contributions for employee and dependents
• Optional dental, vision, transit, and FSA benefits
• Retirement plan with 1:1 match of employee’s contribution up to 3% of annual salary (capped at $16,000)

Additional information: Please provide a cover letter with your application.

SAYA is an Equal Opportunity Employer.