Director of People Operations

Communities In Schools of Tennessee (CISTN) is a nonprofit that partners with K-12 public schools to surround students with a community of support empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life.

As part of the CIS national network, CISTN achieves this mission by placing program managers in schools across the state to provide school‑wide interventions and case managed services for students in need.

With a budget of $13M,in academic year 2026-27wewillsupport
98employeesin 74 schools and servenearly
35,000studentsand families across Tennessee.

To best support the students, families, schools, community partners, and our staff members involved in this work, CISTN staff and board members center all decisions, actions, and services on the following core values:

• Integrity
  –We openly share how our work is done, and we hold ourselves accountabletothe commitments we make.
• Empathy
  –We intentionally build relationships so we can learn about people’s stories,validatetheir experiences, and deepen our understanding of situations different from our own.
• Equal Opportunity
  –We identify and work towards removing barriers, so everyone has the opportunitytob e achieve.
• Authenticity
  –We create space for the people we work with, and for, to be their truthful, complete selves without judgement.
• Collaboration
  –We bring people together to plan andtake actionin our work, understanding we make lastingchangein partnership with one another.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

The Director of People Operations leads theCISTN’sstrategy to attract, develop, engage,andretainhigh-performingemployees in support of Communities In Schools  of Tennessee’s(CISTN) mission and strategic goals. Working in partnership with the Insperity Professional Employer Organization (PEO),the Director of People Operationsoverseesall aspects of theemployeecontinuum,while ensuring that people practicesidentifyand remove barriers, so everyone has the opportunitytobelongand thriveintheworkplace. Therole does not currently supervise but is directly supported by the Administrative Coordinatorand works closely with the Director of Operations.

This rolestrategically partners with the Director of Professional Learning, whois focused on programmaticlearning, to ensure complimentary and alignedpracticesthat support high performance.

The Director of People Operation sis responsible for:

Recruitment &Selection

• Lead organization-wide recruitment efforts toattracttalented and mission-driventeam members, includingsourcing strategies, job postings, screening processes, interview protocols, selection practices, andonboardingtoensurepositivecandidate experience andtimelyplacement.
• Analyze recruitment metrics, such astime-to-fill, candidate quality, retention, and hiring manager satisfaction, and implement improvements.
• Ensure hiring practices align with organizational commitments toequal opportunity, cultural competence, and community representation.

Learning&Development

• Overseeannual training and developmentrequirementsfor administrative staff andallsupervisors, withsupportfrom the InsperityPEO(e.g.;Performance Specialists,Strategy Consultants, and HR Specialist).
• Implement and leadorganization-wideindividual professional development process.
• Support supervisors and employeesthroughidentificationand coordinationofhigh-quality professional learning opportunities.
• Partner withorganizationalleaders and the Director of Professional Learning to develop leadership pipelines and career pathways for individual contributors and supervisors.
• Ensure employees understand available career pathways, advancement opportunities, and the competencies and experiences needed for growth.

Engagement & Retention

• Lead strategies to improve employee engagement,recognition,retention, and experience across the employee continuum.
• Gatherand analyzeinput and feedback, includingstayand exitinterviews, surveys,and pulse checkstoidentifytrends andinform organizational improvements.
• Collaboratewithleaders andtheCISTN Culture Committeeto create a positive employee experience that reflects the organization’s mission and values.
• Oversee the backup and succession planning process and ensureintegrationwith individual development…