Senior Director, HR Business Partner - Head Start; M2

Overview

Save the Children has been fighting for the rights of children for over 100 years. We work in some of the world's hardest-to-reach places – over 100 countries, including the U.S. No matter what your role is, when you join Save the Children, you're creating positive, irreversible change for children and the future we all share.

The Senior Director, Human Resources Business Partner (HRBP) for Head Start is a senior people leader responsible for delivering strategic HR partnership to complex, highly regulated portfolios and for translating enterprise People & Culture strategy into measurable business outcomes. This role operates as a trusted advisor to senior leaders, shaping workforce strategy, organizational effectiveness, and leadership capability while ensuring consistent, high-quality HR execution within the requirements of the Office of Head Start (OHS) Performance Standards and applicable state child‑care licensing regulations.

The Senior Director is accountable for owning people strategy for the Head Start portfolio, influencing leaders through data‑driven insights and sound judgment, and leading a team of HR Managers supporting multi‑state programs. The role bridges enterprise strategy and day‑to‑day execution, partnering closely with the Managing Director HRBPs and HR Centers of Excellence (COEs) to deliver integrated, scalable solutions that balance mission delivery, compliance, and operational excellence.

This role requires strong executive presence, advanced consulting skills, and the ability to operate independently in ambiguity while managing risk, regulatory obligations, and the unique workforce dynamics of child‑serving programs.

Hybrid – Washington DC, Fairfield, CT, or Lexington, KY office locations.

• Serve as a senior strategic advisor to Division Leads and executive stakeholders, aligning workforce strategy with business and mission priorities.
• Lead workforce planning, organizational design, succession, and change management efforts for assigned portfolios.
• Anticipate people risks and opportunities using workforce data, trends, and business intelligence; translate insights into clear recommendations.
• Act as escalation point for complex people matters requiring advanced judgment, influence, and cross‑functional coordination.

• Manage intake and delegation of Head Start employee relations, misconduct, policy violations, performance concerns, and other related matters.
• Oversee and advise on complex employee relations matters, investigations, performance management, and corrective actions.
• Ensure consistent application of policy, employment law, and regulatory requirements in partnership with Employee Relations and Legal.
• Balance risk mitigation with practical, business‑aligned solutions.

• Partner closely with COEs (Talent, Total Rewards, Learning & Development, HR Operations, HR Technology) to deliver seamless, end‑to‑end solutions.
• Serve as the P&C new program start‑up, program closure lead, coordinating between programs, TAA and other COEs.
• Provide feedback to COEs to inform enterprise program design based on frontline business needs.
• Contribute to agency‑wide People & Culture initiatives, pilots, and continuous improvement efforts.

• Provide functional leadership, coaching, and quality oversight to leaders, people managers, and HR Management team within scope.
• Model consultative, data‑driven HRBP practices and reinforce consistent standards across portfolio.
• Contribute to the evolution of Head Start HR tools, playbooks, and ways of working in partnership with the Managing Director and/or Deputy People and Culture Officer (DCPO).

• Ensure consistent application of policy, employment law, and regulatory requirements in partnership with Employee Relations and Legal.
• For child‑serving and regulated portfolios (e.g., Head Start/early learning): ensure HR practices and guidance reflect Office of Head Start personnel requirements and applicable state child‑care licensing…