Chief Human Resources Officer

Grand Street Settlement is pleased to partner with DRG to conduct this search.

BACKGROUND

The Organization

Grand St. Settlement is a community organization with a 110-year history of serving New Yorkers. Its programs span early childhood education, youth and community development, and services for older adults and families. Rooted in the Lower East Side, Grand St. now operates across Manhattan, Brooklyn, and the Bronx, connecting communities with opportunities and support throughout their lives.

Grand St. has more than 600 employees, 47 sites, and an operating budget of approximately $67 million. Recent expansion includes five new Head Start centers in the Bronx. Continued growth calls for an HR leader who can build the workforce and leadership practices needed to sustain high-quality services.

The Position

Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Human Resources Officer will lead HR strategy and operations and serve as a member of the executive team. The CHRO will build the workforce, leadership practices, and organizational culture needed to support more than 600 employees across 47 sites. This leader will oversee recruitment and retention, employee and labor relations, compensation and benefits, performance management, staff development, succession planning, and compliance, while partnering with the CEO and executive colleagues to guide organizational growth and change.

One of the role’s top priorities is building a more effective, sustained approach to hiring, especially for early childhood roles in a competitive market. This leader will bring ideas, develop partnerships, and translate plans into measurable results.

Additionally, the CHRO will work closely with the Director of Human Resources as principal deputy, drawing on their operational expertise and institutional knowledge while coaching and developing the HR team. The role will partner with program and finance leaders, advise the CEO, and support the Board’s HR Committee. Finance manages payroll, with HR coordinating closely on employee information, allocations, and related responsibilities.

ROLE OVERVIEW

HR Strategy, Compensation, and Operations

• Translate organizational priorities into HR plans with clear objectives, timelines, owners, budgets, and expected outcomes; advise executive leadership and support the HR Committee.
• Lead compensation strategy in partnership with the CEO and Finance, including salary structures, market benchmarking, pay equity reviews, and recommendations that balance competitiveness, internal equity, collective bargaining commitments, and financial sustainability.
• Improve the use of ADP and related systems for recruitment, employee records, performance management, and reporting; strengthen data quality and reduce unnecessary manual work.
• Partner with Finance on payroll accuracy and allocations while maintaining clear accountability for HR operations and service to program teams.
• Oversee benefits and retirement plan administration, required audits, and employee communications in partnership with Finance and external providers.

Recruitment and Workforce Planning

• Develop a multiyear workforce plan with program and finance leaders that anticipates staffing levels, critical skills, leadership needs, and personnel costs as programs grow and change. Translate that plan into annual recruitment, retention, and staff development priorities.
• Expand qualified candidate pipelines through colleges, training programs, community partnerships, referrals, and targeted outreach; explore credentialing and education partnerships that support long-term hiring.
• Work closely with the executive team to develop and implement recruitment and retention strategies that advance Grand Street Settlement’s mission and meet staffing needs across programs and sites.
• Lead the recruitment team in improving candidate engagement, hiring timelines, and offer acceptance; support program directors in onboarding and training new employees.
• Establish measurable hiring goals and regular vacancy reports; use recruitment and turnover data to identify obstacles and demonstrate progress.
• Develop targeted retention strategies using turnover trends, employee feedback, and exit data to address the factors affecting retention across roles, programs, and sites

Organizational Culture, Change, and Performance

• Partner with the CEO and executive team to strengthen a consistent culture of service, trust, and accountability across programs and sites, translating organizational values into everyday leadership and management practices.
• Guide the people side of organizational change, including growth, transitions, and new ways of working; equip leaders to communicate clearly, involve employees, and follow through on implementation.
• Assess current practices and build a consistent organization-wide performance management system with clear goals, regular feedback, meaningful reviews, employee development plans, and accountability for results.
• Prepare managers to use the system effectively and assess whether it improves supervisory practice, employee development, and organizational performance.
• Lead employee surveys and other listening efforts, share findings with leadership and staff, and hold leaders accountable for agreed actions.

Leadership Development and Team Management

• Lead, coach, and supervise the HR team with clear responsibilities, performance expectations, and accountability for follow-through.
• Strengthen onboarding and training for HR staff and equip supervisors across the organization to coach, develop, and evaluate their teams.
• Create succession and continuity plans, including cross-training, documented procedures, appropriate delegation, and development opportunities for future leaders.
• Develop and implement agency-wide training and professional development initiatives that strengthen staff skills and establish clear career pathways and opportunities for advancement.

Employee Relations and Responsible HR Practice

• Oversee employee relations, investigations, leave, accommodations, and workplace concerns with sound judgment, consistency, discretion, and timely follow-up.
• Ensure significant personnel matters and emerging risks are communicated promptly to the CEO and appropriate executive leaders before consequential action is taken.
• Partner with executive leadership and counsel on labor relations, negotiations, grievances, and implementation of collective bargaining agreements involving DC37 Locals 215, 205, and 95, as well as CSA.
• Maintain policies, records, required clearances, and HR practices that support compliance in a regulated, multi-site organization, including employees’ return from leave.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

The successful candidate will be an experienced HR leader who brings broad functional knowledge, initiative, and a practical commitment to Grand St.’s mission. The following competencies will guide the search.

Recruitment Strategy and Execution

A record of expanding candidate pipelines and improving hiring and retention in a complex or growing organization. Connects creative ideas with clear implementation plans, team responsibilities, and measurable results.

Broad HR Judgment

Deep working knowledge across HR functions and the ability to guide staff through sensitive, consequential matters. Recognizes when to act, when to seek advice, and when to involve executive leadership.

Collaborative Leadership

Builds trust across programs, sites, and levels of seniority. Respects the expertise of existing colleagues, listens carefully, and balances care for people with clear expectations and accountability.

Performance and Leadership Development

Has built or substantially improved an organization-wide performance management system. Equips managers to set expectations, give useful feedback, address performance concerns, and develop future leaders.

Executive Partnership

Advises the CEO and executive team with clarity, candor, and sound analysis. Communicates effectively with board members and connects workforce decisions to organizational goals and resources.

Operational Follow Through

Moves comfortably between long-term planning and day-to-day work. Uses data to diagnose problems, improves processes, and takes responsibility for delivering on commitments.

Culture and Change Leadership

Has guided organizational growth or change across multiple teams or locations. Builds trust, communicates decisions clearly, engages staff, and helps managers put new practices into use while sustaining effective services.

Additional Qualifications

• At least 10 years of progressively responsible HR management experience, including senior leadership of a broad HR function.
• Experience in a nonprofit or similarly complex organization with a substantial workforce and multiple locations. Experience at organizations with budgets of $50 million or more is preferred; comparable experience leading significant growth will also be considered.
• Demonstrated experience in longer-term workforce planning and compensation strategy, including salary structures, market benchmarking, and assessment of internal pay equity.
• Strong knowledge of employment practices, benefits, leave administration, performance management, and HR compliance; experience using HR information systems and workforce reporting.
• Experience in early childhood, education, human services, or another regulated service environment is valuable. Labor relations experience with a unionized workforce is preferred.
• A master’s degree in human resources, business administration, or a related field and professional HR certification are preferred, not required.

WHO WE ARE

Work Environment

This is an onsite executive role based on New York City’s Lower East Side, with an expectation of working in person five days a week. The CHRO will build relationships across Grand St.’s programs and sites and maintain a visible, accessible presence with colleagues.

Grand St. values service, trust, accountability, and professional growth. Leaders are expected to take initiative, assume good intentions, support colleagues, and contribute directly to the work. The CHRO will help sustain these practices as the organization grows.

Our Commitment to Diversity Equity and Inclusion

Grand St. seeks a workforce that reflects the communities it serves and a workplace where colleagues and community members feel supported and seen. The CHRO will strengthen fair and inclusive recruitment, development, and management practices and help ensure that employees across roles and locations have access to opportunities to grow.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

Salary

$175,000–$200,000 annually, depending on experience, plus an executive benefits package.

Benefits

• Full medical insurance coverage.
• A 9% employer contribution to the 401(k) plan after one year.
• 24 vacation days, four discretionary days, and 12 sick days annually.
• Life insurance and long-term disability insurance.
• Flexible spending accounts and travel or commute reimbursement.

TIMELINE AND NEXT STEPS

If you are interested in this position, please click here. All applicants will receive an email confirming receipt of their application.

We encourage candidates of all backgrounds to apply even if you do not meet all of the qualifications outlined above. If you are selected to move forward for an initial screening call, we expect you to hear from us by December 2026.