The Opportunity Network Director of People and Culture

About this role

The Opportunity Network (OppNet)
Since 2003, The Opportunity Network (OppNet) has been committed to providing students, regardless of background, with the resources and connections necessary to achieve their college and career goals. OppNet's founding Fellows program supports 1,000 New York City students each year, from the summer after tenth grade through college graduation, with a 98% graduation rate within six years. About 93% of Fellows are first-generation college students, and 91% secure meaningful employment or graduate school admission within six months of graduating. OppNet extends this impact nationally through its Career Fluency® Partnerships program, which strengthens workforce and college readiness for 100,000 students across 20 cities, and through Opportunity Ignited, which helps employers improve talent pipelines and workplace environments and has trained more than 350 staff at 22 partner firms in its first five years.
The Opportunity
This is a rare opportunity to lead the people function at a moment when the right leader will shape what comes next. OppNet is entering a new chapter: a new CEO is expected to join in early 2027. The Director of People and Culture will step in at a time when people leadership has immediate, visible impact, helping to welcome and integrate a new CEO, guiding staff through change, and building the practices and culture that will carry OppNet forward. Throughout this transition, OppNet remains focused on doing its core work exceptionally well, and the Director will be central to making that possible.OppNet aims to practice internally what it advocates for externally: to be the kind of workplace it hopes its young people will one day join. That commitment shows up in an asset-based approach to people leadership that starts from employees' strengths and keeps their individual needs at the center of every policy and decision.
OppNet is seeking a hands-on people leader who brings both heart and operational rigor to this moment. The Director of People and Culture will serve as the organization's senior HR practitioner, leading day-to-day people operations while guiding staff and managers through change, carrying OppNet's culture and values forward, and building a strong people foundation for the organization's next chapter under new leadership. The Director will play a key role in supporting the incoming CEO's transition and integration with staff, and will supervise the Senior Coordinator of People and Culture.
Key Responsibilities
The Director of People and Culture will lead OppNet's people operations, culture, and employee experience. The percentages below are estimates of how the Director's time will be divided across core areas of responsibility. Each area will remain central to the role, though their relative weight may shift as People & Culture priorities evolve. Responsibilities include:
Change Management & Organizational Transition (20%)

• Partner with the Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives & Impact and the leadership team to plan and implement the people-related aspects of organizational change, including the onboarding and integration of the incoming CEO

• Develop and carry out change management plans, supporting clear, timely, and transparent communication with staff about organizational shifts

• Serve as a trusted resource for staff during transition, surfacing concerns, monitoring morale and engagement, and recommending responses to leadership

• Equip managers with the tools and coaching needed to lead their teams through change

• Adapt people policies, practices, and structures as organizational priorities evolve, with attention to sustainability and available resources

HR Operations, Compliance & Systems (20%)

• Ensure compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations

• Oversee benefits administration and leave management, and help staff understand and make full use of OppNet's benefits

• Partner with Finance on payroll and manage the People and Culture budget, including cost tracking, forecasting, and annual budgeting

• Maintain and update the employee handbook and people policies

• Manage and strengthen OppNet's people systems, including the HRIS (ADP Workforce Now) and applicant tracking system

• In partnership with the Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives & Impact, maintain OppNet's compensation approach and recommend adjustments to ensure pay is competitive, fair, and equitable

Talent, Performance & Development (20%)

• Manage the full employee lifecycle, including recruitment, onboarding, performance management, retention, and offboarding

• Lead structured, equitable hiring processes in partnership with hiring managers, aligned with the core competencies for each role

• Design orientation and onboarding experiences that work well for a remote and hybrid workforce

• Support managers in using performance management systems to create strong individual development plans, and identify professional development opportunities responsive to individual and organizational needs

• In time, and in partnership with leadership, spearhead the creation and implementation of a learning and development program to support professional development across the organization

• Conduct exit interviews and use retention and exit data to inform improvements

Culture, Engagement & Team Leadership (25%)

• Design and administer staff engagement and culture surveys, analyze results, and create opportunities for staff and teams to process findings and set priorities

• Manage employee relations, ensuring staff concerns are addressed promptly, fairly, and confidentially

• Coach and advise managers and leaders on HR best practices and effective management

• Facilitate learning and dialogue around inclusion, psychological safety, and leadership accountability

• Supervise, coach, and develop the Senior Coordinator of People and Culture

Organizational Learning, Development, and Program…