Director of Human Resources

Anticipated hiring June 2021, Interviewing now.

 Westminster School, one of the leading independent boarding schools in the country, is a diverse, close-knit community of 95 faculty, 70 staff, and 400 male and female students (seventy-five percent boarding, twenty-five percent day students) set on a 200-acre campus in Simsbury, Connecticut. Since its founding in 1888, Westminster School has been committed to the core values of community, character, balance and involvement.  Our motto describes our community – “virtute et numine” – by Grit & Grace

Reporting to the Chief Financial Officer, the Director of Human Resources is responsible for overseeing and implementing human resources policies and procedures.  The ideal candidate will have experience as a Human Resources professional with expertise in relationship management, both internally with faculty and staff colleagues as well as externally with candidates and vendors, and success in implementing and managing human resources best practices.

Specific Responsibilities

• Support the strategic goals of the School by managing the human resources functions in ways that promote the School’s values and contribute to a diverse, inclusive, and supportive School community and climate
• Deliver an onboarding process for new employees that is timely, informative, smooth, and welcoming; responsible for thorough background checks with the FBI, DCF, and ADP
• Develop clear job descriptions and appropriate position classifications and salary structure; post job openings on various sites to ensure strong, diverse candidates
• Assist the CFO at department meetings including facilities and dining/custodial vendors
• Manage benefits administration and serve as a School contact with benefits vendors; review and manage plan design, benefits enrollment processes, reporting requirements, documentation and benefit plan audits
• Review all employee leave plans and manage workers’ compensation, respecting both the needs of the employee and those of the School
• Supervise and work collaboratively with the Payroll Manager and Business Office Staff
• Oversee and review the bi-weekly timecards for accuracy; ensure compliance with payroll laws and regulations including the ACA
• Ensure timely and accurate compliance with all federal and state laws and regulations governing human resources, including filing required government reports, forms, and surveys
• Update personnel policies and procedures in the Employee Guide and Faculty Handbook
• Manage the performance review process for all staff; serve as a resource to managers for employee performance issues including terminations
• Handle all employee insurance claims; conduct investigations and write reports as appropriate; work closely with insurance claims management teams
• Complete the annual insurance renewal applications for Health and Workers Comp; oversee Flexible Spending Account and Health Savings Account
• Support the CFO with the Audit Committee and Business Committee reports and meetings; assist with completing annual surveys
• Maintain van license compliance folders for all faculty and schedule random drug tests
• Participate as an active and engaged member of the Safety Committee
• Other duties as assigned

 Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required; PHR or SPHR certification highly desirable
• 7-10 years of progressively responsible human resources experience, including at least five years supervisory experience; independent school experience preferred
• Current and extensive knowledge of applicable laws and regulations, trends, best practices, and new developments in the HR field
• Self-starter with creativity, initiative and excellent problem-solving skills
• Ability to interact with employees at all levels of the school community and be impartial and objective
• Demonstrated skill with MS Office and HRIS software; Blackbaud and ADP experience a plus
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Able to handle several tasks simultaneously, and an ability to prioritize multiple tasks under pressure while managing deadlines
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Absolute integrity and confidentiality, coupled with an extraordinary work ethic
• Approachable, compassionate and fair
• Ability to pass an extensive background check and drug test

To Apply

This position is a 12-month, full-time opening. Salary is competitive and the employment package consists of excellent benefits, including outstanding health care coverage and retirement plan. To apply, please send a cover letter, resume, and references to Carol Kirsch at ckirsch@westminster-school.org

Westminster School is an Affirmative Action Equal Opportunity Employer and encourages applications from candidates of color. Westminster School reaffirms its long-standing nondiscriminatory policy and employs individuals of any race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available at Westminster. Westminster does not discriminate in its hiring, educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship programs, or athletic and other school-administered programs.