Managing Director, People Operations & Total Rewards

Company Description

About KIPP NYC:
Founded in 1995, KIPP NYC Public Schools is a non-profit network of 18 free, public charter schools located in the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Manhattan. We partner with families and communities to create joyful, academically excellent schools where every child grows up free to create the future they want for themselves and their communities.

From our first middle school, KIPP Academy in the Bronx, to today’s network of eight elementary schools, nine middle schools, and one high school, KIPP NYC provides students with engaging academics, arts, athletics, and social–emotional learning that prepare them for college, career, and beyond.

Our commitment doesn’t end at graduation. Through KIPP Forward, we continue to support our alumni as they navigate college, career, and life, helping them define success on their own terms and pursue the paths that align with their goals and sense of purpose.

Together, we serve more than 9,400 students, support 4,700 alumni, and employ over 1,100 dedicated team members who bring passion, expertise, and commitment to our mission every day.

Job Description

Position Overview

The Managing Director (MD) of People Operations & Total Rewards leads KIPP NYC’s People Operations function end-to-end for a total staff of close to 2,000 employees – ensuring accurate, timely, and high-trust delivery of payroll, benefits, leave administration, onboarding/offboarding, and People Ops systems and data. This leader drives integration and efficiency across payroll, benefits, and HR systems, sets governance and service standards, and modernizes workflows to reduce manual work while improving employee self-service and reporting.

This role reports to the Chief People Officer and works closely with Finance, Technology, and School Operations to ensure People Operations infrastructure supports KIPP NYC’s talent strategy, growth, and compliance responsibilities. The MD will lead a six person people operations team with coverage across payroll and timekeeping, benefits, leave administration, onboarding and offboarding, and people systems and lifecycle operations support.

Duties and Responsibilities:

General responsibilities include (but are not limited to):

People Operations Strategy, Governance, and Service Standards

• Own the People Operations strategy and roadmap, including priorities for systems modernization, payroll operations, and total rewards delivery.
• Establish operational standards and service-level expectations (e.g., payroll accuracy, case response standards, HRIS data quality).
• Build team capacity and sustainable coverage by creating and maintaining standard operating procedures that reduce reliance on any single individual.
• Ensure interdependencies across the People team function and other departments are being met with appropriate benchmarks for data integrity, handoff completion, and process compliance (e.g., Technology, Finance, and Schools).

Payroll Operations, Timekeeping, and Payroll Modernization

• Ensure accurate and timely payroll delivery, including governance for changes, approvals, and remediation planning.
• Lead payroll and timekeeping modernization and systems building, including managed services, optimization of payroll system, and policy work that improves accuracy and timeliness.
• Oversee and stabilize payroll workstreams (e.g., stipend and pay company coding) to protect financial integrity and audit readiness.

Total Rewards Operations (benefits, leave administration, and integrations)

• Oversee benefits administration and total rewards operations so programs support recruitment, retention, and pay equity.
• Guide benefits program operations and integrations (e.g., leave code updates, vendor/API integrations) to strengthen employee experience and accuracy.
• Provide input into organization-wide compensation and benefits frameworks and related communications.

Employee Life-Cycle Operations: Onboarding, Offboarding, and HRIS continuity

• Ensure onboarding and HRIS operations remain steady during transitions and staffing changes so schools and employees experience consistent service.
• Coordinate offboarding operations in partnership with cross-functional teams to support a reliable employee lifecycle experience (systems access changes, final steps, and service continuity).

People Operations Systems and Data Integrity

• Lead systems modernization to improve automation, reporting, and employee self-service (including any platform transitions and system upgrades).
• Use data to drive strategic initiatives on the People team, ensuring an employee’s lifecycle within the organiza