Senior Director of People, Operations, and Program Supports bei 826 Boston

About the Opportunity 

826 Boston seeks an HR professional to direct our People, Operations, and Program Supports (POPS) department. We are seeking a seasoned, innovative leader who can build on the current strengths of our organization and bring a strong command of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and antiracism to HR practices and processes. 

Mission: 

826 Boston is a nonprofit writing, tutoring, and publishing organization where students in grades K-12 and beyond can share their stories, amplify their voices, and develop as leaders in school and in life. 

Responsibilities: 

Human Resources 

• Develop the strategy and vision of the Human Resources Department with a DEI/antiracism lens and in collaboration with the Senior Management Team
•  Lead the organization’s human capital strategy, with a focus on recruitment and retention of individuals of color, bilingual individuals, LGBTQ+ identified individuals, individuals from diverse economic backgrounds, and skilled individuals who have experience and/or interest in working with the populations that we serve 
• Oversee the various stages of the employee lifecycle, including succession planning, hiring, onboarding, employee engagement and satisfaction, employee retention, exit interviews and offboarding 
• Oversee the development, implementation, and update of HR policies, practices and systems, with a focus on maximizing transparency and operationalizing antiracist/anti-oppressive approaches 
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local employment and benefits laws 
• Review, guide, and/or approve recommendations for promotions, compensation, terminations, and performance improvement plans; ensure the process and strategy are transparent, limit bias, and is equitable across social identities 
• Investigate employee grievances and conflicts and bring them to resolution; lead on various personnel concerns, including investigations, disciplinary process, and terminations, in collaboration with the Executive Director
• Oversee accessibility and accommodations at 826 Boston 

Operations 

• Oversee and improve purchasing systems for the organization 
• Manage vendor relationships and establish new vendor partnerships to meet the needs of the organization 
• Oversee space renovations, repairs, and enhancements 
• Serve as the point person for 826 Boston’s Emergency Action Plans, as well as any other additional health, weather, or office safety concerns 

Management 

• Supervise the Director of Program Supports, who is responsible for the day-to-day administration of human resources at 826 Boston 
• Supervise the Senior Operations Coordinator and oversee their work managing purchasing, equipment and supplies, vendors, and renovations/repairs 
• Supervise the Senior Manager of 826 Boston’s Volunteer Management Team (VMT) and provide support to ensure a positive and rewarding experience for all volunteers supporting 826 Boston programming 

Leadership 

• Serve as a member of the Senior Management Team 
• Develop and lead staff professional development sessions related to the organization’s HR and Operations systems, policies, and protocols. 
• Provide counsel, guidance, and thought partnership to the Executive Director. 

Qualifications: 

The ideal candidate is a team player with a steadfast commitment to improving the quality of K-12 education, a desire to work in a collaborative and inclusive culture, and a passion for youth empowerment through writing and publishing. 

826 Boston recognizes that impostor syndrome and the confidence gap might prevent some applicants from applying. Few candidates will have all of the relevant experience listed below, but 826 Boston is committed to assessing candidates with transferable skills and a willingness to be trained for this role.

Skills and experiences: 

• 5+ years of human resources and/or operations experience 
• 3+ years of personnel management experience
• Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, with experience developing and implementing DEI-aligned processes and protocols 
• Ability to maintain a high degree of confidentiality, integrity, and diplomacy 
• Knowledge of applicable personnel laws and regulations, and benefits administration 
• History of strong partnership and collaboration across teams; strong skills in giving and receiving feedback 
• Demonstrates passion, commitment, and integrity; takes responsibility and builds trust across a diversity of social identities 
• Comfortable adapting to change in a fast-paced environment; ability to undertake several tasks simultaneously and manage them effectively 
• Proficiency in Google Suite 
• Commitment to the 826 Boston mission and of centering youth leaders in our work and honoring the identities, experiences, and voices of BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and differently-abled communities 

Salary and Benefits 

826 Boston offers a competitive salary commensurate with experience in a similar position, with the potential for an annual performance-based bonus. The salary for this position is $102,000 annually. 

We offer competitive salaries and benefits and are committed to equity, trust, and transparency in compensation. Basing compensation on someone’s ability to negotiate or their prior salary can lead to inequities and bias in how people are paid, particularly for groups experiencing historical oppression. Therefore, we do not ask for prior pay history from our candidates, and our offer-making process is negotiation-free for salaries and benefits. We determine the best possible salary offer based on relevant experience and the extent to which candidates demonstrate the competencies for the role during the entire hiring process. New hires are typically brought into the organization at a salary between the minimum and the midpoint of the salary range, depending on qualifications, internal equity, and the budgeted amount for the role. 


Benefits include flexible work from home options, generous paid time off (including 15 PTO days, accrued sick leave, 13 paid holidays, 6 Summer Fridays off, and an organization-wide two-week winter break); health, dental, and vision insurance (826 Boston covers 80% of premiums), parental leave, paid sabbatical, and more.

This is an exempt, full-time position that reports to the Executive Director. The ideal start date is as soon as possible.  

How to Apply: Please include a cover letter with your application, addressing why you are interested in 826 Boston and how your experience has prepared you for this position. The priority application deadline for this position is October 6, 2025. After that date, applications will be considered on a rolling basis. It is in your best interest to apply as soon as possible. 

All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion,
sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran
status, or any other characteristic protected by law. 

826 Boston Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Statement 

At 826 Boston, we honor and actively work toward diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) across our organization. We are committed to centering the voices of the students whom we serve, to creating inclusive spaces, and to incorporating feedback from our community into our decision-making processes. Our DEI lens is always evolving through the courageous conversations in which we participate and the relationships that we build through our work and service. We strengthen our cultural competency through experience, training, and feedback, which informs the development of all new organizational practices and goals and the evaluation of all existing procedures. 826 Boston is dedicated to providing a platform for student advocacy through writing and publishing opportunities. In our work and mission, we are committed to dismantling white supremacy culture by recognizing that we are complicit in systems of racism and oppression. We will work to hold ourselves accountable in addressing these harmful structures and behaviors. To learn more about our DEI Action Plans across the organization, please click here. 

About Us 

826 Boston is part of a national network of youth writing centers, co-founded by the award-winning author Dave Eggers and educator Nínive Calegari, that were named in GOOD Magazine’s “30 Places We Want to Work.” Since opening in 2007, 826 Boston has delivered its free youth writing and tutoring programs to more than 29,000 students and has been recognized by The Boston Globe as one of the best places in the city to volunteer. 826 Boston’s youth writers have published their work in The New York Times, The Boston Globe, and in numerous award-winning 826 Boston books, including A Place for Me in the World, which was hailed as a “triumph of middle school education” by The Boston Globe. In 2013, the 826 National network garnered the prestigious American Literacy Prize awarded by the Library of Congress. 

Accommodations 

826 Boston provides reasonable accommodations for candidates with disabilities at every
stage of the application process. Disclosing a disability or requesting a need for
accommodations is a separate process from admissions and will have absolutely no
bearing on a candidate’s application status. 826 Boston will make every effort to meet
your request, but specific requests are not guaranteed. If you need to request an
accommodation, please contact Catherine Gomez at [email protected].

How to Apply

Please include why you are interested in 826 Boston and how your experience has prepared you for this position in your cover letter. The priority application deadline for this position is September 3rd. After that date, applications will be considered on a rolling basis. It is in your best interest to apply as soon as possible.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.