Director of Human Resources

THE ORGANIZATION

Founded at the University of Michigan Medical School, TRAILS (Transforming Research into Action to Improve the Lives of Students) is among the most innovative and rapidly-growing school-based mental health solutions in the country. Today, our growing team is working toward the TRAILS mission of transforming the landscape of youth mental health care delivery by equipping school staff with the training and resources they need to provide evidence-based and culturally responsible programming to their students. 

To date, TRAILS has brought essential skills and resources to more than 14,000 teachers, administrators, and school mental health professionals. Our best-in-class program materials are built specifically for the school setting, and our unique training model is driven by research from the field of implementation science. Our website and library of materials are utilized by educators and clinicians across the United States and in more than 100 countries around the world. While our impact today is greatest in our home state of Michigan, TRAILS is expanding nationally with strong support from education and health sector leaders, public offices, and state policymakers. 

As we work to respond to massive demand for TRAILS programming from schools and districts throughout the United States, our team is guided by a core commitment to equity: The TRAILS growth strategy identifies Title I designated schools as our broadest target population, and we aim specifically to impact students who experience high risk for poor mental health outcomes and disproportionate barriers to quality care. As we grow our team, we seek candidates who share our commitment to equity in health and healthcare access, who practice cultural humility, and who thrive in and contribute to an inclusive working environment.

THE ROLE

The Director of Human Resources (HR Director) will play a key leadership role in shaping the human resources function for a growing nonprofit organization. As a recently established independent 501(c)(3), TRAILS is in the process of building its inaugural HR function. In partnership with the VP of People, the HR Director will continue to develop, refine, and scale our HR systems and processes. 

The HR Director will champion diversity and inclusion and safeguard the integrity of the organization’s HR practices, ensuring that all policies, services, benefits, compensation structures, and communication processes are equitable, in compliance and in support of the organization's values, goals, and long-term growth.

The HR Director must bring deep knowledge of human resources best practice and a track record for building HR strategy for a developing organization. This role requires an individual who can manage inquiries from a 100+ staff, coordination efforts, and competing priorities with efficiency and extreme attention to detail, all while maintaining composure and confidentiality where appropriate.

THE RESPONSIBILITIES

HR Strategy (40%)

• Collaborate with the VP of People to define and drive the strategic vision for Human Resources, encompassing compliance, benefits administration, leave management, terminations, and HR technology.
• Lead the development, implementation, and enhancement of HR policies, systems and a comprehensive annual calendar that align with the organization’s evolving needs and goals. Regularly update the employee handbook to ensure it reflects best practices, legal requirements and organizational changes.
• Optimize relationships with HR service providers - work closely with external HR service partners to maximize their offerings and capabilities, ensuring our employees know where to access key information and who to contact for support. When necessary, lead research and facilitation of new vendor selection.
• Partner with members of the People Team to design and implement effective onboarding, offboarding, and continuous development programs that enhance employee understanding of HR policies, best practices, and available resources.
• Drive continuous improvement in HR processes and employee experience. Proactively recommend and implement innovative solutions, process improvements, and best practices to streamline operations and improve the overall employee experience.
• Work closely with the Finance and Operations teams on employee policies, process changes, and organizational administration (eg. payroll, coordination with our HRIS, state registrations, etc.) to ensure smooth and compliant operations. 

Benefits Administration and Compliance (40%)

• Lead the communication, enrollment, and ongoing administration of employee benefit plans, ensuring clarity and engagement across the organization. 
• Manage the open enrollment process in collaboration with plan providers, overseeing the distribution of materials and effectively communicating changes to employees.
• In collaboration with Talent Acquisition and Operations, oversee the compliance related processes of onboarding and offboarding, including I-9 verification, background checks, and adherence to federal, state, and local employment regulations.
• Advise leadership on potential compliance and legal issues, proactively recommending and implementing solutions to mitigate risks.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date personnel records and ensure the HRIS system is fully compliant with all legal and regulatory requirements; communicate and problem solve with relevant departments and vendors when issues arise with discrepancies in personnel records or lapsed compliance.
• Collaborate with the Talent Acquisition team and hiring managers to ensure accurate employee classification and alignment with job descriptions, ensuring compliance with applicable laws.

Employee Relations (10%)

• Facilitate employee relations meetings, provide guidance on HR-related issues and lead investigations.
• Offer a confidential and supportive environment for employees to raise concerns, ensuring their voices are heard and respected.
• In partnership with members of the People team, conduct comprehensive staffing analyses, identifying trends and turnover patterns to inform strategic workforce planning and retention initiatives.

Team responsibilities (10%)

• Attend all staff meetings and retreats, workgroups and other relevant TRAILS meetings. 
• Support TRAILS team with all hands on deck events as needed and other team Initiatives.

THE PERSON 

Our experience suggests that the following types of professional skills and experiences lend themselves to this work:

• 6+ years of progressive experience in Human Resources management (within nonprofit environment strongly preferred), with a strong focus on compliance, benefits administration, vendor relations, employee relations, and HRIS;
• In-depth expertise in human resource management principles, industry best practices, and comprehensive knowledge of state and federal employment laws and regulations across multiple jurisdictions.
• Proven experience in HRIS management, with a preference for candidates experienced with Rippling or similar platforms.
• Demonstrated ability to build trust and credibility across the organization, particularly in sensitive situations with strong interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a highly collaborative environment, understanding the importance of working closely in partnership with organizational leadership, internal departments (especially finance and operations), and external vendors and partners. 
• Experience in building and scaling HR functions from the ground up is highly desirable.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to effectively coach, train, and engage employees at all levels.
• Demonstrated ability to prioritize, organize, and manage multiple high-priority projects and responsibilities in a fast-paced environment, with a keen eye for detail.
• High level of professionalism, adaptability, and flexibility in managing dynamic business needs and team dynamics.
• Strong commitment to carrying out HR best practices through the lens of diversity, equity, and inclusion; and overall TRAILS mission and values.

EDUCATION

Our experience suggests the following certifications and degree(s) lend themselves well to this work:

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration or related field
• Professional certification in PHR and or SHRM-CP/ SHRM-SCP preferred 

COMPENSATION

The salary range for this role is $127,155-$134,219.

TRAILS offers a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, and vision as well as a 403B with a safe harbor match and short and long term disability. We offer a generous holiday and paid time off package. 

APPLICATION NOTES

• Please include responses to the following questions on your application:
• Please describe your knowledge and experience with HR management with employees across multiple states.
• Please describe your experience with building HR systems and policies from the ground up. 
• Our job descriptions reflect TRAILS’ assignment of essential functions and qualifications of the role. Nothing herein restricts management's right to assign, reassign or eliminate duties and responsibilities to this role at any time. 
• We are only considering applicants who are legally authorized to work in the United States.
• Please note that TRAILS employees may be required to undergo a background check. Findings do not automatically exclude candidates from the hiring process, but will be taken into consideration.

OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, & INCLUSION 

Addressing inequities in access to evidence-based mental health care is intrinsic to the TRAILS mission. The intentionality behind this approach is woven into everything we do at TRAILS, resulting in a staff-wide commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion for all facets of our program. If this commitment is something to which you could positively contribute, we encourage you to apply, particularly if your voice represents a historically excluded perspective. 

TRAILS is an “at-will” and equal opportunity employer. Applicants and employees shall not be discriminated against because of race, religion, sex, national origin, ethnicity, age, mental or physical disability, sexual orientation, gender (including pregnancy and gender expression) identity, color, marital status, veteran status, medical condition, or any other classification protected by federal, state, or local law or ordinance.