Chief Talent Officer: K-12 HR & People Strategy

Pendergast Elementary School District; Phoenix (AZ); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Pendergast Elementary School District seeks a Chief Talent Officer to lead comprehensive human resources administration, talent strategy, and an outstanding employee experience. The CTO will align talent systems with instructional priorities, operational needs, and community goals to support student success.

The CTO will oversee recruitment, onboarding, professional growth, performance support, leadership development, and employee relations while ensuring HR maturity across the district.

Qualifications

• Minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible leadership experience in Human Resources.
• Experience supervising staff and managing complex personnel systems.
• Advanced knowledge of Arizona employment law and certification requirements as they pertain to Arizona K–12 education.
• Senior-level leadership experience in a K–12 public school district or large public organization.
• Experience supporting innovative instructional or workforce-aligned organizational models.
• Experience leading talent systems in a highly regulated employment environment.
• Demonstrated commitment to organizational culture development and employee engagement.
• Experience using talent analytics, leadership assessments, or workforce planning tools (e.g., Predictive Index or similar).
• Advanced degree in Human Resources, Organizational Development, Educational Leadership, or a closely related field.
• Arizona Superintendent or Administrative Certification (or demonstrated eligibility).
• Professional HR certification (e.g., SHRM-SCP, SPHR).

Responsibilities

• Ensuring a world class employee experience is critical to achieve strategic plan goals, strengthen candidate pipelines, and retain a high-quality workforce.
• Lead our Talent enterprise aligned to district core values and create a workplace that attracts and supports all.
• Develop and implement a plan to lead the talent division toward continuous improvement anchored by organization goals and framed using the Human Resources Maturity Model or other similar model as our aspiration for the Talent enterprise.
• Partner with executive leadership and partners to create and administer a coherent talent learning system for all employees aligned to evolving teaching and learning practices, workforce-aligned learning, and organizational goals.
• Embrace and continue to foster positive relationships with all district employees and collaborative groups, such as PFSE, certified and classified councils, PEER, etc.
• Oversee and create partnerships with talent pipelines, including colleges and universities, training programs, and other training entities that may produce the next generation of Pendergast talent.
• Ensure compliance with Arizona employment law, certification requirements, and applicable federal and state regulations.
• Lead the benefits and employee wellness programs as well as a successful collaborative process for employer/employee relations and maintain the District’s culture of utilizing the Interest-Based Approach.
• Anticipate and plan for staffing needs across certified, classified, administrative, and operational roles in response to evolving instructional practices and organizational priorities, ensuring appropriate staffing distribution across schools, networks, departments, and programs.
• Direct the maintenance of comprehensive personnel records and other files related to classified and certificated personnel; complete state and federal forms; process a variety of documents including grievances, formal complaints, FOIA requests, conference attendance, mediations,etc. according to established procedures.
• Conduct investigations of sexual harassment complaints and other employee complaints.
• Oversee substitute and staffing operations to ensure instructional continuity and operational stability.
• Develop and oversee employee evaluation, performance support, growth, and celebration systems for all district talent. Promote a culture of continuous improvement through feedback, coaching, and targeted development.
• Design and lead leadership talent development and succession planning efforts to ensure leadership continuity and long-term organizational stability.
• Ensure that a culture of talent celebration is visibly present across the system.
• Engage in professional learning to ensure up to date knowledge of laws, regulations, and requirements related to classified and certificated personnel.
• Research school employment resources and information (i.e. state statutes, legal decisions, district practices), for the purpose of analyzing potential implications, making recommendations and/or addressing a variety of other administrative needs.
• Attend Board meetings and prepare Board agenda items, present reports and provide technical counsel to the Board as requested by the Superintendent; review and present Board items affecting personnel services; update the Board in closed sessions regarding employees and other personnel matters as needed.
• Serve as a member of the Superintendent’s Cabinet, contributing to enterprise-level strategy and decision-making.
• Collaborate with other Chief Officers to ensure integrated, school-centered service delivery.
• Provide regular updates to the Superintendent and Governing Board on talent metrics, workforce trends, risks, and progress toward strategic goals.
• Perform such other duties and assume such other responsibilities as may be assigned by the Superintendent/ Designee.

Skills

Leadership experience

Staff supervision

HR systems

Arizona employment law

Communication

Data analytics

Strategic planning

Workforce planning

Talent collaboration

Education

Advanced degree in HR/Organizational Development

Arizona Superintendent/Administrative Certification

SHRM-SCP or SPHR certification

Job description

Pendergast Elementary School District seeks a Chief Talent Officer to lead comprehensive human resources administration, talent strategy, and an outstanding employee experience. The CTO will align talent systems with instructional priorities, operational needs, and community goals to support student success.

The CTO will oversee recruitment, onboarding, professional growth, performance support, leadership development, and employee relations while ensuring HR maturity across the district.