About Achievement First

Achievement First (AF) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization supporting 39 public charter schools across New York, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. For more than 25 years, AF has been recognized as one of the top tuition-free public charter school networks in the country. We are committed to creating schools of academic excellence within nurturing environments — schools that prepare students to be college-ready and to pursue and succeed in whatever paths they choose in life. 

The majority of AF students are Black and Latinx children from low-income families, many of whom will be the first in their families to graduate from college. Across our network, we employ more than 2,200 staff members — 64% of whom identify as Black, Indigenous, or People of Color — who collectively educate nearly 15,000 students in Brooklyn and Queens, NY; New Haven, Bridgeport, and Hartford, CT; and Providence and Cranston, RI. 

Our mission is to prepare every student to excel in college, career, and life; deepen their understanding of self and community; and lead lives of purpose. We believe in the limitless potential within our students and their power to shape a more just society. That belief drives our deep commitment to student achievement: we aim to set a high bar for learning and create warm, demanding classrooms where rigorous instruction is paired with the care, encouragement, and consistency every student deserves. 

Opportunity for Impact 

Achievement First has a deep and unwavering belief in the power of each person. Our students, teachers, leaders, families, alumni, and 2,000+ dedicated staff members across three regions and six vibrant communities are grounded in this belief, and committed to better futures. As we embrace new opportunities and head into the next chapter of Achievement First we need an experienced, transformational and strategic Chief People Officer (CPO) who will harness this collective strength to build for future success. Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer, the CPO will set the vision and strategy for attracting, developing, and retaining a growing team that is committed to our mission and vision. This is an opportunity to provide strategic leadership, working closely with the Board and Executive team, while ensuring there is an exceptional HR foundation, upon which the organization can grow. From recruitment and compensation, to performance management and employee engagement—your work will set our organization up for success so we can focus on the most important work of all, creating an environment in which our students can develop a joy for learning. Crucially, you will lead the charge in putting equity squarely at the center of our work, ensuring we attract the strongest talent to cultivate a spirit of self-determination and possibility in the communities AF serves. Join a team where our greatest strength is each other: Together, we listen, we grow, and we build a future that reflects the very best of who we are.

Key Responsibilities of the CPO include: 

• Develop and own the comprehensive People strategy - from vision to execution – building the programs and teams needed to support our mission and growth. 
• Oversee the design and delivery of all programs, systems, policies, and practices for the end to end talent life cycle - including recruitment, selection, onboarding, development, performance management, employee relations, engagement and retention of employees. 
• Serve as an active member of AF’s executive leadership team, playing a defining role in decisions about the long-term direction of the organization, setting overarching goals and priorities, and monitoring organizational performance relating to talent. 
• Function as a strategic advisor, functional expert, and thought partner to the CEO, Board, and executive team regarding succession planning, and key human resources strategies and issues. 
• As a steward of the culture, develop talent programs that reinforce our values. Partner with the CEO and executive team to shape and cultivate a strong workplace culture, reflective of our purpose, in order to help attract, develop and retain those who are drawn to our mission. 
• Build a strong team of people leaders who can own, facilitate, and most importantly, operationalize critical people programs, designed to balance the needs and priorities of our staff including Principals and Teachers. 
• Design and cultivate robust performance management programs and systems at the school and network level to support the performance outcomes, growth and development of our talent. 
• Partner with the CEO and Chief Equity Officer to strengthen and embed organizational health and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) practices. 
• Ensure systems, policies, and processes scale effectively and are compliant with a growing, distributed organization. 
• Use data and people analytics to inform decisions, optimize processes, and support continuous improvement to promote a high level of quality, engagement and retention. 
• Develop and/or update all talent and human resources policies and procedures to ensure compliance while also driving alignment with AF’s values and culture. 

Professional Qualifications 

• Proven leader of the People function who brings a minimum of 10 years in progressively responsible HR leadership roles with clear evidence of leading and growing high-performing HR teams. 
• Depth as a business partner, who can work closely with a CEO, Board, and peers to identify opportunities and craft and implement solutions relevant to their teams and organizations. 
• Proven action-oriented People leader who can operate effectively in both strategic and hands-on environments. 
• Track record of developing strategic roadmaps, determining priorities, and executing successfully against the most critical work. 
• Successful track record of building and improving people teams and programs to support high-performing operational environments. 
• Strong business acumen and proven capacity to link People strategies to metrics, objectives and business success. 
• Experience people leader, who has successfully coached, mentored and developed a high-performing team, while holding them accountable for results. 
• Strong understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion principles. Has experience navigating racial equity conversations and creating environments where diverse perspectives thrive. 
• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree or equivalent experience preferred. 

Personal characteristics 

• Ability to manage complexity and navigate a fast-moving environment with maturity, confidence, and high EQ. 
• Acute attention to detail paired with strong generalist HR knowledge; brings well-rounded functional expertise and the ability to set and deliver upon clear priorities for the function. 
• Willingness to roll up sleeves while also thinking strategically - scrappy but disciplined, able to build and sustain multi-year plans that drive organizational change. 
• Mission-aligned with a genuine connection to the work; brings a sense of purpose that anchors decisions and leadership. 
• Accessible, steady presence who can work through and influence others to organize the team around goals. 

Compensation & Benefits 

Achievement First sets salaries are set through a lens of equity, and based on the requisite skills, education, and experience relevant to the role. The salary range for this position is $250,000 - $300,000. In order to uphold our commitment to equity, Achievement First does not negotiate pay. Additionally, Achievement First offers to all regular, full-time employees a comprehensive benefits package that includes paid time off, medical, dental, vision, and life insurance, a 403(b) retirement benefit package with match, and paid Family Leave.

Achievement First Leadership Team

Achievement First's CPO Search will be led by True, an external talent agency. True will support sourcing, outreach, and candidate evaluation in partnership with Achievement First, helping drive a rigorous, data-informed, and equitable recruitment process