People and Operations Associate

People and Operations Associate

Location: Flexible/Remote

Role Tier: 2 - Associate

About Us

Our nation’s education system is leaving millions of students—including an overwhelming number of students of color and low-income students—unprepared for college, career, and life. Research shows that classroom teachers are the single most important in-school factor in improving student achievement, and we believe a truly thriving teaching profession requires educator voice and leadership. We work to build durable teacher power, especially with those who have been historically excluded from decision-making, to shape the systems and policies that define education. 

Founded by public school teachers, Educators for Excellence is a growing movement of nearly 40,000 educators working together to build a high-quality, diverse teaching profession with the resources and conditions necessary to help every student thrive. Together, we research and develop educator-informed solutions, build teacher power, and advocate for policy change at the district, state, and national levels.

What We Do

Our work is grounded in the belief that the teaching profession is one of the most vital forces shaping our shared future - and that educators must be at the center of shaping the policies and systems that define public education. We focus on developing teacher leadership and power to drive issue advocacy campaigns that shape policy, contracts, and the national conversation. 

To achieve our vision for transforming the teaching profession, we advance and support the implementation of a focused set of policy solutions backed by research and educators. Our agenda focuses on achieving a high-quality, diverse workforce through:

• Building strong and sustainable career pathways.
• Creating coherent systems of instructional support.
• Funding public schools fully and equitably.

By building durable teacher power, teachers unite as a collective force to drive lasting change and advance an equitable, sustainable public education system where every student has the opportunity to learn, grow, and succeed.

The Opportunity

The Finance, Operations, People & Equity (FOPE) team is the backbone of E4E's operations, the team that ensures our staff has the systems, support, and infrastructure they need to do their best work in service of teachers and students. From the moment someone applies to E4E to the moment they move on, and in all the moments in between, the FOPE team shapes the staff experience that makes our mission possible.

The People and Operations Associate is a critical member of this team, someone who sits at the intersection of HR, people operations, and central operations, and who keeps things running smoothly across both. This is a role that moves fast, changes direction, and requires genuine range.

This is an ideal role for someone who is excited by variety, energized by details, and genuinely interested in the full range of people and operations work, not just one slice of it. You'll gain deep exposure to HR operations, talent acquisition, benefits administration, systems management, vendor oversight, and organizational processes in a mission-driven environment where your work directly shapes how staff experiences the organization. Reporting directly to the Senior Business Partner, operating with real ownership while receiving meaningful mentorship and support.

With chapters in New York, Connecticut, Chicago, California, Massachusetts, and Minnesota, E4E is a national organization with a distributed team. Our FOPE team works across these geographies to create consistent, high-quality systems and experiences for all staff, and the People and Operations Associate is central to making that work.

Responsibilities - In this role, you will:

Although no two days are the same, a great People & Operations Associate can expect to spend their time across the following areas:

People Operations

• Recruitment — Serve as project manager for all E4E hiring processes, keeping searches on track and moving. With direction from the Senior Business Partner and hiring managers, own execution across the full hiring cycle: posting roles, tracking applicants, drafting interview materials and communications, coordinating scheduling across candidates and committees, and keeping the process organized and equitable from start to finish.
• Onboarding — Execute the centralized onboarding experience, ensuring new hires are set up in our systems and informed about technology, benefits, and tools so they are ready and confident from day one.
• Culture & Employee Experience — Own the touchpoints that make new and current staff feel welcome, seen, and connected, including welcome packages, first-day coordination, onboarding survey administration and feedback loops, business card ordering, and recognition of milestones like work anniversaries.
• Ongoing Employee Support — Collaborate with the Senior Business Partner and ADP representatives to manage benefits administration and serve as a point of contact for employee questions and open enrollment. Play a key role in keeping records, systems, and compliance accurate and audit-ready, including employment eligibility verification (I-9 and E-Verify).
• Offboarding — Execute the offboarding process, coordinating across E4E teams and our IT and vendor partners to ensure a thorough, organized, and respectful transition for departing staff.
• Event Logistics — With direction from FOPE leadership, execute logistics for staff events including venue rental, material organization, catering, and related coordination.
• Confidentiality — Handle confidential and sensitive personnel information with sound judgment, discretion, and consistent professionalism at all times.

Finance & Central Operations

• Finance & Expense Operations — In support of the Lead Accounting Associate, assist with day-to-day financial operations including the monthly AMEX expense process, vendor invoice and stipend reimbursement submissions in Intacct, and tracking and following up on outstanding accidental charge repayments.
• Contract Support — Support the contract lifecycle from template preparation and approvals through execution via DocuSign, ensuring agreements are accurate and move forward in a timely manner.
• National Office Administration (If based in NYC) — Handle routine office operations including scanning incoming mail and processing check deposits.
• Knowledge Management — Maintain and regularly audit documentation across HR, Operations, and Finance — with support from the Senior Director of Operations & Impact and Senior Business Partner — setting the standard for trackers and standard operating procedures, and keeping institutional knowledge current, accurate, and easy to find.
• Technology & Vendor Management — Manage technology and vendor relationships at both a strategic and execution level, from scope definition and renewals to monitoring ongoing performance and flagging issues.
• System Administration — Act as the point of contact for core E4E platforms including G-Suite, Slack, Asana, Concur, Navan, and others — managing access, troubleshooting, and ensuring staff have the support they need to use our tools effectively.
• Operations & Process Improvement — Coordinate daily operations across the People and Operations function. Proactively identify inefficiencies and take initiative to design and implement better processes.
• Executive Support — Provide administrative and execution support to FOPE leadership, including expense tracking and ad hoc projects as needed.

Qualifications & Requirements:

Experience:

• 2–4 years of professional experience in HR, people operations, talent, office/operations management, or a closely related field.
• Demonstrated experience managing multiple projects simultaneously with strong attention to detail and reliable follow-through.
• Experience in a people-facing support or coordination role, with a track record of delivering a high-quality experience to internal stakeholders.
• Familiarity with HR practices and compliance basics, including I-9 verification, benefits administration, and recordkeeping.
• Experience working in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment strongly preferred.
• Exposure to nonprofit, education, or advocacy organizations is a plus but not required.

Technical Skills: 

• Proficiency with G-Suite (Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Drive, Docs, Sheets) required; experience with Slack and Asana strongly preferred.
• Experience with an ATS (applicant tracking system) or HRIS platform preferred; experience with ADP a plus.
• Comfort with expense management platforms (Concur, Navan, or similar) preferred.
• Strong written communication skills, including the ability to draft professional communications and documentation clearly and concisely.
• Comfort working with spreadsheets, tracking tools, and data to maintain accurate records and surface insights.
• Ability to learn new systems and platforms quickly and support others in using them effectively.

Core Values

• Responsiveness — We keep each other in the loop to keep the work moving forward.
• Inclusiveness — We make space at the table for all, so everyone feels like they belong.
• High-Quality Work — We ensure all deliverables meet our standard of excellence.
• Ownership — We take part in finding solutions for the problems we identify.
• Equity — We look for opportunities to redistribute power in response to inequity.
• Evaluation and Reflection — We look for opportunities to celebrate success and show growth in ourselves and in our work.

Positional Skills

• Organizing, Planning & Executing — Able to manage multiple projects and workstreams at once; develops systems to stay organized; executes reliably against deadlines without losing sight of quality or detail.
• Collaborating Across Difference — Works effectively with people across departments, levels, and backgrounds; builds trust quickly and brings a service orientation to every interaction.
• Demonstrating Judgment & Discretion — Handles sensitive information with professionalism and sound judgment; knows when to act independently and when to escalate.
• Defining Problems to Solve — Doesn't just flag inefficiencies — thinks through root causes and proposes concrete improvements; comfortable designing better processes from scratch.
• Adapting & Flexing — Shifts priorities fluidly as the work demands; stays calm and solutions-oriented when plans change, new needs arise, or the to-do list grows unexpectedly long.
• Communicating Clearly — Produces clear, professional written communication; keeps stakeholders informed proactively and knows how to tailor the message to the audience.

Benefits & Applying

Educators for Excellence (E4E) believes in providing employees with benefits to support self-care, wellness, and financial stability. We value the whole person and provide benefits such as paid time off, health insurance plans, competitive salaries that include pre-tax benefits, and cell phone reimbursements. See more information about our benefits here.

E4E is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate based on race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion or religious creed, mental or physical disability, medical condition, genetic information, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, military or veteran status, citizenship, or other characteristics protected by state or federal law or local ordinance. E4E has a zero tolerance for discrimination, racism, xenophobia, or misogyny in any form in our workplace. We strive to create a workplace where everyone feels a strong sense of belonging.

Compensation Policy 

Educators for Excellence (E4E) is committed to valuing team members holistically. We do not engage in salary negotiations; our first offer is always our best offer.

Salary bands (based on geographic location):

• $60,000 - $86,000 | High Urban (NYC, San Francisco)
• $64,000 - $85,500 | Mid-High Urban (LA, Boston)
• $55,500 - $78,000 | All other locations

Within this range, our competitive, non-negotiable salary offer will be based on a candidate’s relevant experience and credentials, role-related competencies assessed through our robust hiring process, and geographic location. 

COVID-19 Vaccination Policy: All new employees are required to comply with E4E’s mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy, which requires all staff to be fully vaccinated before the start of employment. An employee will be considered fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving the requisite number of doses of a COVID-19 vaccine. Employees may request an exemption as a reasonable accommodation due to a medical reason or a sincerely held religious belief.

E4E abides by each state’s requirements and acknowledges that they may change over time. If you advance to an interview, you will have the opportunity to ask questions about this job requirement.

Accommodations: We are committed to creating an inclusive and accessible interview experience and will ensure that all candidates are provided with reasonable accommodations that allow them to participate in the interview process. To request an accommodation, please email peopleandequity@e4e.org

EEOC questionnaire: We place a particular focus on recruiting staff members who share the backgrounds of the communities we serve. We encourage all applicants to complete our EEOC questionnaire as part of your application process (these questions will be included in your initial application). Completing the questionnaire will help ensure our People & Equity team is attracting a diverse pool of qualified candidates for each of our open positions. Please note that this information is not included with your application, and our hiring managers do not have access to race and other identifying information at any point in the interviewing or hiring process, including after a hire is made.

E4E uses E-Verify when completing all new hire paperwork. For more information, visit here.