Director – Talent Business Partner

Drive Employee Relations & Risk Mitigation (30%)

• Support complex employee relations issues, including performance, conduct, and conflict resolution

• Proactively address issues with managers before escalation

• Conduct effective, thorough, and objective investigations where required

• Provide guidance on disciplinary actions and ensure consistent application of organizational policies

Strengthen Manager Capability & Coaching (30%)

• Coach managers on building high-performing teams, setting clear expectations, and delivering feedback

• Train and support managers to have effective performance and development conversations

• Provide just-in-time coaching tools and resources, drawing from Talent Enablement and L&D offerings

• Help leaders build inclusive team cultures that support engagement and retention

Support Performance & Development Systems (20%)

• Partner with managers to identify struggling performers, set clear improvement plans, and hold staff accountable

• Provide feedback and support on employee goals

• Help managers recognize and develop top talent, identifying career growth pathways

• Contribute to onboarding and offboarding processes to capture learnings and improve employee experience

Collaborate on Organizational Health & Talent Initiatives (15%)

• Analyze team-level data (e.g., Gallup, attrition, performance trends) to surface insights and partner with managers on action planning

• Reinforce consistent application of HR and Talent policies and practices across teams

• Support divisional engagement and inclusion efforts in partnership with Talent Enablement team.

• Partner with Senior Directors on change management and org design projects as needed

Lead Special Projects & Contribute to Talent Excellence (5%)

• Participate in cross-functional projects to improve processes, tools, or manager resources

• Serve as a thought partner to Senior Directors, surfacing patterns from employee relations cases to inform enterprise-level improvements

About You

• At least 7–8 years of progressive HR/Talent experience, with at least 4+ years in employee relations, talent business partner, or people leadership coaching

• SHRM-CP or PHR certification (preferred; SHRM-SCP/SPHR a plus but not required).

• A strong mission orientation and dedication to building equitable, high-performing teams that deliver meaningful impact

• A trusted advisor with experience guiding managers through complex employee relations, performance, and coaching situations

• Skilled in investigations, conflict resolution, and policy application, with sound judgment and discretion when handling sensitive matters

• A natural coach and communicator who can both listen deeply and deliver clear, actionable feedback to managers and employees

• Known for building collaborative, trusting relationships and influencing managers toward stronger performance and accountability

• Strong critical thinking skills: able to quickly identify root causes, craft practical solutions, and follow issues through to resolution

• Organized and detail-oriented, with proven ability to balance multiple cases and coaching engagements simultaneously

• Comfortable working in a matrixed HR environment, partnering effectively with Legal, Talent Enablement, Talent Operations, and DEIB teams

• Experience using Workday or other HRIS systems is preferred

All roles at College Board require:

• A passion for expanding educational and career opportunities and mission-driven work

• Curiosity and enthusiasm for emerging technologies, with a willingness to experiment with and adopt new AI-driven solutions and comfort with learning and applying new digital tools independently and proactively. 

• Clear and concise communication skills, written and verbal

• A learner's mindset and a commitment to growth: welcoming diverse perspectives, giving and receiving timely, respectful feedback, and continuously improving through iterative learning and user input.

• A drive for impact and excellence: solving complex problems, making data-informed decisions, prioritizing what matters most, and continuously improving through learning, user input, and external benchmarking.

• A collaborative and empathetic approach: working across differences, fostering trust, and contributing to a culture of shared success

About Our Process  

• Application review will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. This role is expected to accept applications for a minimum of 5 business days.

• While thehiring process may vary, it generally includes: resume and application submission, recruiter phone/video screen, hiring manager interview, performance exercise such as live coding, a panel interview, a conversation with leadership and reference checks.  

What We Offer

At College Board, we offer more than a paycheck- we provide a meaningful career, a supportive team, and a comprehensive package designed to help you thrive. We’re a self-sustaining nonprofit that believes in fair and competitive compensationgrounded in your qualifications, experience, impact, and the market.

A Thoughtful Approach to Compensation

• The hiring range for this role is $80,000–$130,000.

• Your exact salary will depend on your location, experience, and how your background compares to others in similar roles at the College Board.

• We aim to make our best offer upfront, rooted in fairness, transparency, and market data.

• We adjust salaries by location to ensure fairness, no matter where you live.

You’ll have open, transparent conversations about compensation, benefits, and what it’s like to work at College Board throughout your hiring process. Check out ourcareers page for more.