BACKGROUND
The Organization
At Commonpoint, community is at the heart of everything they do. With more than 95 program sites and flagship locations in Little Neck, Bayside, Forest Hills, East Elmhurst, and Jamaica, Commonpoint proudly serves over 125,000 individuals each year. From early childhood to older adulthood, the organization supports people from all walks of life on their journeys from crisis to stability and empowerment. Commonpoint’s wide range of programs, spanning social services, education, and recreation, reflects the mission to build a more connected, inclusive, and thriving community for all.
For more information about Commonpoint, go to https://www.commonpoint.org/.
The Position
Commonpoint’s VP of Human Resources will serve as the architect and driver of Commonpoint’s people strategy to recruit, train, and develop the organization’s talent. Reporting to the COO, the VP will serve as a champion of growth and change and work closely with executive leadership to build a culture that values excellence, equity, collaboration, and commitment to mission and impact.
The VP will be building, leading, and hold accountable a high-performing HR team to ensure that all aspects of Commonpoint’s HR operations are responsive, efficient, and effective, with a strong customer service orientation. They will lead the design and implementation of best-in-class recruitment and retention strategies, promote employee engagement, and foster an inclusive and growth-oriented work environment.
ROLE OVERVIEW
Strategy and Leadership
· Evaluate, redesign, and continuously improve Commonpoint’s HR structure, systems, and policies to create a scalable, data-informed people infrastructure to ensure alignment with organizational mission and goals, building a scalable HR infrastructure that meets current and evolving needs.
· Serve as a trusted thought partner and advisor to the executive leadership team, providing strategic counsel on complex and high-impact people decisions, organizational design, systems implementation, and change management.
· Champion Commonpoint’s core values, organizational vision, and cultural expectations throughout the organization.
· Leverage quantitative and qualitative data to inform decision-making (including policies, operating procedures, etc.)
· Develop leadership succession planning and talent pipeline strategies that align with Commonpoint’s growth and expansion.
Administration
· Lead all employee and labor relations, including union partnerships, grievance processes, and conflict resolution.
· Leverage feedback mechanisms and data to track and measure employee satisfaction, performance, and other key metrics to support continuous improvement for HR systems.
Talent Recruitment and Retention
· Build a robust recruitment infrastructure to support hiring across the organization, attract exceptional and diverse talent, and establish Commonpoint as a best-in-class employer.
· Design and implement standardized onboarding and training to support employee success.
· Design and implement performance management systems that set clear expectations, strengthen accountability, recognize excellence, and support meaningful professional growth across all levels of the organization.
· Establish a competitive compensation and benefits program that attracts and retains top talent.
Employee Engagement and Culture
· Foster a positive and inclusive work environment that promotes open communication, collaboration, and respect.
· Work with the executive team to strengthen internal communication and transparency, establishing clear communication channels across the organization.
· Implement strategies to enhance employee engagement and establish formal channels to gather input, address issues effectively, and ensure that employees feel supported and valued.
Revenue (2025)
Geographic Reach
Reports and Total Staff
$90M
Commonpoint extends across 95 sites throughout the greater Queens, Manhattan, and Bronx, including Sam Field Center and Central Queens locations—the two anchors of the organization where many programs are based.
3- 5 Direct Reports
450 FT
3000 PT
THE IDEAL CANDIDATE
The ideal candidate for the VP of HR position possesses the following competencies:
Additional Qualifications
· Experience building HR infrastructure to match organizational growth and expansion and the ability to manage a budget to support the growth.
· Deep experience in talent acquisition (full time and part time employees), performance development, benefits, NYC compliance requirements, and employee engagement.
· Demonstrated ability to translate strategic vision into operational systems, emphasizing implementation and execution.
· Proven knowledge in shepherding change management in fast-paced or evolving organizations.
· Proven experience fostering a positive workplace culture and strong employee engagement.
· Demonstrated ability to build trust with and act as an advocate for employees at all levels, including union contracts and labor relations.
· Skilled at unifying diverse teams, mediating conflict, and delivering hard messages with empathy and clarity.
· Experience managing a distributed or multi-site workforce and large part-time workforce preferred.
· Knowledge of Workday and ADP HR systems preferred.
WHO WE ARE
Work Environment
This position is on site five days a week with limited weekend and evening flexibility as needed.
COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS
Salary: $175,000-$200,000
Commonpoint offers competitive base salaries benchmarked against comparable nonprofit organizations in the New York metropolitan area. Salaries are determined based on internal and external equity, as well as each position’s scope, qualifications, and organizational impact. Commonpoint believes in compensating staff fairly and consistently, ensuring that all salary decisions align with their mission-driven commitment to equity and transparency.
To maintain fairness across the organization, salary offers are set according to established salary bands and are not subject to negotiation. New hires typically start near the beginning of the salary range to allow for growth based on performance, professional development, and tenure.
Benefits
· Commonpoint’s total rewards package reflects Commonpoint’s dedication to employee well-being, growth, and recognition. Current benefits include:
· Tiered health, dental, and vision insurance options.
· Pension plan and 403(b) retirement savings opportunities.
· Generous paid time off and family-supportive policies.
· Professional development and education support to foster career growth.
· Recognition and appreciation programs for exemplary performance.
· Employee discounts on programs and services.
· Access to free amenities, including private seasonal pool clubs and fitness facilities at select locations.
· Long-service severance upon retirement
TIMELINE AND NEXT STEPS
If you are interested in this position, please click here. All applicants will receive an email confirming receipt of their application.
Sarah Raful Whinston
Partner
Sterling Nelson
Talent Consultant