Job Title: Executive Director of Human Capital and Talent Development

Wage/Hour Status: Exempt

Reports to: Chief of Human Capital and Talent Development

Pay Grade 08: Administrative Education

Dept./School: Human Capital & Talent Development Date Initiated: April 2025

WHO WE ARE:

La Joya Independent School District (LJISD) is committed to the success of every student and staff member. With a century-long tradition of excellence in the Rio Grande Valley, we are proud to serve over 22,000 students across more than 30 campuses. Our mission—Educational Excellence: The Right of Every Student—drives our work every day.

We are grounded in five district priorities:

1. Customer Service 2. Trust & Transparency 3. High-Quality Instruction 4. Excellence in Leadership 5. Integrity & Accountability

We believe that attracting, developing, and retaining high-quality talent is essential to student success.

WHO ARE WE LOOKING FOR:

We seek an Executive Director of Human Capital and Talent Development who is a transformational leader with the vision, systems-thinking, and urgency to elevate La Joya ISD's workforce to new levels of excellence.

The ideal candidate will have a proven track record of:

• Designing and implementing high-impact talent development strategies
• Leading workforce planning at scale
• Fostering leadership pipelines and career pathways
• Building systems of accountability, equity, and innovation

This role demands strategic leadership, outstanding communication, a deep belief in people development, and the ability to execute adaptive change across a large, fast-moving school district

WHY LA JOYA ISD

You will be joining a district that is building on a strong tradition of athletic and academic excellence while rapidly evolving to create innovative systems that elevate student outcomes through athletics. As Executive Director, you will receive strategic, targeted support in your leadership journey and have access to high-quality, research-based professional development and resources. La Joya ISD is deeply committed to continuous improvement, data-driven decision-making, and fostering a culture of growth—for our students, staff, and athletic programs.

Education/ Certification:

• Master’s degree in Human Resources, Educational Leadership, Public Administration, or a related field required
• Mid-Management/Principal Certification preferred
• TTESS Appraiser Certification required

Experience:

• Minimum 7 years of progressively responsible leadership in human capital, education, or organizational development
• Demonstrated success leading human resources/talent management in a complex public sector or education organization
• Proven experience designing leadership development pipelines, employee engagement initiatives, or succession planning systems

Major Responsibilities and Duties:

Strategic Human Capital Leadership

• Lead the district’s strategic human capital framework, ensuring alignment between talent initiatives and academic/operational goals
• Forecast workforce needs annually in collaboration with Academic Services, School Leadership, and Finance to ensure proactive staffing and leadership development
• Drive strategic staffing adjustments to support right-sizing, equity, and sustainability across campuses and departments

Talent Acquisition, Selection, and Retention

• Oversee districtwide recruitment and selection processes, ensuring high-quality hires at all levels
• Design innovative recruitment strategies for critical shortage areas, bilingual teachers, STEM educators, and leadership pipelines
• Lead efforts to build a "best-fit" selection culture where every hiring decision is rooted in candidate quality, district priorities, and community needs
• Implement strategic retention initiatives to increase staff engagement, satisfaction, and long-term retention

Talent Development and Leadership Pipelines

• Develop and oversee comprehensive leadership development programs, including:

Aspiring Assistant Principal Academies

Principal Preparation Pipelines

Teacher Leader Development Tracks

Supervisor and Manager Academies

• Partner with institutions of higher education and professional organizations to expand career pathways for teachers, campus leaders, and operational staff
• Implement competency-based professional development plans aligned to instructional leadership, cultural leadership, operational excellence, and equity
• Lead the implementation of growth and succession planning strategies, preparing internal talent to meet future leadership needs

Performance Management and Evaluation Systems

• Lead district-wide implementation of T TESS, TPESS, and locally developed evaluation systems, ensuring calibration, rigor, and support for employee growth
• Design and oversee targeted improvement plans for struggling employees in collaboration with supervisors and school leaders
• Support a performance management culture focused on continuous improvement, coaching, and high expectations

Compliance, Policy, and Risk Management

• Ensure full compliance with TEA regulations, EEOC requirements, FMLA/ADA laws, Title IX, and local board policies
• Lead or oversee all employee investigations, grievances, and resolution processes with integrity and transparency
• Regularly review and update Human Capital policies to reflect changing laws, district needs, and best practices

Data and Continuous Improvement

• Maintain and monitor a districtwide human capital dashboard tracking key metrics:

Staffing ratiosTurnover rates

Turnover rates

Vacancy rates

Certification compliance

Leadership pipeline health

• Use real-time data to adjust strategies, anticipate challenges, and proactively support campuses and departments
• Drive a culture of innovation by piloting new programs, technologies, and approaches to human capital management

Budget and Resource Management

• Oversee Human Capital department budgets, contracts, and vendor relationships, ensuring fiscal responsibility and alignment to strategic goals
• Support compensation plan development, salary structure analysis, and financial modeling to ensure competitiveness and sustainability

Community Engagement and Employee Relations

• Champion La Joya ISD as an employer of choice across the Rio Grande Valley and the state of Texas
• Lead employee engagement initiatives such as recognition programs, employee satisfaction surveys, and climate committees
• Build and sustain relationships with employee organizations, booster clubs, community leaders, and university partners to support a strong educator pipeline

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• Directly supervise and evaluate Human Capital directors, coordinators, and specialists
• Lead the development of a high-performing Human Capital & Talent Development team, modeling customer service, operational excellence, and collaboration
• Set clear expectations, conduct regular check-ins, provide coaching, and foster leadership development among department personnel

Working Environment:

• Office setting with frequent campus visits, employee meetings, and community engagements
• Extended work hours, evening, and weekend responsibilities during peak hiring and board cycles
• Frequent use of computers and digital systems; moderate travel across the district and occasional statewide professional conferences

Physical and Mental Demands:

• Maintain emotional control under pressure
• Ability to manage a high-volume, high-stakes workload with frequent interruptions and shifting priorities
• Ability to handle sensitive information with discretion and professionalism