Job Description:

PENDERGAST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DISTRICT

Job Title: Chief Talent Officer

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EXEMPT: Yes                                                            JOB CODE:

SALARY LEVEL: Administrative/Cabinet                   DEPARTMENT: Human Resources   

LOCATION: District Office                                        TERM OF EMPLOYMENT: 12 Month

REPORTS TO: Superintendent                                        DATE APPROVED:  1/13/2026

POSITION LEVEL: Cabinet                                     

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SUMMARY:

The Chief Talent Officer (CTO) serves as the district’s senior executive responsible for comprehensive human resources administration, talent strategy, and the design of a high-quality employee experience. Working collaboratively with the Superintendent and district leadership, the CTO ensures talent systems are aligned to instructional priorities, operational needs, and community goals.

The CTO leads a coherent, future-focused talent system that attracts, develops, supports, and retains a high-quality workforce aligned to district goals, organizational effectiveness, and student success. In alignment with the district’s strategic plan and social enterprise operating model, the CTO ensures that human capital systems—including recruitment, staffing, onboarding, professional growth, performance support, leadership development, and employee relations—operate cohesively and responsively across the district. The successful CTO will provide leadership to ensure that our Human Resources office is moving towards the highest level of HR maturity.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS: 

●        Minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible leadership experience, including experience in Human Resources

●        Demonstrated experience supervising staff and managing complex personnel systems.

●        Advanced knowledge of Arizona employment law and certification requirements as they pertain to Arizona K–12 education.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

●        Senior-level leadership experience in a K–12 public school district or large public organization, including multiple years in school district human resources or personnel administration.

●        Experience supporting innovative instructional or workforce-aligned organizational models.

●        Experience leading talent systems in a highly regulated employment environment.

●        Demonstrated commitment to organizational culture development and employee engagement.

●        Experience using talent analytics, leadership assessments, or workforce planning tools (e.g., Predictive Index or similar).

●        Advanced degree in Human Resources, Organizational Development, Educational Leadership, or a closely related field.

●        Arizona Superintendent or Administrative Certification (or demonstrated eligibility).

●        Professional HR certification (e.g., SHRM-SCP, SPHR).

Such alternatives to the above required & preferred qualifications as the Superintendent/Designee may find appropriate and acceptable.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Ensuring a world class employee experience is critical to achieve strategic plan goals, strengthen candidate pipelines, and retain a high-quality workforce. The successful CTO will design, implement, and oversee recruitment, hiring, placement, and retention systems to ensure that Pendergast attracts, develops, and retains a high-quality workforce.
2. Lead our Talent enterprise aligned to district core values and create a workplace that attracts and supports all.
3. Develop and implement a plan to lead the talent division toward continuous improvement anchored by organization goals and framed using the Human Resources Maturity Model or other similar model as our aspiration for the Talent enterprise.
4. Partner with executive leadership and partners to create and administer a coherent talent learning system for all employees aligned to evolving teaching and learning practices, workforce-aligned learning, and organizational goals.
5. Embrace and continue to foster positive relationships with all district employees and collaborative groups, such as PFSE, certified and classified councils, PEER, etc.
6. Oversee and create partnerships with talent pipelines, including colleges and universities, training programs, and other training entities that may produce the next generation of Pendergast talent.
7. Ensure compliance with Arizona employment law, certification requirements, and applicable federal and state regulations.
8. Lead the benefits and employee wellness programs as well as a successful collaborative process for employer/employee relations and maintain the District’s culture of utilizing the Interest-Based Approach.
9. Anticipate and plan for staffing needs across certified, classified, administrative, and operational roles in response to evolving instructional practices and organizational priorities, ensuring appropriate staffing distribution across schools, networks, departments, and programs.
10. Direct the maintenance of comprehensive personnel records and other files related to classified and certificated personnel; complete state and federal forms; process a variety of documents including grievances, formal complaints, FOIA requests, conference attendance, mediations,etc. according to established procedures.
11. Conduct investigations of sexual harassment complaints and other employee complaints.
12. Oversee substitute and staffing operations to ensure instructional continuity and operational stability.
13. Develop and oversee employee evaluation, performance support, growth, and celebration systems for all district talent. Promote a culture of continuous improvement through feedback, coaching, and targeted development.
14. Design and lead leadership talent development and succession planning efforts to ensure leadership continuity and long-term organizational stability.
15. Ensure that a culture of talent celebration is visibly present across the system.
16. Engage in professional learning to ensure up to date knowledge of laws, regulations, and requirements related to classified and certificated personnel.
17. Research school employment resources and information (i.e. state statutes, legal decisions, district practices), for the purpose of analyzing potential implications, making recommendations and/or addressing a variety of other administrative needs.
18. Attend Board meetings and prepare Board agenda items, present reports and provide technical counsel to the Board as requested by the Superintendent; review and present Board items affecting personnel services; update the Board in closed sessions regarding employees and other personnel matters as needed.
19. Serve as a member of the Superintendent’s Cabinet, contributing to enterprise-level strategy and decision-making.
20. Collaborate with other Chief Officers to ensure integrated, school-centered service delivery.
21. Provide regular updates to the Superintendent and Governing Board on talent metrics, workforce trends, risks, and progress toward strategic goals.
22. Perform such other duties and assume such other responsibilities as may be assigned by the Superintendent/ Designee.

EVALUATION: At least once annually in accordance with Governing Board Policy.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

●        Strong systems-thinking and strategic planning skills

●        Knowledge of Arizona employment law, certification, benefits, and compliance requirements

●        Ability to lead change and build consensus across diverse stakeholder groups

●        Strong communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills

●        Data-informed decision-making and continuous improvement mindset

REASONING ABILITY:  

Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw conclusions; ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several concrete variables.

LANGUAGE SKILLS: 

Ability to read, analyze, and interpret education materials and programs; ability to write reports, procedure manuals, and correspondence; ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of teachers, students, administration, and the community.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS:  

Ability to work with mathematical data such as probability and statistical inference; ability to apply concepts such as fractions, percentages, ratios, and proportions to practical situations.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: 

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to talk and hear.  The employee frequently is required to stand, walk, sit, and use hands to handle, or feel objects, or controls; and reach with hands and arms.  The employee is occasionally required to climb or balance and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.  The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.  Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:  

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of the job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.  The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

SUPERVISION: Talent Division Employees

http://www.pesd92.org