Director of Client Services

Job Description
This is a remote position.

Who We Are

Ascend People is a Black-led, woman-owned consulting firm dedicated to transforming nonprofit HR operations through expert, values-driven consulting and coaching. We specialize in strategic HR planning, compensation optimization, outsourced recruitment, and people-centered leadership development. Our approach embeds equity, inclusion, and justice into every aspect of HR to help nonprofit organizations thrive.

As a mission-driven firm, we partner with nonprofit organizations to eliminate HR challenges, ensuring compliance, staff retention, and sustainable people practices. Our work enables nonprofit leaders to focus on their core missions with confidence and peace of mind.

How to Apply

Interested candidates should submit a resume and brief cover letter (250 words or less) that addresses the following:

[Required] Why do you want to work for Ascend People? What aspects of this opportunity most resonate with you?

[Required] Tell us about your relevant experience in HR consulting, client services leadership, team management, and working with nonprofits in an HR capacity.

[Optional] Share something unique or interesting about your candidacy for this role.

Submissions without a cover letter or with a cover letter that does not address the required elements will not be given consideration.

We are accepting applications until Friday, March 14,2025, with priority given to early applicants.

We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive team and strongly encourage people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, and candidates with other diverse identities to apply.

The Opportunity

Ascend People is seeking a part-time Director of Client Services to oversee all client services and consulting delivery, ensuring excellence, impact, and profitability across our engagements. This role is ideal for a seasoned HR consultant with nonprofit experience who thrives in a leadership role, managing teams and overseeing consulting engagements while maintaining a direct client portfolio.

This person will serve as a senior leader in the firm, overseeing consulting staff and contractors, ensuring successful service delivery, and making strategic staffing decisions for projects. While the CEO & Founder focuses on vision, strategy, marketing, business development, and financial management, this role will manage day-to-day operations of client service delivery.

Key Responsibilities

Client Services Leadership & Delivery (50%)

• Serve as the senior lead overseeing the successful execution of Ascend People’s client engagements across all service lines.
• Manage a personal portfolio of consulting engagements, delivering high-quality strategic HR consulting services to nonprofit clients.
• Ensure quality assurance in all client deliverables, embedding a people-centered, equity-focused approach into every engagement.
• Develop and refine consulting methodologies and frameworks to enhance the effectiveness of our HR solutions.

Consultant Management & Project Staffing (30%)

• Lead, manage, and support our team of staff consultants and contractor consultants to ensure high-quality client service delivery.
• Oversee staffing allocations for consulting projects, making strategic decisions about who is best suited for each engagement based on expertise, availability, and client needs.
• Provide coaching, training, and performance oversight for consultants, ensuring consistency, effectiveness, and alignment with our firm’s values.
• Establish clear workflows, expectations, and accountability structures for consultants, ensuring project completion and client satisfaction.

Operational Excellence & Financial Oversight (10%)

• Monitor project budgets, consultant hours, and engagement profitability, ensuring sustainable financial performance.
• Contribute to the refinement of service delivery processes, identifying efficiencies and improvements to enhance impact and profitability.
• Work closely with the CEO on strategic decisions related to pricing, contracting, and service expansion.

Firm-Wide Growth & Business Development Support (10%)

• Provide input on firm growth strategy, helping refine service offerings based on emerging client needs.
• Identify opportunities for Ascend People to deepen relationships with existing clients, expanding engagements when appropriate.
• Collaborate with the CEO on thought leadership and positioning of Ascend People as a leader in nonprofit HR consulting.

Requirements
To thrive in this role, you are:

• An Experienced Nonprofit HR Leader: You have 8+ years of HR experience, including leadership roles in nonprofit or mission-driven organizations, either as an in-house HR executive or consultant. You understand the unique HR challenges nonprofits face and how to address them effectively. Preference for individuals with experience conducting compensation analyses and designing pay structures, either personally or in managing outside expertise.
• A Skilled Consultant & Client Manager: You have consulting experience and can independently lead nonprofit client engagements in areas such as HR strategy, recruitment, compensation, coaching and performance management. You have a proven ability to deliver high-quality work to clients and manage client relationships effectively.
• A Strong People Manager: You have team leadership experience, having supervised, coached, and supported staff and contractors. You understand how to manage a remote team of consultants, ensuring accountability and quality service delivery.
• An Operationally-Minded Leader: You are adept at structuring processes, making staffing decisions, and overseeing service delivery to ensure efficiency, effectiveness, and profitability.
• A Strategic Thinker with a Hands-On Approach: You can both oversee the big picture of client service operations while rolling up your sleeves to directly support clients, coach consultants, and make informed staffing decisions.
• Committed to Equity & Inclusion: You bring a deep understanding of diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (DEIJ) principles and are committed to embedding these values into HR practices and consulting engagements.
• A Confident Communicator & Relationship-Builder: You have exceptional communication, facilitation, and relationship management skills, allowing you to build trust with clients, consultants, and leadership.

Benefits
This is a flexible, remote role based in the continental United States, with minimal travel (less than twice per year).

Compensation and Benefits:

• Competitive base pay of $60-$75 per hour (full-time equivalent of $124.8k-$156k), based on experience and expertise, with a new hire rarely starting at the top end of the range.
• Flexible, part-time hours of up to 30 hours per week.  Weekly hours are dependent on client and internal demands and can be as little as 0-10 hours some weeks.
• Year-end discretionary bonus
• Health reimbursement account contribution and 401(k) with employer match.

Why Join Ascend People?

• Impactful Work: Play a key leadership role in a growing firm committed to transforming nonprofit HR practices and centering equity.
• Strategic Leadership: Directly influence the success and growth of Ascend People, shaping the consulting team and client service operations.
• Flexible & Remote: Work remotely with a flexible schedule while leading high-impact nonprofit HR initiatives.
• Mission-Driven & Values-Aligned: Work with a firm deeply rooted in equity and nonprofit excellence