Latonya M Edwards

As Director of Human Resources at Collegiate School, I provide strategic leadership for all aspects of HR, including talent management, employee relations, compliance, and organizational development. I partner with senior leadership to ensure our people practices align with the School’s mission while fostering a supportive, equitable, and high-performing workplace. In this role, I oversee recruitment and onboarding, performance management, compensation, and benefits, while ensuring compliance with NYC labor laws and independent school requirements. I also lead initiatives to streamline HR systems, strengthen employee engagement, and build professional growth opportunities for faculty and staff. Currently, I am focused on enhancing onboarding processes, reviewing and updating employee handbooks and leave policies, and collaborating with colleagues in Finance and Operations to create clear, efficient systems. My goal is to cultivate an environment where faculty and staff can thrive, enabling the Collegiate community to deliver excellence in education.

Partner with Executive Leadership to build out the strategy, infrastructure, and systems to accommodate recent and anticipated expansion. This includes providing the guidance and resources needed for us to achieve impact at the highest level internally and externally; identifying and implementing best practices related to staff recruitment, hiring, development, and retention; creating the climate and structure needed to ensure communication, integration, and alignment across the organization; and ensuring that robust finance, technology, and human resources systems and practices are in place to support us as we move forward. A part of the senior management team that drives the overall strategy for the organization and represents AAFSC on a local, regional, and national basis. Develop and hold deep knowledge of the agency’s finances, human resources, and overall operations. Work directly with the Executive Leadership to ensure alignment between all programs and services in light of the strategic vision of the organization. Strategic and day-to-day partnership across the organization to ensure strong operations management, and organizational agility, impact, and scale. A thoughtful leader who brings deep demonstrable experience and skills in nonprofit operations, growth, and risk management; financial forecasting and oversight; infrastructure and systems development and integration; Human Resources; IT integration; and personnel management. They will be a roll-up-your-sleeves kind of person who values the importance of both micro and macro level thinking. Organized, have high attention to detail and will have the capacity to thrive under pressure while working on multiple projects. A commitment to immigrant, refugee and low-income communities is essential for success in this role.

Ensure school functions such as student school operations, transportation, procurement, maintenance, student information systems, compliance and reporting, are performed with excellence, so that student learning can flourish everywhere. Responsible for Financial, Operational and Human Resources functions.

Collaborate cross-functionally with school staff and teachers to ensure the strategic vision and financial health of the school are met from a human resources perspective. Manage day-to-day financial operations, including managing and ensuring the accuracy of the accounting records, adhering to internal controls, ensuring financial objectives are satisfied, and preparing policies and financial statements. Conduct presentations to the Board regarding the budget and work closely with the Director to prepare annual operating budget and report on quarterly performance. Administer all HR benefit programs including pension, retirement plan, health and dental plans, disability insurance and worker’s compensation. Oversee annual audit by independent certified public accountant. Maintain appropriate levels of insurance to protect the property and to cover the liability of the school including Directors and Officers insurance, property, liability, and student accident policies. Manage and submit payroll; maintaining all records of employee attendance; Manage all school banking activities; track expenditures and monitor cash flow; work with Board to plan for long-term investments in school facilities and programs. Manage all accounts payable and receivable; review and pay all bills on a timely basis; prepare and manage bank deposits; maintain accurate records of tuition payments and donations in QuickBooks Online; process credit card payments.Assist in the selection of qualified companies and contractors, obtains competitive bids, and oversees work on-site as required. Oversee all aspects of the financial aid program including liaise with applicants, evaluate completeness and accuracy of applications, and discuss/make award decisions with Director, Assistant Director and Financial Aid committee. Order all necessary School and Student Services (SSS) information and forms for prospective parents.

Ensured financial compliance with the organization’s policies. Reviewed and analyzed all reimbursements for staff and consultants for payment processing. Reviewed and analyzed coding of invoices to ensure general ledger balances for each monthly coding. Ran 1099 reports at year end. Applied accounting principles and methods to maintain records and analysis of data. Provided on-going customer service and relationships with vendors and employees. Processed payroll for 400+ employees including union employees. Reviewed and analyzed contracts to ensure accuracy of salaries. Reviewed and analyzed all deductions, garnishments and contributions for accurate processing of payroll. Processed Year End Fringe adjustments.

Ensured strategic processing of payroll for three restaurant entities 400+ employees, which includes tip pool percentages, multiple job codes with varying rates, calculated meal allowances and premium blended hour payments in compliance with the DOL (Dept. of Labor). Investigated employee payroll inquiries. Maintained employee files/ records. Processed garnishments and deductions. Streamlined payroll procedures. Conducted daily reconciliation of cash accounts from all four entities and bank deposits. Served as the direct liaison for the 4 major credit card companies Amex, Visa, MC and Discover for chargeback reconciliation. Regularly liaised with Merchant Accounts for billing reconciliation. Posted Journal Entries. Reconciled Petty Cash accounts for four restaurants.

Managed the expense accounts for three procurement purveyors. Cut checks for payments to vendors. Reconciled purchase orders and transfers for month end inventory close for three warehouses. Made necessary adjustments to ensure inventories were correct. Reconciled vendor statement and made daily calls for collections on accounts 30 days and over. Billed all catering invoices. Managed all budgeting.