Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO)
Job Description
Full job description
The next Chief Human Resources Officer at Rhode Island College will join during an exciting time at the College and will have the chance to provide transformational leadership for the Department and the wider campus. The College is experiencing new energy and momentum, fueled by a dynamic new President, a fresh leadership team, and a bold new strategic plan. Reporting to the General Counsel/Assistant VP for Human Resources, the CHRO will lead a restructuring of the office and its operations that will result in improved, modern, and evidence-based practices.
The CHRO will wear several hats. The person in this role will attract, develop, engage, and retain top talent. The CHRO sets the tone for the employee experience, advises the senior leadership team, and leverages the human capital that supports organizational advancement. The CHRO also plays an integral role in driving the organization’s commitment to strengthening its position as a diverse, equitable, and inclusive organization. The CHRO promotes a culture of inclusion, teamwork and cohesion, accountability, and high performance within the human resources organization.
Primary Purpose
Reporting to the General Counsel/Assistant VP for Human Resources, the CHRO has overall management responsibility in a unionized setting for all HR functions, activities, policies, programs, procedures, and initiatives. The CHRO is responsible for developing and maintaining centralized, comprehensive HR programs and services, including benefits, recruitment, retention, employment, position/classification, wage and salary administration, information and records management of RIC and State ERP data systems (HRIS), training and development, and employee and labor relations for faculty, staff, and management. Duties also include the supervision of a professional staff serving approximately 800 employees in the classified civil service (support staff) and the non-classified service (faculty, administrative and executive staff), as well as 1000+ annual part-time employees (adjunct and monthly employees). Serves as the ADA Coordinator for employee reasonable accommodations only.
Essential Duties
GENERAL HUMAN RESOURCES FUNCTIONS & STAFF:
- Develops an overall human resources strategy for Rhode Island College that advances the organization’s strategic plan.
- Provides operational and strategic leadership for HR and performs strategic workforce planning including the provision of leadership for HR guiding coalitions. Serves as the principal campus representative with campus bargaining units.
- Collaborates with General Counsel/AVP HR to establish priorities for the Office of HR, and to guide, direct and supervise subordinate HR directors and managers. Conducts regular performance reviews of HR staff.
- Provides leadership to the human resources team in talent acquisition, human resources operations, employee and labor relations, employee engagement and retention, and talent and organizational development efforts.
- Prepares and monitors the HR budget.
- Collaborates with General Counsel/AVP HR in providing leadership on HR coalitions, oversight, advice and guidance on HR matters to college managers and administrators regarding job description development, filling vacant positions, performance evaluations, and employee coaching and mentoring in compliance with applicable Office of Postsecondary Education policies, CBA’s, civil service law and state and federal regulations, Affirmative Action Plan.
- Responsible for determining effectiveness and overseeing maintenance of HR systems, including PeopleSoft HRIS and PeopleAdmin Position Management and Applicant Tracking system, as well as data integrity and personnel files. Oversees maintenance of employee personnel files in compliance with federal and state laws regarding document retention and security.
- Responsible for periodic auditing of HR practices, procedures and programs for effectiveness and State and Federal compliance.
- Maintains updates of changes in legislation, procedures, research, etc. that could impact the college’s HR program. Collaborates with other HR executives and legal counsel under the aegis of the Office of Postsecondary Education on HR matters of mutual interest, e.g. policy development, pension plan administration, contract negotiations, grievance responses, etc.
- Ensures compliance with all federal, state, and local employment laws and regulatory standards of the Department of Labor, Affirmative Action, OSHA, and others.
- Develops goals for the human resources function and directs their execution, ensuring that team members have the necessary resources to meet them; reviews HR performance in relation to established goals to ensure continual improvement in HR service delivery.
- Serves as the College’s ADA Coordinator overseeing and authorizing reasonable accommodations for employees only, including student employees. Represents the College at meetings, workshops, presentations, conferences, and hearings as required.
LABOR & EMPLOYEE RELATIONS:
- Serves as the principal campus representative with the bargaining units. Assists with negotiating collective bargaining agreements. Administers and interprets collective bargaining agreements and provides advice, assistance, and guidance in these matters to college managers and administrators. Promotes positive relations between union and management.
- Oversees union grievance procedures. Serves as hearing official for union grievances within the institution Defends and/or assists in defending the college’s grievance decisions as the grievance process progresses externally.
- Addresses unresolved personnel issues that have escalated to HR from other areas. Coordinates with the legal counsel in matters related to complaints before the Civil/Human Rights Commission, Labor Board, Personnel Appeals Board, courts, arbitrations and mediations, and other forums.
- Reviews union disputes or disciplinary cases and imposes appropriate disciplinary actions, up to and including discharge; may review and resolve level-one grievances.
- Oversees coordination of the college’s classified employee recognition program and other employee relations programs including the development of programs and initiatives to improve employee engagement and morale.
- Responsible for immigration employment issues, legal filings, and responses.
EMPLOYEE BENEFITS & COMPENSATION:
- Oversees administration and periodic reviews of employee benefits, communications and compliance with Office of Postsecondary Education policy, and strategic plan documents, as well as applicable federal, state, ERISA, DOL and IRS regulations, including the Employee Tuition Waiver program, workers compensation claims and filings, FMLA, and RIPFMLA.
- Oversees and ensures the equitable administration of wages and salaries as it relates to all classifications in compliance with CBA’s, the Office of Postsecondary Education, RI State Civil Service law, and RI Personnel Policies and FLSA.
TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT:
- Provides staff development and educational opportunities for HR staff to assure currency of knowledge in their areas of responsibility.
- Oversee, develop, and assesses needs and effectiveness of employee on-boarding programs, employee, and supervisor training, including Prevention of Sexual and Illegal Harassment Education.
- Serves on College committees and advises in ex-officio status as requested.
The College requires that all applicants and employees be able to perform the essential functions of the job and will explore reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities.
N/A
Required Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities
- Strong and effective senior level leadership and management acumen, including proven ability to engage and develop staff, foster teamwork, diversity and inclusion, innovation, risk taking, continuous learning, and a respectful workplace.
- Thorough knowledge and technical expertise utilizing effective HR policies and business practices to enhance a comprehensive HR program in higher education.
- Demonstrated expertise in managing labor relations matters and interpreting collective bargaining contract language.
- Demonstrated ability to serve as an advisor to management in all areas of HR related functions and issues.
- Demonstrated commitment to equity and anti-racism.
- A high degree of personal integrity, ethics, and emotional intelligence.
- Demonstrated ability to build relationships and develop management skills gained in complex, matrix, and collaborative environments.
- Ability to influence across lines of authority and quickly develop respect and credibility.
- Ability to show sound reasoning, judgment, objectivity, and ability to deal with ambiguity.
- Results and metrics orientation; attentive to details.
- Ability to show outstanding writing, speaking, and presentation skills.
- Superior judgement, conflict resolution, negotiating, and creative thinking skills to solve complicated people and organizational issues.
- Demonstrated ability to manage projects and facilitate such projects in an environment with multiple and competing priorities and deadlines.
- Strong problem-solving and solution-finding orientation.
- Strong crisis management and deft communication skills to handle a wide range of people and institutional issues.
Education: Master’s Degree in HR, business, higher education or related field with 8 years of progressively responsible HR administrative experience OR Bachelor’s Degree in HR management, business, higher education administration, or related field with 12 years of progressively responsible HR administrative experience.
Experience: Years of experience must have been in a progressively responsible HR administrative role managing in a collective bargaining environment. Experience must also include at least three years as a supervisor of professional HR staff.
Preferred Qualifications
- Master’s Degree in Human Resources Management, Education, Business Administration, Public Administration, or related discipline.
- Ten years of progressively responsible HR administrative experience managing in a collective bargaining environment in a college/university or similar setting.
- Experience managing HR functions in a state system setting.
- Demonstrated competencies in contemporary approaches to managing HR issues.
- Professional certification in the HR field.
- Bilingualism
The employee is not exposed to known adverse environmental conditions.
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