Chief Human Resources Officer

[C22-045]

Chief Human Resources Officer

Human Resources Department

Central Connecticut State University (CCSU) seeks a dynamic, distinguished executive to serve as its next Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) to guide the university through transformation and change. This is a unique opportunity for a visionary leader to join a vibrant, learning-centered community dedicated to teaching and scholarship, while also deeply committed to fostering a culture of inclusion.

The CHRO is the principal steward of the human capital of the university, providing institutional leadership and service to sustain CCSU as an employer of choice and to help enable the achievement of the institution's academic and service missions. Reporting to President Zulma R. Toro, the first woman and the first Hispanic to hold the position, the CHRO will serve as a key officer for the institution and member of the president's executive committee.

With a recent university strategic plan and President Toro's deep commitment to enhancing the climate, safety and culture of CCSU, the CHRO will be charged with driving comprehensive transformational change within the human resources (HR) function to support the university. This includes expanding the HR team's strategic competencies and focus, ensuring delivery of high-level proactive support; overseeing sophisticated business processes, policies and practices; fostering a culture of professional development; and nurturing an inclusive campus climate.

Essential Duties:

This individual will be responsible for directing and supervising the Human Resources Department and all aspects of University human resources management, including:

  • Participating in labor contract negotiations and developing bargaining strategy; interpreting and implementing collective bargaining agreements, laws and regulations affecting personnel and labor relations and their application to daily workplace situations;
  • Processing grievances and advising managers and supervisors on labor relations and personnel management;
  • Planning, developing, and recommending human resources policies, procedures, and objectives;
  • Managing personnel records and reporting through a human resources information system (HRIS);
  • Managing employment processing for all University employees including benefits administration, classification, and compensation;
  • Developing training and staff development opportunities for all employees;
  • Performing job analysis, classification and compensation;
  • Conducting policy analysis and human resources studies; and
  • Working on special projects assigned by the President.

Required Qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s degree;
  • Seven years’ progressively responsible experience in human resources with complex personnel systems including five years of supervisory experience;
  • Experience in handling labor and employee relations issues involving multiple collective bargaining units;
  • Knowledge of labor and employment law;
  • Experience in responding to claims from Federal and State agencies and interfacing with legal counsel;
  • Experience in a broad range of policy setting and leadership roles;
  • Demonstrated interpersonal skills;
  • Demonstrated written, oral, and presentation skills; and,
  • Experience creating and maintaining a workplace that supports and respects diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Advanced degree in Human Resources, Personnel Management, Public Administration, Business Administration, Organizational Management, Law, or in a related field
  • Experience in payroll administration
  • Experience implementing professional development opportunities to enhance organizational success 
  • Human Resources experience in Connecticut State Government
  • Human Resources experience in public higher education.

The University: CCSU is a public university in New Britain, Connecticut. Founded in 1849 as the State Normal School, CCSU is Connecticut's first publicly funded university and our deep commitment to quality, affordable, and accessible education has transformed us into the public comprehensive university we are today. CCSU is made up of the Carol A. Ammon College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, School of Business, School of Education and Professional Studies, and School of Engineering, Science, and Technology. The university is attended by nearly 10,000 students, 80% undergraduate and 20% graduate students. More than half the students live off campus and 96% are residents of Connecticut.

CCSU is one of four universities in the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities System (CSCU). It employs approximately 400 full-time faculty, 500 part-time faculty, and 400 other staff, and is home to seven collective bargaining units. For more information about Central Connecticut State University, please visit www.ccsu.edu

 

The Community:

Located nine miles southwest of Hartford, New Britain is a city of approximately 72,000. Part of the Greater Hartford area of 1.2 million residents, New Britain is centrally located in the state and is within easy reach of much of Connecticut and several metropolitan areas. Nicknamed “the Hardware City” for its rich industrial heritage, it is home to Stanley Black & Decker. Important cultural institutions include the New Britain Museum of American Art and Walnut Hill Park, designed by Fredrick Law Olmstead. New Britain’s population is characterized by a high degree of racial and ethnic diversity. Currently, the U.S. Census Bureau estimates 70% of the population as White, 13% as Black or African American, 3% as Asian, and 0.2% as American Indian or Alaska Native. Currently 4.6% of New Britain’s population identify themselves in more than one racial category and 43% of New Britain’s population identify themselves as Hispanic or Latino. Fifty percent (50%) speak a language other than English in the home and 19% were born internationally. Significant portions of its population come from Puerto Rico and Poland or consider themselves to be from the African-American, Italian, or Irish ethnic backgrounds. In addition to all that greater Hartford provides, New Britain is 40 minutes from Springfield, Massachusetts, two hours from Boston, and two hours from New York City. It is also part of the Hartford-Springfield “Knowledge Corridor” and, therefore, within easy driving distance of a host of private and public institutions of higher education and many cultural opportunities.

Application and Appointment: Review of applications will continue until the position is filled. For fullest consideration, applicant materials should be received as soon as possible and no later than October 4, 2022.

To begin the application process please visit the CCSU HR Job Opportunities at https://www.ccsu.edu/hr/faculty-management-admin.html. Select job [C22-045] Chief Human Resources Officer and click on the Apply button and submit the following documents:

  • Letter of Interest addressing the responsibilities and requirements described in the leadership profile.
  • Current resume
  • Names of three current professional references with title, email addresses and telephone numbers

Compensation and Benefits

The Chief Human Resources Officer is compensated at the Executive 1 salary level in accordance with the CSCU Human Resources Policies for Management and Confidential Professional Personnel. Salary ranges from $128,862 to $193,294. Inquiries, nominations, and applications are invited.

Incumbent salary is commensurate with education and experience as administered in the above noted policy. For additional information regarding compensation procedures, please select the above link.

The State of Connecticut and CCSU are proud to offer its employees competitive wages and a wide range of fringe benefits including voluntary and supplemental benefits.

Fringe benefits include personal, vacation and sick leave, paid holidays, medical, dental, and prescription plans, group life insurance, a choice of retirement plans, retirement health care, tuition waiver for employee and eligible dependents at any of the Connecticut State Universities (CCSU, Eastern, Southern or Western), as well as an array of voluntary and supplemental benefits, such as Deferred Retirement Compensation plans, Dependent Care Assistance and Medical Flexible spending accounts, long term and short term disability plans.

For more detailed information, please visit CCSU Human Resources

Incomplete applications will not be considered. E-mailed or mailed applications will not be accepted.

Please redact any personally identifiable information (i.e., Social Security number, date of birth, marital status, country of origin) from any documents submitted. Please ensure your Social Security Number is not listed on any documents submitted.

For more information, contact Dr. Robert S. Wolff, Search Committee Chair and Dean, Ammon College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, at wolffr@ccsu.edu

As an affirmative action employer, Central Connecticut State University actively seeks and encourages applications from women, minorities, persons with disabilities, and individuals with protected veteran status. The University provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request.