Director of Human Resources/Chief Human Resources Officer

The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse seeks a visionary and broadly skilled Human Resources executive with substantial leadership experience for the position of Director of Human Resources. The Director serves as the Chief Human Resources Officer of the university and has overall responsibility for the vision, strategy and implementation of all human resources services, policies and initiatives with an eye to UWL’s mission, values and strategic plan. This individual is also responsible for ensuring the university remains in compliance with federal and state laws and regulations and UW System personnel policies and procedures. The Director of Human Resources reports to the Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance and collaborates with the Office of Equity and Affirmative Action, as well as other campus stakeholder groups including faculty, staff and students. The ideal candidate will have a progressive management approach, experience in strategically moving an HR organization tangibly forward, and show demonstrated success as a transformational leader with creative and collaborative problem solving skills.

We at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse believe students, faculty and staff all are enriched by our exposure to differing ideas, opinions and cultures. We strive to be a leader in Wisconsin’s movement toward increased diversity and inclusiveness. We believe that employees from diverse backgrounds are critical to achieving excellence as a nationally recognized institution of higher education and we seek to recruit, develop and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool.

Qualifications include:

  • A bachelor’s degree in human resources, business or public administration, or related field is required.
  • Progressively-responsible experience in human resource management in higher education.
  • Demonstrated experience in leading and managing human resource functions within a higher education setting including employee recruitment and retention, performance and evaluation planning, employee relations, payroll and benefits, employee and supervisor training, career and leadership development, and employee compensation plans.
  • Knowledge of public higher education and familiarity with the needs and complexities of a comprehensive university with understanding and vision for the human resource program.
  • Demonstrated excellent communication skills including listening, speaking and writing. Adept at influencing through relationships.
  • Outstanding interpersonal skills and the ability to interact with a broad range of people. Strong presentation skills.
  • A collaborative, team-oriented style and team builder. The ability to develop solid collaborative relationships with a diverse group of campus constituents including faculty, staff, and students.
  • A demonstrated service orientation and proactive in providing service and support to campus stakeholders.
  • An appreciation for academic issues and needs for developing effective human resource practices and policies.
  • The ability to build trust and consensus with university constituents including faculty, staff, students, and shared governance groups.
  • Working knowledge and ability to interpret and apply policies and guidelines of federal and state laws and regulations including EEO, AA, and ADA.

Preferred Qualifications:

  • A master’s degree in human resources, business or public administration, or related field.
  • Professional certification in human resources.
  • A total of ten or more years of experience in human resource management and supervision in a higher education, public sector, or private sector setting.
  • Strong working knowledge and experience with PeopleSoft HRS and PeopleAdmin technology applications.  

Application Process:  Nominations and application materials should be submitted by the target date of November 5, 2018, although expressions of interest may be considered until the position is filled.  Application materials must include:  1) a letter of interest stating how the candidate's experiences and qualifications connect with the required/preferred characteristics and strategic priorities expressed in the position profile; 2) a resume; and 3) the names, addresses, telephone numbers, and email addresses of five references for future contact — please also include your professional relationship with each reference listed.  In accordance with Wisconsin Statute 19.36(7), requests for confidentiality by nominees and applicants will be honored, except that names of final candidates must be disclosed. Application and nomination materials should be submitted electronically to: UWLaCrosseCHRO@agbsearch.com. This is a full time annual (12 month) appointment with a starting date as early as January 2, 2019. A complete position profile may be found at www.agbsearch.com.

Assisting the search will be: Alan N. Crist, Ph.D., Executive Search Consultant, AGB Search, al.crist@agbsearch.com, 608.695.0217. Prospective candidates are encouraged to initiate a conversation about this opportunity through an initial email contact with Dr. Crist prior to submitting materials. Also, please contact the Dr. Crist if you have a special need/accommodation to aid your participation in our hiring process.

UW-La Crosse is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.  We strive to recruit, develop, and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool, and we encourage applications from persons with varied backgrounds and perspectives.  In support of the Wisconsin Veteran Employment Initiative we encourage veterans and veterans with disabilities to explore employment opportunities at UW-La Crosse.

As a prospective UW-La Crosse employee, you have a right to obtain a copy of campus safety and security information (Clery Act) for this institution. You may review this information at http://www.uwlax.edu/Police/Clery-report/.

Employment will require a criminal background check.  A pending criminal charge or conviction will not necessarily disqualify an applicant. In compliance with the Wisconsin Fair Employment Act, UW-La Crosse does not discriminate on the basis of arrest or conviction record.