Chief Human Resources Officer

Chief Human Resources Officer
Saint Joseph’s University

Philadelphia, PA

Saint Joseph’s University seeks an experienced, effective and creative leader for the position of Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO).  Reporting to the Vice President for Finance and Administration and Treasurer, and serving as a member of the University Leadership Council, the CHRO is responsible for the development and implementation of human resource policies and practices that are effective, innovative and responsive and will lead the University in attracting and retaining a high-performing, diverse and productive work force in support of its mission, its Jesuit, Catholic tradition, and its long-term strategic goals.

Today Saint Joseph’s University enrolls over 8000 undergraduate and graduate students on 114 acres in western Philadelphia and Montgomery County. Accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, the University offers 55 undergraduate day majors, over 30 degree completion and certificate programs, and 52 graduate programs in business or arts and sciences. Named among Forbes' "America's Top Colleges" and listed in Princeton Review's Best 328 Colleges, Saint Joseph’s University offers a rigorous education in business and the liberal arts. The University has an operating budget of $217 million, and an endowment of approximately $279 million. Saint Joseph’s alumni community numbers over 68,000. In the Fall of 2019, the University will officially open the newly formed School of Health Studies and Education, a new school which brings together—and builds upon—dozens of established undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, and certificate programs in two rapidly changing and growing industries.

The Chief Human Resource Officer (CHRO) serves as a strategic partner with university leadership, faculty, and staff on all human resources matters in support of the University’s Catholic and Jesuit mission, especially in the implementation of the Thinking Anew, Acting Anew, strategic plan.  The incoming CHRO will join an outstanding senior leadership group that is actively looking for a vibrant partner to provide solutions and guidance to all university stakeholders. As a critical member of the President’s University Leadership Council, this position will provide leadership in advancing faculty and staff success, as well as develop the policies and best practices necessary to maintain a positive, supportive, and fair working environment that attracts, develops, supports, and retains a qualified, high-performing, and diverse workforce. 

Key objectives and responsibilities of the CHRO include:

• Build a highly competent, efficient, agile, and innovative Human Resources Department characterized by a deep customer-service orientation, strong morale, and the highest standards of ethics and integrity;
• Implement state-of-the-art practices in human resources policies and procedures and communicate changes in human resources policies, procedures and programs to faculty, administration and staff, in a clear, concise, and timely manner;
• Coordinate review, evaluation, and analysis of human resources matters with legal counsel, and other professional advisors, as appropriate;
• Cultivate a supportive, growth-oriented work environment that supports faculty and staff through effective talent management and ongoing professional development for employees at all career levels;
• Provide leadership in setting goals and analyzing ways to raise standards, increase quality of efforts and improve overall performance of human resources partnerships;
• Oversee the recruitment, selection, hiring and promotion process to help ensure adherence to the University’s institutional policies and affirmative action protocols; serve on and/or provide human resources support services to various University search committees, as appropriate;
• Oversee and manage the annual performance evaluation process for administration and staff;
• Oversee compensation policies and programs for administration and staff; coordinate the ongoing review and evaluation of market competitiveness of University salaries and benefits; collect data from various survey sources, analyze such data, and develop recommendations for compensation strategy;
• Provide industry-leading leadership to help ensure that the University’s employees have access to the best possible and most cost-effective benefits;
• Assume primary responsibility for maintaining the University’s legal compliance with all federal, state and local employment and labor laws;
• Oversee the employee relations function, including providing appropriate assistance and coaching to supervisory personnel, as appropriate; coordinate training workshops, as necessary, with internal and external training resources; and
• Provide leadership in the utilization of technology and efficient business practices to deliver data, service and support to a range of constituencies

The successful candidate will be a seasoned human resources professional with at least ten years of experience and a record of increasingly responsible leadership positions in human resources and its functions.  The next CHRO will have a proven record of success and knowledge of current human resource best practices in organizational development, employee relations, talent management, change management and assessment.  The candidate should be an experienced leader of people with an ability to attract and mentor staff and to elicit a high-quality service orientation from a team. A bachelor’s degree is required; a master’s degree preferred.  Outstanding candidates will have an ability to think creatively and strategically, to build consensus and collaborate with others, and to articulate and implement human resources programs that reflect organizational goals.

SJU has engaged Amy Sugin and Charlotte Harris of Koya Leadership Partners to assist in this search. Please see the full position profile here.

Saint Joseph's University is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of sex/gender, race, age of 40 or over, color, religion, national and ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, marital status, military leave, veteran status, or any other status protected by law, in matters pertaining to employment.