Director, Human Resources Operations

Job Description:

The Director of Human Resources provides leadership for the day-to-day delivery of Human Resources Operations and serves as the senior operational leader for employee relations, HR service delivery, talent acquisition support, compensation administration, compliance, and full employee lifecycle support.

Reporting to the Vice President of Human Resources, the Director translates enterprise people strategy into effective operational practices and ensures Human Resources programs, policies, processes, and services are administered consistently and effectively.

The Director provides direct leadership to the Generalist team, establishing a strong Generalist model capable of supporting leaders and employees throughout the full employee lifecycle—from workforce and recruitment needs through onboarding, development, employee relations, organizational changes, and separation.

The Director also works collaboratively with Human Resources partners across the institutions. While the role does not have direct responsibility for institutional HR operations or personnel, the Director maintains awareness of institutional needs, practices, and emerging challenges to identify opportunities for shared solutions, greater consistency, and advancement of System Office HR operations and system-wide HR standards and best practices.

The Director works closely with the Associate Vice President of HR Systems & Technology, Associate Vice President of Workforce Development & Employee Engagement, and Benefits leadership to ensure operational needs are connected to technology, process improvement, employee education, workforce development, benefits and leave practices, and broader organizational capability.

Essential Responsibilities

Human Resources Operations & Service Delivery

Provide leadership and oversight for day-to-day Human Resources Operations and service delivery.

Lead, develop, and support Senior HR Generalists and HR Generalists in providing responsive, consistent, and consultative Human Resources support throughout the employee lifecycle.

Establish operational priorities, service expectations, escalation practices, and accountability across HR Operations.

Ensure HR policies, procedures, and standard operating procedures are effectively implemented and consistently applied.

Identify opportunities to streamline practices, improve service delivery, strengthen controls, and reduce unnecessary administrative processes.

Monitor operational metrics, trends, service needs, and recurring challenges to identify opportunities for continuous improvement.

Maintain appropriate documentation, controls, and audit readiness across HR operational processes.

Partner with HR Systems & Technology to identify opportunities for workflow improvement, automation, and enhanced employee and manager self-service.

Generalist Leadership

Provide direct leadership, coaching, development, and performance management to Senior HR Generalists and HR Generalists.

Establish clear roles, responsibilities, decision-making authority, and escalation protocols within the Generalist function.

Develop a comprehensive Generalist model that provides support across the full employee lifecycle.

Strengthen Generalist capability in employee relations, manager consultation, recruiting and onboarding, investigations, performance management, compliance, organizational change, and HR judgment.

Assign and prioritize work based on organizational needs, complexity, risk, institutional support needs, and team capacity.

Create opportunities for Generalists to develop deeper areas of expertise while maintaining broad HR capabilities.

Promote consistency in how HR practices, policies, processes, and employee matters are addressed.

Ensure Generalists have the education, tools, systems knowledge, and resources necessary to effectively support employees and leaders.

Full Employee Lifecycle Support

Ensure effective HR operational support throughout the employee lifecycle, including workforce needs, recruitment, hiring, onboarding, employment changes, performance management, development, employee relations, and separation.

Establish consistent processes and service expectations for key employee lifecycle activities.

Ensure Generalists provide effective consultation and coordination to hiring managers throughout recruitment and selection processes.

Support recruitment strategy, candidate experience, selection practices, offer development, and hiring processes.

Ensure onboarding practices effectively connect new employees to their positions, managers, organizational expectations, systems, resources, and culture.

Monitor employee lifecycle processes to identify gaps, inefficiencies, or opportunities for improved employee and manager experience.

Partner with HR Systems & Technology and Workforce Development & Employee Engagement to continuously improve the employee experience across the lifecycle.

Employee Relations & Employment Risk

Provide leadership for employee relations matters, including performance management, corrective action, workplace concerns, investigations, conflict resolution, and separations.

Serve as the primary operational escalation point for complex employee relations matters within System Office HR Operations.

Ensure investigations and employee relations matters are handled objectively, consistently, timely, and in accordance with organizational policy and applicable employment requirements.

Assess employment-related risk and determine when matters warrant consultation with the Vice President of Human Resources, Legal Counsel, or other leadership.

Consult with managers and HR partners regarding performance expectations, documentation, corrective action, and employee relations strategy.

Analyze employee relations activity for recurring trends that may indicate broader policy, process, leadership development, education, or workforce needs.

Institutional HR Partnership & System Alignment

Build collaborative relationships with Human Resources leaders and partners across the institutions to strengthen communication, coordination, and shared understanding across the HR community.

Maintain awareness of institutional HR priorities, operational needs, challenges, and emerging practices without assuming direct management responsibility for institutional HR teams or institution-specific decisions.

Create opportunities for institutional HR partners to provide input into enterprise HR processes, policies, systems, and initiatives.

Identify common needs, recurring challenges, and successful practices that can inform system-wide HR solutions.

Promote greater consistency in HR practices where standardization creates organizational value while recognizing legitimate institutional differences and operational requirements.

Advance shared HR standards, tools, resources, and best practices across System Office and the institutions.

Facilitate knowledge sharing and collaboration across the HR community to reduce duplication and leverage expertise throughout the system.

Partner with the Vice President of Human Resources to identify opportunities to strengthen overall HR capability and systemness.

Organizational Change & Workforce Planning

Provide operational HR leadership and consultation for reorganizations, restructures, position changes, workforce transitions, and other organizational initiatives within the Director's scope.

Ensure appropriate consideration of business rationale, employee impact, job responsibilities, compensation, employment risk, implementation readiness, and communication needs.

Partner with institutional HR leadership on enterprise processes and standards associated with organizational changes while respecting institutional decision-making responsibilities.

Coordinate with the Vice President of Human Resources, Legal Affairs, Finance, and other partners on matters r