Vice President, Human Resources

DePaul is hiring a new Vice President of Human Resources. With more than 125 years of history, DePaul continues to evolve and grow as an organization, creating unique opportunities for a more consultative and people-centric HR function. DePaul is strongly committed to being a leader during this pivotal moment in higher education, and the VP of HR will continue the work that has already begun in HR and connect it to the University’s broader strategic goals.

The Vice President of HR will serve as the seniormost HR leader within DePaul, reporting directly to EVP Sherri Sidler and leading the organization’s 30-person HR team. This leader is primarily responsible for providing strategic support to the university in the development, planning, directing and enabling of a highly diverse workforce to achieve the organization’s strategic objectives and Vincentian educational mission. This person will be an agile change agent with the goal of evolving HR to be more innovative, solution-oriented and consultative. This position is responsible for sourcing and identifying internal and external talent, the administration of compensation and benefits, leadership development, performance management and organizational development. 

Stepping into the role, you will work to continue improving the internal brand of the HR function by helping make it more contemporary, innovative and efficient. You will connect the elevated HR function to the rest of the University and its mission, enhancing DePaul’s commitment to its employees and strengthening its position as an employer of choice in the marketplace. You will work closely with leaders across finance, academic affairs and information systems to establish integrated HR data systems, creating a more data-driven function and organization that can measure improvements, connect data across functions and create business intelligence related to human capital. 

The ideal candidate will have experience working within flat organizational structures and possess the depth of technical competency required to drive continuous improvement across the HR function. In addition, this leader should possess a high EQ and the ability to get things done in a complex environment. As a humble leader with a strong spirit of service, this leader will be a true change agent and problem-solver. You should be a data-oriented leader who can utilize systems to shape a metrics-driven function and organization, as well as a credible expert who can serve as an advisor to organizational leaders. The ideal candidate will also be comfortable working in a shared governance model and lead by proactive involvement to better understand the needs of the University. 

Key Accountabilities

• Develop and drive HR initiatives and programs that support an effective and efficient hybrid work environment that furthers the organization’s mission, values and strategic objectives. 
• Utilize effective internal communications and other tools to better connect HR with the rest of the organization and improve the internal brand of the HR function. 
• Enable a data-driven human capital approach for the organization by unifying and streamlining existing data and systems to effectively measure and tell the story of performance across the HR function and broader organization. 
• Create HR strategies to develop and retain a highly motivated, diverse and effective workforce based on the organization’s strategic requirements.
• Ensure workplace conditions and quality management that support employee satisfaction and enhance workplace productivity. 
• Continue to elevate DePaul as an employer of choice, boosting retention and reducing turnover. 
• Administer the compensation and benefits function in collaboration with the Finance Department.
• Source, identify and select the most qualified candidates from a diverse pool of experienced candidates to support the organization’s needs.
• Develop integrated recruitment systems in partnership with Academic Affairs, Academic Units and the Office of Institutional Diversity & Equity. 
• Bridge the gap between faculty hiring and staff hiring, ensuring effective usage of shared resources while modernizing processes. 
• Lead HR planning activities, including succession planning, career planning and leadership development.
• Manage HR functions to ensure all members of the HR team remain current with compliance, federal and state laws and regulations and acceptable HR practices.
• Lead marketing and benchmarking implementation to deliver desired enterprise-wide outcomes, measurements, integration and interaction in a collaborative approach.
• Partner with the Senior and Executive Leadership team to develop a human capital plan that addresses the opportunities and challenges of the future workforce requirements. 
• Present directly to the University Board of Directors on matters related to human capital and sit on the University Compensation & Benefits and 403(b) committees. 

Knowledge Base and Experience

• An experienced HR professional with breadth across functions and specialized knowledge in several of the following areas: compensation, employee benefits, recruitment, employee relations and information technology.
• Knows what best in class, contemporary HR looks like and can apply that knowledge in a way that brings others into the conversation rather than shuts it down. 
• Can manage a high level of complexity and a wide range of stakeholders for a highly diverse employee population; experience with a shared governance model is strongly preferred. 
• Served as an advisor to senior leadership, with demonstrated expertise in presenting and evaluating proactive and competitive HR practices and recommending courses of action.
• Ability to create a communication plan to disseminate information to the organization regarding HR strategies, objectives, priorities and accountabilities.
• Familiarity with modern HR systems, especially Oracle Cloud. 
• Demonstrated success driving a data and metrics-driven approach to decision-making. 
• Able to serve as the Chair of the Executive Compensation Committee.
• Proven background in fostering change management, process improvement and business process redesign. 

Professional and Cultural Characteristics

• A patient leader who takes the time to educate, learn and bring others along. Communicates clearly and without jargon regardless of audience or medium. 
• Understanding of and alignment with DePaul’s mission and core values. 
• Willing to roll up their sleeves and get into things while still thinking strategically about continuously improving processes. 
• Collaborative and team oriented; invites outside perspectives. 
• Operates with a highly proactive and engaging leadership style, considering how to serve the broader academic enterprise and be an effective consultant. 
• A high EQ leader who can build relationships at all levels, including the board and among the faculty. 
• Possesses a level of gravitas and the ability to work through influence. 
• Clearly displays a high level of technical ability; demonstrates credibility to those outside the HR function. 
• Data-oriented and uses available metrics to make informed decisions. 
• An accountable self-starter who takes ownership of their function and knows it in depth.

Qualifications and Requirements 

• Progressive HR experience in managing a diverse workforce with planning, organizational effectiveness, problem solving, facilitation and decision-making skills and competencies.
• Bachelor’s degree required; master’s degree in HR management, industrial relations, organizational development, industrial and organizational psychology or a related field preferred. 

DePaul University is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action employer . All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, marital status, physical or mental disability, protected veteran status, genetic information or any other legally protected status, in accordance with applicable federal, state and local EEO laws.