CURRENT OPPORTUNITIES

Associate Director of Human Resources

  • Requisition no: 537968
  • Work type: Full Time
  • Location: Morningside
  • School/Department: School of International and Public Affairs
  • Grade: Grade 13
  • Categories: Human Resources, Finance/Accounting
  • Job Type: Officer of Administration
  • Regular/Temporary: Regular
  • Hours Per Week: 35
  • Salary Range: $95,000 - $113,250
The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to departmental budgets, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, specialty, and training. The above hiring range represents the University's good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.
 

Position Summary

Reporting to the Senior Executive Director of Human Resources and Finance, the Associate Director of Human Resources serves as critical member of the leadership of the Office of Human Resources at the Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA). This opportunity is accountable for advising, influencing and collaborating with leaders across SIPA’s operational units to execute the School’s HR strategy through leadership development, performance management, talent management, organizational structure and employee engagement. The Associate Director plays a central role in data management and analysis to inform leadership decision making and develops and implements DE&I initiatives and other goals as defined by the School’s mission. The incumbent ensures compliance with federal, state, local and University rules and regulations by staying abreast of HR regulations, policies and laws.

At SIPA—the world’s leading school of global policy—we are committed to diversity, equity and inclusion.  We work to cultivate these values in our practices, programs and policies.  We aim to create a workplace that is welcoming and celebrates the unique lived experiences of all our staff, students and faculty.  We are particularly interested in candidates who can contribute to the diversity and excellence of the School.  Applicants are encouraged to include information in their cover letter about how they will further this goal


Responsibilities

As directed by the Senior Executive Director, collaborate with leaders across SIPA’s operational units to create strategic workforce plans that align Unit and School priorities with opportunities to refine organizational structure, acquire and develop talent, drive employee engagement, and mitigate talent risks.  Assess staffing needs and propose suitable talent acquisition strategies.  Review job descriptions and organization charts in preparation for administrative searches and position adjustments.  Develop and manage succession risks to ensure talent acquisition strategies are focused on closing anticipated leadership gaps; ensure future people plans provide workforce stability and capability to support organizational growth.

Working closely with the Senior Executive Director, drive analysis of organizational and employee data, deliver insights on trends, and establish the human capital-related metrics by which the success of HR activities can be measured.  Leverage reporting capacities from Peoplesoft, TalentLink and other systems to analyze the efficiency and effectiveness of HR operations.  Prepare presentations on the same to unit and School leadership as needed.  Assist in maintaining the School's organization charts, employee fact sheets, staff directory, and HR metrics. Analyze compensation, recruitment timelines and tools, staff turnover and retention rates, and other data points. Recommend new approaches, policies and procedures to improve unit's efficiency.

Work closely with the Senior Executive Director and the unit's leadership on the School's performance appraisal process, including the annual goal setting and performance review processes; promote the use of SMART goals in defining performance expectations. Troubleshoot, research and report on performance issues, and implement strategies for their resolution. Assist in conducting internal investigations. Liaise with the CU Labor Relations and Work Life Offices. Develop and implement employee recognition programs, and 30- and 60-day outreach processes for new recruits to promote community building and inclusive practices, etc.  As part of the year-end review process, work with the Senior Executive Director to facilitate dialogue with line leaders to define and calibrate performance ratings, across the employee population and identify the skill and competency standards – at individual, team and business area levels – required to meet current and future objectives. Facilitate executive development by utilizing situational coaching, providing candid performance feedback and recommending opportunities for personal and professional growth.

Take a leadership role in preparing and executing effective on- and off-boarding of talent.  Develop Powerpoint presentations, tutorials and other materials for new recruits. Advise new recruits on available training and access to Columbia University systems. Facilitate systems access requests for SIPA and Institute/Center administrators. Work with the Senior Human Resources Coordinator and the larger HR team on achieving effective business communications and workflows with various School and external units such as SIPAIT, Temp Staffing and others to ensure an efficient and seamless onboarding experience for staff.  Explore and recommend process improvements for the same drawing on best practices at peer institutions.  Manage the exit interview process, suggesting process improvements and drawing on insights from the same to suggest ways to enhance the employee experience.

Work closely with the Senior Executive Director and the larger leadership team to develop and enhance the School's Human Resources webpage. Review existing information/data on the site, consult best practices at peer institutions, and develop and upload new content and enhanced site mapping in coordination with other HR team members. Develop, review and improve training and systems access information on the School's website. 

Remain abreast of market compensation trends affecting assigned employee populations.  Assist the Senior Executive Director with management and analysis of compensation and headcount data for annual reporting to the University’s Office of Management and Budget and other purposes as required.

Co-supervise a Senior Human Resources Coordinator across a variety of areas of effort including but not limited to onboarding, data management, training, website management, and sensitive and professional customer service to managers and employees. 

Perform related duties as assigned or requested.


Minimum Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree or equivalent and a minimum of four years of fulltime directly related professional experience.
  • Significant prior supervisory experience.
  • Thorough familiarity with Microsoft Office, especially Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Visio. Fluency in using data presentation tools including pivot tables, graphs, flowcharts, etc.
  • Significant prior experience with PeopleSoft or similar HRIS application.
  • Demonstrated record of identifying, evaluating and implementing innovative and efficient improvement initiatives.
  • Passion for excellent customer service and commitment to exceptional quality. Deep commitment to valuing diversity and contributing to an inclusive working and learning environment.
  • Strong interpersonal, presentation, communication and writing skills as well as excellent analytical and problem-solving abilities. Ability to effectively present thoughts to influence and persuade organizational leaders and key stakeholders to adopt innovative recommendations.
  • Highly organized with extreme attention to detail and the ability to effectively handle and manage multiple projects or responsibilities concurrently and effectively.
  • Work well under pressure and have the ability to function independently and exercise discretion and judgment in sensitive and confidential matters.
  • Ability to respond calmly, quickly and decisively to unpredictable or unexpected events and changes and provide guidance and choose solutions to problems even in ambiguous or difficult situations.
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Preferred Qualifications

  • Master's degree in a related field, such as higher education administration or human resources administration.
  • Prior experience in HR administration in a university setting.
  • Prior experience working with collective bargaining agreements and unionized staff, and thorough familiarity with personal and medical leaves, FMLA, NYSL and PFL provisions and salary continuation policies.  
  • Knowledge of HR processes and procedures, industry trends, standards and best practices as well as current applicable employment laws and regulations.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.

Applications open: Eastern Daylight Time
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