Executive director of academic HR
About the position
The executive director oversees and recommends process improvements to several functional areas to include faculty appointment and contract administration; faculty salary administration; the merit/bonus award process; faculty early retirement and distinguished career programs; faculty human resources related policies; development of faculty human resources procedures/forms; and oversight for the content of Faculty HR, a comprehensive web resource for HR staff and other administrators responsible for faculty human resources management. The executive director is expected to be a trusted member of the Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and the Sr. Vice Provost for Academic Affairs leadership teams, to include the handling of time sensitive and highly confidential human resources matters. This position is responsible for providing ongoing consultative decision making, communications, training, tools, strategic planning and resources to individuals in the colleges, schools, and units who are responsible for faculty human resources so that they can build and maximize their knowledge, skills, and abilities and become content “experts” for their respective area(s). This position leads other HR Professionals and colleagues to make decisions that are often difficult or high-stakes.
With a total student population of more than 31,000, Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) is a public research university located in the capital city of Richmond, VA. The VCU Health System is an urban teaching hospital and is home to VCU Medical Center, the #1 ranked medical center in the Richmond metropolitan area with the only Level I trauma center in central Virginia. Together they make VCU the largest employer in the city of Richmond (22,888 including VCU and VCU Health employees).
Founded in 1838 and currently belonging to the elite group of R1 – Doctoral Universities with Highest Research Activity by Carnegie Classification, VCU enrolls students from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and 108 countries. Students choose from 59 undergraduate, 69 master’s, 42 doctoral programs, three first-professional programs and 44 certificate programs offered by 11 schools and three colleges. With two main campuses on 173 acres in the historic downtown area, as well as satellite campuses located across the state and internationally, VCU boasts a diverse campus community, including approximately 43 percent of the student body identifying as minority, as well as an 18:1 student-faculty ratio, and more than 500 student clubs and organizations.
One of the largest academic health centers in the nation with a 52-acre footprint one block from Capitol Square, VCU Health System also maintains over 2.5 million square feet of facilities in satellite locations surrounding the city, including research space at the Virginia Biotechnology Research Park. In addition to VCU Medical Center, the $3.2 billion health system includes Community Memorial Hospital, the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU, the Virginia Premier Health Plan (a 220,000-member non-profit Managed Care Organization), and the MCV Physicians (a faculty practice plan with more than 700 members and 770 residents and fellows).
For more information about VCU, visit the VCU website. For more information about VCU Health, visit the VCU Health website.
Scott Vrana, Humanities & Sciences, Psychology Professor
Jess Hill, VP Health Sciences, Exec Director HR
Alison Miller, VCU HR, Director of HR Service, Strategy & Decision Support
Ken Kahn, School of Business, Sr. Associate Dean
Candy Gordon, Provost & VP for Academic Affairs, Associate Director, Finanical Management
Jacqueline Kniska, Audit & Compliance Services, Chief Ethics & Comp Ofc
Konjit Chitty, VCU HR, Director of HR Info Systems