Director of Human Resources - Innovation Campus & Greater DC Metro Region

Job Description

Virginia Tech is seeking an accomplished human resources professional to serve in the role of Director for Human Resources supporting the Innovation Campus and all university functions located in the Greater DC metro (GDCM) region. The position will report jointly to the Vice President for Human Resources and the Chief Operating Officer for the Innovation Campus and be based in the region. The director will align and execute unit-based HR strategy with the university’s mission and strategy, working as part of the larger HR organization.

Virginia Tech operates as a single university with its largest campus in Blacksburg, Virginia and locations in every county in the Commonwealth, including a growing presence in the GDCM. Virginia Tech is a top 25 public research university. Under the leadership of a dynamic President, the University is growing in Blacksburg as well as expanding its presence across Virginia, most notably the Health Science and Technology campus in Roanoke and the Innovation Campus in the DC metropolitan area.

As the commonwealth’s most comprehensive university and a leading research institution, Virginia Tech offers approximately 280 undergraduate and graduate degree programs to more than 37,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students across the commonwealth and manages a research portfolio of more than $531 million. The university fulfills its role as a land-grant institution by fostering a collaborative environment that integrates technology into all disciplines, so that the Virginia Tech community can serve as a force for positive change around the commonwealth, the country, and the world.

Virginia Tech has partnered with the Commonwealth of Virginia to create a bold, new vision for graduate education in technology related fields that will unite industry, government, and academia. This dynamic project-based learning and research will be carried out in a new Innovation Campus currently under construction in Alexandria, Virginia and will shape the way knowledge and emerging technologies influence society, driving a new era for the greater Washington D.C. metro area’s innovation economy.

This director role will provide leadership, guidance, and resources for all talent-related activities including acquisition, development, management, and engagement for the Innovation Campus. Responsibilities include oversight of hiring and onboarding activities, training programs, performance management and employee relations, workforce planning and staffing, diversity and inclusion, recruiting, retention planning, and succession planning.

The GDCM region consists of a variety of departments and facilities located in Alexandria, Arlington, Falls Church, Fairfax, Leesburg, Manassas, Middleburg, and more. This individual will also serve as a key strategy collaborator with leaders and organizations operating in the region on human resources related issues. This individual will advise the Vice President for Human Resources on human resources issues in the region and approaches for leveraging university systems and processes to best serve the growing distributed presence of the university.

As the university continues to grow and develop into one of the top 100 global universities, this position will focus on aligning organizations within a rapidly changing and complex environment. Organizational development and change management will be key for this successful leader. This person will provide strategic and tactical leadership to the Innovation Campus and the broader service area. To carry out these responsibilities, this person must be proactive, a strategic thinker, understand the critical importance of planning and program delivery, be able to successfully balance competing values, and align recommendations and actions with the strategies of the university and the special mission of the Innovation Campus.

Success in this position will rely on awareness of the culture and environment of the GDCM region, the university, and human resources. This will be enabled by developing strong relationships across various university locations and fostering respectful communications and collaborations within a diverse community and between multiple geographical locations and related functions. This person must manage potentially conflicting interests, possess strong organizational skills, plan and schedule individual work and team work, set priorities, and manage multiple projects and deadlines.

Required Qualifications

• Related bachelor’s degree with significant related experience in human resources.
• Recent progressive and consultative HR experience in a complex organization with diverse cultures, and operating environments, including experience providing forward-facing strategic recommendations, working with senior leadership, and influencing and managing people and projects through direct and indirect supervisory roles.
• Increasing levels of responsibility to include a broad HR Generalist background with experience in multiple disciplines such as talent acquisition, talent management, talent development, performance management, compensation, and more.
• Experience in organizational development and change management.
• Experience working in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment with quickly shifting priorities.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Ability to maintain discretion and the highest ethical and professional standards while dealing with confidential information.
• Management level experience delivering HR services.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree
• Related HR certifications such as SPHR or SHRM-SCP.
• Specialist experience in learning and organizational development.
• Significant and increasing levels of HR responsibility within higher education.
• Experience working with and successfully integrating the interest of multiple roles and perspectives.
• Experience working with HR issues surrounding tenured and pre-tenure faculty.

Appointment Type

Regular

Salary Information

$125,000-155,000, commensurate with experience

Review Date

September 17, 2021

Additional Information

This position will be eligible for occasional hybrid or partial telework arrangement following initial, fully on-site onboarding period.

The successful candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check as well as documentation of COVID-19 vaccination.

About Virginia Tech

Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech pushes the boundaries of knowledge by taking a hands-on, transdisciplinary approach to preparing scholars to be leaders and problem-solvers. A comprehensive land-grant institution that enhances the quality of life in Virginia and throughout the world, Virginia Tech is an inclusive community dedicated to knowledge, discovery, and creativity. The university offers more than 280 majors to a diverse enrollment of more than 36,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students in eight undergraduate colleges , a school of medicine , a veterinary medicine college, Graduate School , and Honors College . The university has a significant presence across Virginia, including the Innovation Campus in Northern Virginia; the Health Sciences and Technology Campus in Roanoke; sites in Newport News and Richmond; and numerous Extension offices and research centers . A leading global research institution, Virginia Tech conducts more than $500 million in research annually.

Virginia Tech does not discriminate against employees, students, or applicants on the basis of age, color, disability, sex (including pregnancy), gender, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status, or otherwise discriminate against employees or applicants who inquire about, discuss, or disclose their compensation or the compensation of other employees or applicants, or on any other basis protected by law.

If you are an individual with a disability and desire an accommodation, please contact Julie Weaver at juliew19@vt.edu during regular business hours at least 10 business days prior to the event.

Advertised: August 26, 2021
Applications close: