Associate Vice President for Human Resources

Founded in 1874, Colorado College is an independent, coeducational, liberal arts and sciences college of bold ideas, located in the beautiful city of Colorado Springs on the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains at the foot of Pikes Peak. Ranked among the top 25 National Liberal Arts Colleges by U.S. News & World Report, Colorado College enjoys an unequivocal mission: to provide the finest liberal arts education in the country. What makes Colorado College distinct is its inimitable combination of program, place, and people. Colorado College is a unique institution in terms of geography and pedagogy. Set in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, Colorado College is the only selective liberal arts college in the region and enrolls just over 2,000 undergraduate students. Through 37 academic departments, faculty engage students directly and prepare them for leadership in the 21st century. The college’s signature academic program, the “Block Plan,” is an intensive academic schedule that allows students to immerse themselves in a single subject for three and a half weeks, rather than balancing several courses over a semester. One example of the college’s innovative work is the integration with the world-renowned Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center (now the Fine Arts Center at Colorado College), which has greatly expanded arts programming and sparked new interdisciplinary learning opportunities. Students at Colorado College learn more than theoretical approaches; they learn to embrace the importance of diverse backgrounds and viewpoints and appreciate how diversity enriches their understanding of the world.

Reporting to the senior vice president of finance and administration, the associate vice president for human resources (AVP) is a creative thought partner and will provide strategic leadership, creative planning, and administration of human resources programs and services including recruitment and employment, performance excellence, total rewards (compensation and benefits), professional development, employee relations, policy development and compliance, and organizational development. The AVP will develop and administer human resources strategic planning, forecasting, and administrative oversight on effective policies, procedures, and programs; stay abreast of human resource trends, laws, regulations, best practices, and technologies; and ensure all human resources policies, practices, and programs comply with applicable federal and state laws and regulations. The AVP will collaborate and coordinate with compliance partners across the institution to support the College’s compliance needs and responsibilities, ensure efficiency, and oversee the development, implementation, and maintenance of a comprehensive employee-relations strategy that incorporates leadership effectiveness, employee engagement, conflict resolution, mediation, disciplinary actions, and alignment with inclusive practices. The AVP will provide vision, integrity, and a team-oriented approach to the Office of Human Resources and lead a professional staff (exempt and non-exempt) to oversee systems, processes, and budgets, ensure high levels of performance, address performance concerns, provide support, guidance, assessment, and opportunities for professional growth and development, and build a team culture that upholds innovation, experimentation, life-long learning, adaptability, institutional and personal evolution, and cultural dexterity. The associate vice president will provide advice, counsel, and coaching to college leadership on complex human resource-related matters and issues, and support an antiracist agenda by understanding, engaging with, and promoting diversity, inclusion, and equity in all aspects of human resources programs and services.

A bachelor’s degree plus five or more years’ experience in a senior leadership human resources management role, and a minimum of seven years supervising and managing staff are required. Previous experience managing change efforts and project management, along with specialized experience in at least five of the following areas, is required: organizational development, employee relations, compensation, job classification, professional development, recruitment, policy development and implementation, benefits, employment, HRIS, equal employment and affirmative action, investigation, and conflict resolution and mediation. The successful candidate must possess strong interpersonal and problem solving skills, with a proven record of building and maintaining strong, effective working relationships with a wide diversity of employee constituents. They must have the ability to manage confidential matters with tact and diplomacy, organize and prioritize work to meet deadlines, be flexible, self-directed, and goal oriented, and possess a positive work approach with the skills to promote a team-oriented environment. Demonstrated experience promoting and supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion, as well as an understanding of antiracism terminology and language, will be important in the selection process.

A master’s degree in human resources management, business administration, or other related field is preferred. SPHR certification and knowledge of values-based leadership principles and skills, human resources management experience in a higher education environment, and experience working with enterprise database systems are desirable.

Review of applications will begin October 14, 2021, and continue until the position is filled. A resume with an accompanying cover letter may be submitted via the Spelman Johnson website at www.spelmanjohnson.com/open-positions. Nominations for this position may be emailed to Quincy Martin III at qm3@spelmanjohnson.com. Applicants needing reasonable accommodation to participate in the application process should contact Spelman Johnson at 413-529-2895.

Visit the Colorado College website at www.coloradocollege.edu

Colorado College is an equal opportunity employer committed to increasing the diversity of its community. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, age, religion, gender identity or expression, disability, or sexual orientation in our educational programs and activities or our employment practices.