What are the responsibilities and job description for the Assistant Director - HR Shared Services position at Duke Clinical Research Institute?
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General Description of the Job Class
The Assistant Director, Talent Care Center, is responsible for leading the HR Shared Services operating model for Duke University Health System. This role provides strategic and operational oversight of end-to-end HR service delivery across the employee and clinician lifecycle, ensuring services are scalable, compliant, data-driven, and centered on an exceptional employee and leader experience.
The Assistant Director leads, coaches, and develops a highperforming Shared Services team, setting clear expectations and fostering a culture of accountability, service excellence, and continuous improvement. This role proactively identifies and resolves complex operational issues, drives process optimization and standardization, and partners closely with stakeholders to deliver a consistent, efficient, and customerfocused shared services model.
Key areas of accountability include shared services service delivery models, process design and standardization, operational metrics, technology enablement (e.g., case management systems, HRIS, automation), and risk management. The Assistant Director leads a multilayered Talent Care Center leadership team responsible for managing high service volumes, improving quality and efficiency, and sustaining operational excellence across a complex, regulated environment.
This role partners closely with HR Business Partners, Centers of Excellence, Payroll, Finance, IT, and TCC leadership to translate strategy into disciplined operational execution. The Assistant Director ensures HR Shared Services operations are auditready, policyaligned, and continuously evolving to meet organizational needs.
Duties and Responsibilities of this Level
EndtoEnd HR Service Delivery
- Provide operational leadership and oversight for the delivery of highvolume transactional and consultative HR services, including onboarding, job and appointment changes, compensation actions, leave administration, and offboarding.
- Ensure HR services are delivered accurately, timely, and consistently in accordance with Duke University Health System policies, federal and state employment laws, and Joint Commission standards.
- Act as the senior escalation point for complex, highrisk, or sensitive employee and leadership issues, ensuring resolution aligns with policy, legal guidance, and organizational values.
People Leadership & Workforce Optimization
- Lead, coach, and develop a multilayered Talent Care Center leadership team in a highvolume, complex operational environment.
- Establish clear performance expectations and accountability aligned with service delivery, quality, efficiency, and experience outcomes.
- Drive workforce planning and capacity management through forecasting, workload analysis, role clarity, and staffing optimization to effectively manage variable service demand.
Process Design, Standardization & Continuous Improvement
- Own the design, documentation, and optimization of Shared Services workflows to drive standardization, reduce variability, and enable scalability.
- Lead continuous improvement initiatives to reduce errors, rework, and cycle times while improving customer satisfaction and service consistency.
- Ensure development and maintenance of SOPs, job aids, knowledge articles, and training materials to support consistent execution and knowledge transfer.
Technology Enablement & Service Innovation
- Partner with HR Technology and IT teams to optimize and continuously improve HR systems, including case management platforms, HRIS functionality, workflow tools, and automation solutions.
- Translate operational requirements into system enhancements that improve efficiency, data integrity, and user experience.
- Promote adoption of digital service delivery capabilities that improve transparency and selfservice while maintaining service quality.
Data Analysis, Metrics & Performance Management
- Build and sustain a metricsdriven Shared Services operation using KPIs such as but not limited to case volume, turnaround time, quality, firstcontact resolution, and customer satisfaction.
- Analyze trends and operational data to proactively identify risks, bottlenecks, and improvement opportunities.
- Provide regular operational reporting and executivelevel insights to support informed decisionmaking and continuous improvement.
CrossFunctional Partnership
- Develop and maintain strong consultative relationships with HR Business Partners, Centers of Excellence, Payroll, Finance, IT, Legal, Compliance, and business leaders.
- Assess organizational needs, prioritize requests, and codevelop operational solutions that balance enterprise standardization with business responsiveness.
- Support enterprise change initiatives by assessing operational impact, leading readiness planning, and reinforcing adoption of new processes and systems.
Bachelor's Degree in Human Resource, Business or related field is required. Master's Degree in in Human Resource, Business or related field preferred.
Experience- Five years of work experience in a human resources field required.
- Seven (7) or more years preferred) of progressive experience in HR Operations, HR Shared Services, or largescale service delivery environments.
- Demonstrated leadership experience managing teams in complex, highvolume operational settings.
- Proven experience with HR service delivery models, process improvement, and operational governance.
- None required.
- SHRMCP/SCP, Lean, Six Sigma, or similar certifications preferred.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
- Strong experience using data and metrics to manage performance and drive operational decisions.
- Demonstrated ability to balance strategic planning with tactical execution in a fastpaced environment.
- Advanced knowledge of employment laws and regulatory requirements impacting HR operations.
- Experience collaborating across HR functions, including HRBPs, Talent Acquisition, Compensation, Benefits, and Employee Relations.
- Proven leadership, coaching, and change management skills.
- Strong organizational, analytical, and problemsolving capabilities with the ability to manage competing priorities.
- Proficiency with HRIS platforms, case management systems, and standard productivity tools (e.g., Microsoft tools, Excel, PowerPoint, ServiceNow, SAP, Absence resources).
Duke is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy and pregnancy related conditions), sexual orientation or military status.
Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas-an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.
Essential Physical Job Functions:
Certain jobs at Duke University and Duke University Health System may include essential job functions that require specific physical and/or mental abilities. Additional information and provision for requests for reasonable accommodation will be provided by each hiring department.
Duke is an Affirmative Action / Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual’s age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status. Read more about Duke’s commitment to affirmative action and nondiscrimination at hr.duke.edu/eeo.