Director of People Operations

Job Description

The Director of People Operations is a key contributor within the College of Connected Computing (CCC). Reporting directly to the Operations Lead, the role serves as a strategic partner and the primary human resource officer and is responsible for a wide range of human resource management and personnel administration for the OGSM’s staff and faculty. The position works closely with the Chief of Staff, Dean, and Associate Deans to support and execute the human capital strategic direction of the school and create collaborative and enriching environment for all faculty and staff.

The College of Connected Computing is Vanderbilt’s first new college in 40 years and is in the early stages of building its administrative and academic structure. This interdisciplinary college is designed to advance breakthrough discoveries and expand computing education through a “computing for all” approach. The College is expected to grow rapidly over the next three years, requiring agile, strategic, and collaborative leadership.

Duties and Responsibilities

Organizational Strategic Initiatives

• Collaborates with the Dean and other leaders to develop and execute the organizational talent objectives aligned with the CCC mission, objectives, and financial goals.
• Provides advisory support on organizational structure, change management, and process improvements to enhance operational efficiency and effectiveness.
• Develops performance metrics to inform data-driven decision-making related to talent management which may include retention, development and engagement.
• Builds and maintains strong working relationships within the school, peers across the University, and VU People, Culture and Belonging centers of expertise.
• Facilitates effective internal communication to ensure consistent and clear information dissemination across departments and maintain a cohesive work environment.
  
  

Talent Operations, Reporting, and Compliance

• Implements institutional initiatives related to talent management within CCC.
• In conjunction with the Chief of Staff and the Dean, and in alignment with institutional compensation philosophy, actively participates in the development and distribution of a comprehensive compensation annual budget.
• Performs salary and compensation analysis to ensure consistent and equitable compensation practices.
• Maintains and updates the CCC organizational charts.
• Oversees the staff conflict of interest disclosure requirements and advises leaders on approval processes and development of appropriate management plans.
• Serves as the CCC Effort Certification Coordinator managing faculty effort certification processes.
• Serves as the HCM specialist processing faculty and staff employee transactions, including hiring, transfers, reclassifications, compensation, labor costing, administrative leaves, and end of employment actions.
• Oversees the timesheet/wage and hour compliance for non-exempt staff and absence management for exempt staff, including communication to ensure time records are submitted and approved timely and accurately.
• Serves as the initial resource for absence and leave management and reporting, including paid and unpaid leaves, and FMLA for staff and faculty, in coordination with VU center of leave expertise.
• Assists team members with navigating and understanding institutional and departmental procedures and policies, job/organizational structure and compensation matters.
• Keeps abreast of industry HR trends and best practices to identify opportunities for innovation and continuous improvement.
  
  

Talent Acquisition

• Supports strategic initiatives focused on talent management, retention, and career progression opportunities for CCC staff to maximize the school’s human capital potential.
• Collaborates with senior and department leadership on workforce planning and talent management.
• Facilitates talent acquisition initiatives to include development of position descriptions, supporting talent selection committees, liaising with VU People Experience and/or Compensation centers of expertise on position classification and compensation.
• Manages the full employee lifecycle, including recruitment, onboarding, performance management, and offboarding in collaboration with line managers and Vanderbilt People, Culture and Belonging.
  
  

Employee Relations and Talent Development

• Identifies and facilitates professional development opportunities that enhance staff professional acumen and leadership capabilities.
• Manages the execution of comprehensive performance management processes at the school level including goal setting and accountability assessment.
• Provides coaching and support on employee performance-related and disciplinary issues working closely with VU People, Culture and Belonging centers of expertise to determine the best course of action.
• Develops and manages employee appreciation and recognition activities to provide an enriching environment for employees and achieves the school’s programmatic goals.
  
  

Supervisory Relationships

This position currently does not have supervisory responsibility and reports administratively and functionally to the Operations Lead.

Qualifications

• A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution of higher education in human resources, business administration or other related field is required.
• 7 years of progressive experience in a human resources or related role
• HR certification preferred.
• Proven ability to partner effectively with senior leadership in developing and implementing organizational development strategies.
• Demonstrated ability to manage an increasing volume of people related responsibilities amidst continuous business demands.
• Strong working knowledge of employment laws, HR best practices, and HR information systems.
• Ability to interpret and apply a broad range of laws, policies, and regulations to business environment and HR challenges.
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to work collaboratively with a wide range of constituencies in a diverse community.
• Ability to work in a dynamic organization by balancing multiple priorities and stakeholders simultaneously.
• Ability to effectively communicate HR related information, policies, and/or procedures to constituents.
• Ability to work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders.
• Skilled in general Microsoft Office software including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Strong consulting and conflict resolution skills to provide appropriate impartial counsel and advice to senior leadership and staff on people related matters.
• Demonstrated high level of integrity and confidentiality to create strong, trusting, and collaborative relationships with CCC and VU leaders and constituents.
• Ability to adapt to change and embrace new approaches to enhance faculty and staff experience.