Associate Director of Human Resources

St. Olaf College; Northfield (MN); On-site; USD 76,000 - 86,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

9% retirement match

Health savings account contributions

Tuition discount for employees' kids

Generous paid time off

Job summary

St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota, seeks an Associate Director of Human Resources to lead talent acquisition, employee relations, performance management, and engagement initiatives.

You will supervise the Recruiter and Student Employment Coordinator and partner with the Director to shape workforce strategy. This exempt, year-round role requires a Bachelor’s degree and 5+ years HR experience; preferred 7+ years recruiting or HR generalist background, experience with Oracle Cloud or

Qualifications

• Requires a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent; 5+ years HR experience including recruiting and employee relations.
• Preferred: Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources; 7+ years recruiting or HR generalist experience; experience with Infor and/or Oracle Cloud; systems implementation experience.

Responsibilities

• Lead staff recruitment and hiring oversight, partnering with managers to identify staffing needs.
• Guide employee relations, investigations, and adherence to policies and laws.
• Oversee performance management program including evaluations and development.
• Develop engagement initiatives to improve culture, retention, and morale.
• Oversee Student Employment Coordinator and student employment processes with campus partners.
• Provide day-to-day HR leadership and ensure efficient operations and policy compliance.

Skills

Recruiting

Employee relations

Performance management

Employee engagement

Staff leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Bachelor’s degree in HR (preferred)

Tools

Oracle Recruiting

Oracle Cloud

Infor

Job description

Job Description

Associate Director of Human Resources

Department: Human Resources

Reports To: Director of Human Resources

Supervises: Recruiter, Student Employment Coordinator

FLSA Status: Exempt (hiring range $76,468 - $86,028)

Responsibilities

Essential Responsibilities

1. Talent Acquisition and Recruitment

• Provide leadership and oversight of staff recruitment and hiring processes to attract, select, and retain qualified employees.
• Partner with hiring managers and College leadership to identify staffing needs, develop recruitment strategies, and support effective hiring decisions.
• Supervise and collaborate with the Recruiter to evaluate and improve recruitment processes, including the effective use of Oracle Recruiting.
• Provide guidance to hiring managers on recruitment practices, candidate evaluation, selection processes, and hiring procedures.
• Identify opportunities to improve the applicant and hiring manager experience, streamline workflows, and strengthen recruitment outcomes.
• Collaborate with the Director on workforce planning, staffing priorities, and recruitment challenges requiring broader institutional consideration.

2. Employee Relations

• Serve as a primary HR resource to employees and supervisors on workplace concerns, employee relations matters, and the interpretation and application of College policies.
• Conduct confidential workplace investigations, document findings, and recommend appropriate actions consistent with College policies and applicable employment laws.
• Partner with supervisors to address employee performance and conduct concerns, including coaching, corrective action, disciplinary processes, and employment separations.
• Provide guidance on conflict resolution, workplace communication, and consistent employment practices.
• Identify emerging employee relations trends and recommend proactive strategies to address organizational concerns and mitigate risk.
• Collaborate with General Counsel on significant disciplinary actions, sensitive investigations, complex employment matters, and decisions that may present institutional risk.

3. Performance Management

• Lead the administration and continuous improvement of the College's performance management program, including annual evaluations, goal setting, ongoing feedback, and employee development.
• Provide guidance, resources, and training to supervisors on establishing performance expectations, delivering meaningful feedback, and addressing performance concerns.
• Monitor completion of performance management activities and identify opportunities to improve program effectiveness.
• Collaborate with the Director on broader performance management strategies and institutional priorities.

4. Employee Engagement and Retention

• Develop and implement initiatives that strengthen employee engagement, workplace culture, job satisfaction, and retention.
• Collaborate with campus partners to identify opportunities to improve the employee experience and address workplace challenges.
• Evaluate exit interview feedback and retention data to identify areas for improvement and recommend actionable solutions.
• Partner with supervisors to develop strategies that improve team effectiveness, employee morale, and workplace relationships.
• Provide recommendations to the Director regarding emerging employee engagement and retention concerns.

5. Student Employment Administration Oversight

• Provide leadership and supervision for the Student Employment Coordinator and oversee the administration of student employment processes within Human Resources.
• Support the development and improvement of student employment policies, procedures, systems, and services for student employees and campus supervisors.
• Collaborate with campus partners, including the Piper Center, Pay roll, Finance, and Information Technology, to address student employment challenges and improve operational efficiencies.
• Ensure student employment practices align with applicable employment laws, College policies, and institutional priorities.
• Identify opportunities to improve student employment workflows, supervisor resources, and administrative processes.
• Escalate significant policy, compliance, or resource concerns to the Director of Human Resources.

6. HR Leadership and Department Operations

• Serve as second-in-command to the Director of Human Resources, providing leadership and oversight of day-to-day departmental operations.
• Supervise, coach, and evaluate designated HR staff, fostering accountability, collaboration and effective service delivery.
• Coordinate departmental workflows, monitor operational priorities, and identify opportunities to improve efficiency and responsiveness.
• Provide day-to-day leadership in the Director's absence, ensuring continuity of services and appropriate escalation of sensitive or high-impact matters.
• Assist the Director in implementing departmental goals, policies, programs, and strategic initiatives.
• Partner with HR staff and campus departments to identify and resolve operational challenges and improve the effectiveness of HR systems and processes.
• Support the development of HR procedures, training resources, and communication materials that promote consistent employment practices.
• Serve as a resource to HR team members on complex operational questions and assist in resolving issues that require cross-functional coordination.
• General Responsibilities
• Support, respect, and contribute to a College community that values diverse backgrounds, experiences, perspectives, and points of view.
• Complete required training, participate in the College's performance management process, and meet established deadlines.
• Maintain confidentiality and exercise sound judgment when handling sensitive employee and institutional information.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Work Schedule

Term: Year-round

Shift: Striving for work-life balance, St. Olaf College's typical work hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00am-5:00pm. Recognizing individual needs, we support flexible scheduling options.

Required Qualifications

Education: Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience

Experience: 5+ years experience in human resources, employment, recruiting and/or compensation, or relevant experience

Preferred Qualifications

Education: Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources

Experience: 7+ years of recruiting experience or as a human resources generalist; experience using Infor and/or Oracle Cloud; experience with a systems implementation

Prerequisites

Employment in this position is conditioned upon successful completion of a background check which may include criminal background checks, reference checks, verification of work history, verification of any required academic credentials, licenses, and/or certifications, a motor vehicle check, verification of DOT certification, a credit check, employment eligibility verification, and/or a pre-employment physical. Whether a background check is deemed successfully completed will be at the sole discretion of St. Olaf College. Please note, St. Olaf College reserves the right to conduct periodic background checks at its sole discretion.

Disclaimer

• This job description is for general information purposes. It is not intended to list all duties and responsibilities of the position. This job description is subject to change at any time by St. Olaf College, with or without prior notice.
• Review of applications begins immediately and continues until the hire is complete. We only accept online applications.

About Us

Founded in 1874, St. Olaf College is a residential, coeducational liberal arts college with approximately 3,000 students and 800 faculty and staff. The college is located on a picturesque 300-acre campus in Northfield, Minnesota, a vibrant, historic river town of 20,000 located 45 minutes south of culturally rich and diverse Minneapolis and St. Paul.

The college offers an academically rigorous, nationally ranked liberal arts education that fosters the development of the whole person in mind, body, and spirit and emphasizes learning in an inclusive and globally engaged community. We encourage applications from candidates committed to multicultural understanding and the enrichment of our diverse community.

The college offers a comprehensive benefits package, including a 9% retirement match, contributions to eligible employees' health savings accounts, a significant tuition discount (up to a 90% reduction) at ACM, GLCA, and ELCA colleges and universities for employees' children, and generous paid time off. For a full review of the college's benefits, please see the summary of our benefits here: https://wp.stolaf.edu/hr/benefits/

To provide a safe and secure educational environment, St. Olaf College verifies the accuracy of all credentials presented by applicants and conducts a criminal background check on every new hire.

A summary of the Flexible Work Policy for staff: https://wp.stolaf.edu/hr/flexible-work-policy/

A link to our Community and Belonging page: https://wp.stolaf.edu/equity-inclusion/

A virtual campus tour: https://www.stolaf.edu/multimedia/play/?p=483

An overview of Northfield: https://wp.stolaf.edu/admissions/visit/northfield/

An overview of the Twin Cities: https://wp.stolaf.edu/admissions/visit/twincities/

Nondiscrimination Policy

St. Olaf College does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, creed, national origin, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, religion, disability, marital status, veteran status, or status with regard to public assistance. St. Olaf College prohibits discrimination and harassment based upon these and any other legally protected status in any education program or activity that it operates, including in admissions and employment.

Inquiries about this nondiscrimination policy may be referred to St. Olaf College's Director of Equal Opportunity, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, or both. St. Olaf's Director of Equal Opportunity (who serves as the College's Title IX, Title VI, and Section 504 Coordinator) is Pamela McDowell, Tomson Hall, [e-mail] , [phone].