Director, Workplace Experience and Employee Relations

Virginia Tech; Blacksburg (VA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Virginia Tech is seeking a transformational leader to provide strategic leadership for the university’s employee relations function. This Director guides advisory support to university leaders, embedding HR directors on workplace effectiveness, employee experience, and risk management.

The role leads a proactive, data-informed employee relations operation, partnering on coaching, training, analytics, investigations, and resolution of complex workplace issues while advancing trust, engagement,

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in HR, Management, Public Administration, Organizational Leadership, or related field.
• Significant progressive experience in Employee Relations, Human Resources, Labor Relations, Organizational Effectiveness, or related fields.
• Demonstrated experience advising senior leaders.
• Experience leading complex workplace investigations and employee relations matters.
• Strong knowledge of employment law and human resource practices.
• Experience developing and delivering training programs.
• Exceptional communication and relationship-building skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for the university's employee relations function and advise senior leaders on workplace effectiveness, employee experience, and risk management.
• Lead a proactive, data-informed employee relations operation offering coaching, training, analytics, and resolution of complex issues.
• Develop enterprise-wide strategies to strengthen leadership capability, improve employee experience, identify trends, and prevent issues.
• Build trusted partnerships with campus stakeholders and ensure compliance with laws and university policies.

Skills

Communication skills

Relationship-building

Advising senior leaders

Employment law knowledge

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR/related field

Job description

Work type: Administrative & Professional

Senior management: VP for Human Resources

Department: Human Resources

Job Description

Virginia Tech is seeking a transformational leader to provide strategic leadership for the university’s employee relations function. This leader serves as a trusted advisor to university leaders and embedded HR directors on workplace effectiveness, employee experience, organizational health, and workforce risk.

The Director leads a proactive, consultative, and data-informed employee relations operation that supports leaders and employees through partnership, coaching, training, analytics, and resolution of complex workplace issues. The position is responsible for advancing a culture of trust, accountability, engagement, inclusion, consistency, and organizational effectiveness while ensuring compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and university policies.

The Director develops enterprise-wide strategies that strengthen leadership capability, improve employee experience, identify emerging workforce trends, and prevent workplace issues before they escalated.

This position reports to the Assistant Vice President for Human Resources and leads the Employee Relations team. The position is also key in building trusted partnerships with campus stakeholders such as the Office for Civil Rights Compliance and Prevention Education, University Legal Counsel, Office of the Ombuds, Faculty Affairs, University Police Department, Office of Audit, Risk, and Compliance, and others.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Management, Public Administration, Organizational Leadership, or related field.
• Significant progressive experience in Employee Relations, Human Resources, Labor Relations, Organizational Effectiveness, or related fields.
• Demonstrated experience advising senior leaders.
• Experience leading complex workplace investigations and employee relations matters.
• Strong knowledge of employment law and human resource practices.
• Experience developing and delivering training programs.
• Exceptional communication and relationship-building skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in a related field and/or a juris doctorate (J.D.)
• Experience in higher education or other large complex organizations.
• Experience leading organizational change initiatives.
• Experience with workforce analytics and data interpretation.
• Experience developing employee experience, engagement, or organizational effectiveness strategies.
• Experience building consultative HR service models.

Overtime Status

Exempt: Not eligible for overtime

Appointment Type

Regular

Salary Information

Commensurate with experience with a salary range of $140,000-$160,000

40+ Work schedule varies; primarily Monday through Friday.

Review Date

August 31, 2026

Additional Information

The successful candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check.

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 Blacksburg, the greater Washington, D.C. area, the Health Sciences and Technology Campus in Roanoke, sites in Newport News and Richmond, and numerous Extension offices and research institutes. A leading global research institution, Virginia Tech conducts more than $650 million in research annually.

Virginia Tech endorses and encourages professional development opportunities and university shared governance. These valuable contributions to university shared governance provide important representation and perspective, along with opportunities for unique and impactful professional development.

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, ethnicity or national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, or military 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 Marisela Garza at [e-mail] during regular business hours at least 10 business days prior to the event.