Executive Director, OVCAS Human Resources

University of Illinois Chicago; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 135,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Illinois Chicago is seeking an Executive Director, OVCAS Human Resources, to lead HR operations for the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Administration. You will supervise HR staff, coordinate workforce planning, ensure policy compliance, and drive training for leaders across facilities, safety, and energy services.

The role requires a decade of HR leadership experience, familiarity with union contracts, and strong communication skills in a complex academic environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in human resources, business administration, or related field.
• HR professional certification (SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, HRCI-SPHR, or HRCI-PHR).
• At least 10 years of experience in human resources with supervisory responsibility.

Responsibilities

• Oversee HR operations for OVCAS, including recruitment, onboarding, and policy enforcement.
• Lead workforce planning and ensure compliance with federal, state, and local laws.
• Develop training programs for leadership and implement SOPs for HR activities.
• Manage payroll operations and employee relations processes across the unit.
• Serve on bargaining teams and advise leadership on HR-related decisions.
• Coordinate ethics, FOIA responses, and audits related to HR activities.
• Collaborate with Campus HR to recruit candidates and monitor compliance.

Skills

Employee relations

Training

Coaching

Policy development

Progressive discipline

Diversity & inclusion

Verbal communication

Written communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in HR or related field

HR professional certification (SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, HRCI-SPHR, or HRCI-PHR)

Job description

Hiring Department: Office of the Vice Chancellor for Administrative Services

Location: Chicago, IL USA

Salary: The budgeted salary range for this position is $135,000 - $150,000.

About The University Of Illinois Chicago

UIC is among the nation’s preeminent urban public research universities, a Carnegie RU/VH research institution, and the largest university in Chicago. UIC serves over 34,000 students, comprising one of the most diverse student bodies in the nation and is designated as a Minority Serving Institution (MSI), an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution (AANAPSI) and a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI). Through its 16 colleges, UIC produces nationally and internationally recognized multidisciplinary academic programs in concert with civic, corporate and community partners worldwide, including a full complement of health sciences colleges. By emphasizing cutting-edge and transformational research along with a commitment to the success of all students, UIC embodies the dynamic, vibrant and engaged urban university. Recent “Best Colleges” rankings published by U.S. News & World Report, found UIC climbed up in its rankings among top public schools in the nation and among all national universities. UIC has over 300,000 alumni, and is one of the largest employers in the city of Chicago.

This position is intended to be eligible for benefits. This includes Health, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, a Retirement Plan, Paid time Off, and Tuition waivers for employees and dependents.

Position Summary

Reporting to the Associate Vice Chancellor for Business Services, the Executive Director, OVCAS Human Resources is responsible for planning, directing and coordinating all Human Resources activities for the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Administration, including facilities management, planning sustainability and project management, organizational resilience, campus police, campus parking, environmental health and safety, technology and building systems, and utilities and energy services.

Duties And Responsibilities

• Oversee the HR operations of OVCAS, including recruitment, staffing, workforce planning, position control, onboarding new employees, training departmental leadership and supervisors in human resources areas, discipline and employee relations, leave coordination and reporting, and developing, distributing and enforcing standard operating procedures
• Hires, trains, develops and directs a team of human resources associates charged with meeting unit goals
• Performs college level approvals for JDX, HRFE, overcompensation requests and other HR transactions
• Serve as a key resource in workforce planning, using industry standards for technical staffing at different service levels based on university and unit policy and agreements with internal and external customers for service provision across all OVCAS service lines
• Develops training for OVCAS leadership and supervisors in all HR areas, tracks compliance, and provides reporting on improvements towards operational goals
• Manages the discipline and employee relations operations of OVCAS and provides reporting on status, level and efficacy of discipline. Conducts disciplinary and pre-disciplinary meetings as necessary and advises OVCAS leadership and supervisors on progressive disciplinary action. Approves and serves intent to discharge paperwork, position elimination requests and terminal contracts as needed.
• Works with the Associate Vice Chancellor, Business Services, on developing responses to ethics complaints and FOIA requests related to employee issues and human resources
• Works to draft, implement and socialize a library of standard operating procedures for OVCAS human resources operations and ensures that they are being followed
• Implements and administers new human resources programs, procedures, initiatives, and guidelines
• Serves on management collective bargaining teams
• Provides guidance to all levels of the OVCAS organization on human resources issues
• Serves as unit coordinator for SUCCS and other human resources audit responses
• Works with Campus HR to coordinate outreach to community organizations to recruit candidates as needed
• Monitors compliance for Report of Non-University Activities (RNUA), Statements of Economic Interests, Activity Reporting System and ethics training
• Manages payroll operations
• Performs other related duties as assigned

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in human resources, business administration, or related field
• HR Professional certification designation, i.e., SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, HRCI-SPHR, or HRCI-PHR
• At least ten (10) years of experience in human resources with supervisory experience
• Experience working with union contracts and knowledge of federal, state, and local labor laws
• Skilled with employee relations, training, coaching, policy development and progressive discipline
• Ability to effectively interact with people of diverse backgrounds
• Strong verbal and written communication skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Human resources experience in an academic/public environment preferred

The University of Illinois System is an equal opportunity employer, including but not limited to disability and/or veteran status, and complies with all applicable state and federal employment mandates. Please visit Required Employment Notices and Posters to view our non-discrimination statement and find additional information about required background checks, sexual harassment/misconduct disclosures, and employment eligibility review through E-Verify.

The university provides accommodations to applicants and employees. Request an Accommodation

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools may be used in some portions of the candidate review process for this position, however, all employment decisions will be made by a person.