Manager, HR Operations & Employee Engagement

University of California - San Francisco; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of California - San Francisco is seeking a Manager, HR Operations & Employee Engagement to oversee HR operations and engagement for the IGHS Control Point, supporting 300+ staff, students, postdocs, and faculty across California and globally. The role leads a professional team, partners with central services, and guides policy, recruitment, compensation, and staff development.

You will manage multi-site staffing, on-site work policies, and change initiatives, ensuring compliant

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; minimum six years of HR experience, with at least five in a lead/supervisory role.
• Broad knowledge of HR processes, labor contracts, and personnel policy with strong risk management.
• Experience coordinating HR operations across multiple locations and partners.

Responsibilities

• Oversee HR operations for the IGHS Control Point serving 300+ staff, students, postdocs, and non-faculty academics.
• Coordinate recruitment, staff development, compensation, and HR policy compliance with central UCSF services.
• Lead on-site work policies, change management, and employee engagement initiatives across multi-location teams.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Staff management

Organizational skills

Change management

Conflict resolution

Cross-location collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Oracle HCM

UCPath

Job description

Job Summary

Manager, HR Operations & Employee Engagement is responsible for managing the administrative operations of a school, OR a medium to large academic department, OR several small departments within a college, OR a medium to large non‑academic department. Typical functions include IT, facilities, student services, contracts & grants, budgetary financial management and / or human resources. The role manages a professional staff, typically large, and / or comprised of professionals in various fields. The manager assumes accountability for decisions, performs long‑ and short‑term planning, and is responsible for day‑to‑day management and strategic oversight of human resource operations and employee engagement for the IGHS Control Point (equivalent to a school). The position supports a growing community of 300 staff, learners, and faculty with roles dispersed across California and globally.

Department Summary

The Institute for Global Health Sciences (IGHS) is a campus‑wide interdisciplinary program that reports to the Chancellor. IGHS is structured as an Organized Research Unit (ORU) and control point that oversees a portfolio of $300 M in sponsored programs, two graduate groups that confer Masters and PhD degrees, and an administrative unit that provides communication, financial management, event planning, staffing support, operations, and program development to faculty members worldwide.

Key Responsibilities

Staff & Learner HR

• Manages, plans and administers Human Resources operations for the IGHS Control Point serving 300+ employees, graduate students, postdocs, and non‑faculty academics.
• Coordinates case intake and resolution with central services across UCSF Shared Services, Compensation, Labor & Employee Relations, Talent Acquisition, Leave Administration, Disability Management, Academic Affairs, International Student Support Services, the Grad Division, and the Controller's office.
• Manages department-specific HR operations, including recruitments, FTE tracking, analyzing organizational structures and recommending positions within job families to align with needs, facilitating employee communications, and managing onsite work requirements and resources.
• Assesses where funding gaps exist, who may need coverage, and whose skills can be applied across projects.
• Determines how to utilize campus focal equity programs, reclassification requests, and additional compensation methods (admin stipends, temporary assignments, etc.) to meet institutional needs and retain talent.
• Manages multi‑site staffing agreements/contracts between IGHS/UCSF and the California Department of Public Health.
• Assists with disability management cases and leave administration.
• Facilitates the on‑site work policy for IGHS by monitoring employee compliance and issuing appropriate notice for changes to work requirements.
• Assists hiring managers with recruitments; reviews needs and recommends job templates, assists with job description development, advises hiring managers on risks, recommends recruiting strategies, and facilitates the recruiting process.
• Manages compensation and classification process for IGHS; including merit reviews, across‑board salary actions, union‑required compensation, reclassifications, equity adjustments, and additional compensation programs.
• In partnership with the IGHS Education Team, processes graduate student researcher appointments, renewals, and operational issues.
• In partnership with the International Research Support Office, ensures global staffing operations align with institutional policies and federal/international tax compliance.

Academic HR

• Coordinates the Academic Human Resource activities for IGHS, including overseeing academic recruitment, appointment, advancement, compensation and salary support, visa procurement, benefits, and payroll.
• Provides information to faculty and other academic staff concerning HR processes, benefits, criteria and eligibility, and visa matters.
• Prepares academic review cases by assembling materials and ensuring timelines for campus review process.
• Serves as primary point of contact for ~10 non‑faculty academic appointments per year.
• Ensures visiting faculty are appointed with home academic departments and manages appointment and faculty experience while at UCSF.
• Prepares communications on academic HR topics and offers training as needed.
• Assists with faculty recruitments and liaisons with home departments to resolve appointment issues.
• Recommends equitable compensation, reviews job offers, and ensures documentation for audit purposes.

Institutional Representation & Advocacy

• Attends weekly HR Huddles offered by campus.
• Facilitates monthly 1‑1 meetings with central campus units to resolve issues and understand policies, and schedules ad‑hoc meetings on emergent issues.
• Facilitates quarterly meetings with leaders at the California Department of Public Health and IGHS to ensure alignment on HR issues.

HR Systems Management

• Ensures the control point effectively utilizes campus systems (such as Oracle) and serves on working groups to advance HR goals.
• Resolves system access issues for employees and coordinates new system access as needed.

Employee Engagement

• Coordinates IGHS initiatives to nurture community, such as recognition programs, community programming, and annual celebrations.
• Oversees administration of the campus employee engagement survey and recruits engagement ambassadors.
• Oversees the IGHS professional development fund; administers annual allocation, reviews applications, and reports to executive leadership.
• Oversees IGHS recognition programs such as the STAR/SPOT award; facilitates nomination, review, communication, and payment processing.
• Ensures IGHS policies align with best practices in diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.

Performance Management

• Oversees the annual performance review process utilizing campus evaluation mechanisms; communicates process, answers questions, conducts approvals, and elevates issues.
• Reviews performance issues, advises on action, coordinates with labor and employee relations, and mitigates risk.

Employee Experience

• Partners with the IGHS communications team to raise visibility for IGHS opportunities.
• Manages the employee onboarding experience, providing system access, benefits training, and first‑day activities.
• Manages the employee off‑boarding experience, facilitates separations, organizes exit interviews, and addresses issues.
• Provides a point of contact for community questions and brainstorming solutions.
• Facilitates change management processes for institute initiatives.
• Serves as a confidential resource for employees and elevates compliance issues.

Labor & Employee Relations Support

• Drafts business plans for reductions in time and layoffs; submits cases to campus LER via appropriate platforms.
• Participates in or leads meetings with employees about labor actions; drafts or reviews notification letters.
• Ensures employees work through a progressive disciplinary process or appropriate performance management policy.
• Maintains all employee records at the department/control point level in alignment with campus policy.

Required

• Bachelor's degree in related area and minimum six years of experience, with at least five in a lead/supervisory role or equivalent experience/training.
• Broad knowledge of the organization's processes, protocols and procedures with a focus on human resources under labor contract(s) and personnel policy.
• Broad knowledge of human resources and risk management planning.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills; ability to influence / persuade all levels of staff.
• Skills in organization and customer service to effectively manage multiple important priorities. Proven ability to organize department work functions efficiently and effectively.
• Skills to work collaboratively with other locations.
• Proven skills to quickly evaluate complex issues and identify multiple options for resolution.
• Demonstrated management and conflict resolution skills to effectively lead and motivate others.
• Strong facilitation and conflict management skills.
• Experience leading others through the change management process.
• Experience working with geographically dispersed employee populations.

Preferred

• Broad knowledge of Oracle HCM operating system, UCPath, and other HR operating systems used by the University of California.
• Experience leading others through the change management process.

Salary Information

The final salary and offer components are subject to additional approvals based on UC policy. Placement within the salary range is dependent on a number of factors including work experience and internal equity. For positions represented by a labor union, placement will be guided by collective bargaining agreement rules.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected status under state or federal law.