Strategic HR Director for a Large College — Higher Ed

The University of Texas at Austin; Utah; On-site; USD 117,000 - 143,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Texas at Austin seeks a Director of Human Resources for the College of Natural Sciences. This role leads the decentralized HR community, aligning processes and standards across three workforce groups and serving as trusted advisor to the CNS Dean and leadership.

Ideal candidates bring leadership, sound judgment, and the ability to unify teams in a large, complex higher-education setting. Experience in higher education or public sector is advantageous, but not required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in HR, Business Administration, or related field with 8+ years of HR experience or Master’s with 6+ years.
• Experience leading HR operations in large, complex orgs including higher education, healthcare, or government.
• Strong leadership, change management, and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Knowledge of federal/state employment laws and HR compliance.
• Experience with decentralized HR and enterprise HR systems (e.g., Workday) is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and operational leadership for HR across CNS.
• Lead workforce planning, governance and talent management aligned with college priorities.
• Ensure compliance with university policies and regulatory changes.
• Advance employee relations and organizational effectiveness across departments.
• Represent CNS in college leadership fora and build partnerships across the university.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Communication

Change management

Relationship building

Education

Bachelor's degree HR

Master's degree preferred

Job description

The University of Texas at Austin seeks a Director of Human Resources for the College of Natural Sciences. This role leads the decentralized HR community, aligning processes and standards across three workforce groups and serving as trusted advisor to the CNS Dean and leadership.

Ideal candidates bring leadership, sound judgment, and the ability to unify teams in a large, complex higher-education setting. Experience in higher education or public sector is advantageous, but not required.